Bøker av Andrew Atherstone

'I can only say that from my knowledge of the Bench of Bishops, which is considerable, I think it is inconceivable that any of the Bishops would press an ordination candidate, contrary to his conscience, to wear a stole at his ordination.'(Archbishop Michael Ramsey, House of Lords, July 1964)Although Archbishop Ramsey's declaration of liberty of conscience for Anglican ordinands may have been true in the 1960s, it is unfortunately not so today. Each year evangelical candidates in dioceses throughout the Church of England find themselves put under pressure to wear stoles at ordination.After a brief survey of the place of stoles within Anglicanism, at the Elizabethan Settlement and the Tractarian Revival, this booklet focuses upon the history of stoles at ordination in the mid-twentieth century, based on new research in Lambeth Palace Library. It appeals for a return to the days of generous Anglican attitudes, whereby every ordinand is given freedom of choice over whether to wear a scarf or a stole.Andrew Atherstone is Latimer Research Fellow, at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and a member of Oxford University's Faculty of Theology and Religion. He has published widely on contemporary Anglicanism.

The story of Alpha is of major significance for understanding the place of religious faith in the modern world, but that story has never been told - until now.Since its launch in 1993, the Alpha movement has evolved from 'supper party evangelism' in the Kensington suburbs into a global brand of Christian outreach. Today, over a million people attend Alpha every year, but the history of its rise to popularity has never been documented. What caused such spiritual renewal in an age of scepticism? And what propelled Alpha into a phenomenon that is recognised across the globe?Alpha is far more than an introductory course to Christianity. At the core of its brand identity is a 'repackaging' of the Christian message for contemporary audiences. Innovation and cultural adaptability are built into Alpha's DNA, one of the chief reasons for its longevity and influence. Nimbly utilising the multimedia and digital revolutions, it has contextualised into cultures and languages across the planet. And led by charismatic, savvy individuals, it has attracted people from across the social spectrum, making waves in national media.Andrew Atherstone leaves no stone unturned as he presents this fascinating history. With exclusive access to original archives, Atherstone recounts the miraculous stories of HTB's early years, the first full account of Nicky Gumbel's conversion, and the strategic decisions that launched Alpha onto the global stage of Christian influence. With sharp historical analysis, Andrew Atherstone uncovers the story of Christian resurgence in our contemporary age.

The worldwide Anglican movement is a vibrant and flourishing, if sometimes troubled, international phenomenon. The Anglican movement, at its best, has always been about people rather than structures or institutions. This book introduces sixteen men and women from the Church of England, spread over the centuries from the early middle age onwards.

There is no better handbook for Anglican ministry than the Anglican ordinal – the authorized liturgy for ordaining new ministers. The ordinal contains a beautiful, succinct description of theological priorities and ministry models for today’s Church. This booklet offers a simple exposition of the ordinal’s primary themes. Anglican clergy are called to public ministry as messengers, sentinels, stewards, and shepherds. They are asked searching questions and they make solemn promises. The Holy Spirit’s anointing is invoked upon their ministries, with the laying-on-of-hands, and they are gifted a Bible as the visual symbol of their new pastoral and preaching office. This booklet is a handy primer for ordinands and clergy, and all those responsible for their selection, training, and deployment.

This volume makes a significant contribution to the 'history of ecclesiastical histories', with a fresh analysis of historians of evangelicalism from the eighteenth century to the present. It explores the ways in which their scholarly methods and theological agendas shaped their writings.

The volume provides an authoritative and state-of-the-art review of current scholarship on the history of evangelicalism, and maps the territory for future research.

An important contribution to the understanding of twentieth-century Anglicanism and evangelicalism

Rowan Williams retired as Archbishop of Canterbury on 31 December 2012, and the Crown Nominations Commission elected the Rt Revd Justin Welby as his successor, enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2013. The Archbishop of Canterbury has an international profile and influence. In this short, lively and informative book, Andrew Atherstone, explores Welby's life from his formative years, education, and eleven year career in the oil industry to his ministry, as well as his theology and world view, beginning with a concise examination of his writings and how they inform his thinking.

When the search for a new Archbishop of Canterbury began, Justin Welby had been a bishop for only four and a half months. He had little media profile and barely figured in the early speculations about Rowan Williams¿ successor. Welby claimed that it would be `a joke¿ and `perfectly absurd¿ to appoint him because he had such little episcopal experience. The Crown Nominations Commission disagreed and in March 2013 he was enthroned as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.This, the first major biography of Welby, critically examines the words, actions and impact of his first year as head of the Anglican Communion, including his active political engagement and his tackling of controversial issues such as same-sex marriage, women bishops and the emergence of GAFCON.Biographer Andrew Atherstone also analyses Welby¿s theological, strategic and pastoral qualities and, through extensive archival research and interviews with the archbishop¿s friends and colleagues, presents in-depth accounts of his unsettled childhood, the experiences that influenced his conversion to Christianity at Cambridge University, his successful career in the oil industry, his personal and professional links to Africa and his rapid rise through the ranks of the Church of England. What emerges is a portrait of a global Christian leader deeply motivated by gospel values, unafraid of risk and committed to tackle issues of division within both church and society.--Archbishop Justin Welby: Risk-taker and Reconciler is more than twice the length of Atherstone¿s 2013 biography, Archbishop Justin Welby: The Road to Canterbury. It contains four new chapters that examine Welby¿s first year at Lambeth, 16 pages of photographs and incorporates much of the text of the earlier book, substantially expanded, revised and updated.