Peacemaker Trust

Stephen is the founder and director of Peacemaker Trust, a registered charity dedicated to peacemaking, especially where minorities are persecuted, where justice is denied, human rights are suppressed or reconciliation is needed.

Anglican Church

Stephen was ordained in 1983 and served as a curate in St Leonard’s on Sea, Sussex (1983-1986). He was appointed Curate-in-Charge, then Rector of St John’s, Stoke, Guildford in Surrey (1986-1997). He was appointed vicar of Virginia Water in 1997 where he served for 20 years until 2017.

Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group

Stephen is a trustee of Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group, a charity who befriend and support asylum seekers and refugees in the Southampton area.

Christianity Explored

Stephen is a trainer for the Christianity Explored Course and has assisted with the launch of the Buganda, Swahili and French translations in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan, as well as the launch of the Arabic edition in Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco and Polish translation in Katowice, Poland.

Living Stones of the Holy Land Trust

Stephen is a trustee of the Living Stones of the Holy Land Trust. Living Stones is an ecumenical charity with the primary aim of advancing education about Christianity in the Holy Land and countries around, by:

raising awareness in Britain and elsewhere, educating and informing the public concerning Christians in the Holy Land, through our website, lectures, newsletter and a yearbook of academic theological articles;

promoting contacts between Christians (and others) in Britain and in the Holy Land, e.g. through pilgrimages promoting encounter, reflection and witness; cooperating with other charities and groups with similar aims, by sharing activities and information

Human Rights

In 2004, he co-authored the statement Challenging Christian Zionism endorsed at the 5th International Sabeel Conference in Jerusalem. In 2006, he debated Neville White of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group and was instrumental in the Church of England General Synod decision to divest from Caterpillar. In 2006, he also co-authored the Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism for the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem. In 2010 he co-authored the Bethlehem Evangelical Affirmation, endorsed by participants at the Christ at the Checkpoint conference sponsored by Bethlehem Bible College. In 2011 he co-authored the Seven Affirmations of Bethlehem Bible College and in 2012, the second international Christ at the Checkpoint Conference Statement and Manifesto. In 2012, Stephen was a member of the Kairos Britain drafting committee which published Time for Action

Academic

Stephen gained his BA in Geography from Sussex University in 1976, a Diploma in Higher Education (Dip HE) in theology from Trinity College, Bristol in 1983. He was awarded an MTh (with distinction) from Oxford University in 1994. His thesis examined the Ethical Management of Pilgrimages to the Holy Land. In 2004 he was awarded a PhD by Oak Hill College and Middlesex University. His thesis examined the historical roots, theological basis and political consequences of Christian Zionism in Britain and the USA from 1820.

Stephen has served as an external examiner for post-graduate degrees (MPhil and PhD) awarded by the University of Wales, the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS) and also Tyndale-Carey Graduate School, Bible College of New Zealand – now Laidlaw College.

Wider Ministry

For over 25 years, he was a trustee of Biblica Europe, International Bible Society, and has served as a trustee, director or committee member of Friends of Sabeel UK, Highway Trust, Interfaith Group for Morally Responsible Investment, Christ at the Checkpoint conferences, and the Balfour Project.

Author

He is the author of three books, In the Footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles, (Eagle, 2004) Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon (IVP, 2004) and Zion’s Christian Soldiers: The Bible, Israel and the Church (IVP, 2007). His books have been translated into Arabic, Farsi, Korean and Spanish. He also writes occasionally for various journals and magazines.

Photography and Press

He has Press Accreditation as a freelance photographer from the Palestine News Network (PNN) and Holy Land Trust.