Tim Stead is the author of ‘Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality – making space for God’ published by SPCK in March 2016.
The book combines the insights he has gained through being an accredited Mindfulness teacher with his 20 years’ experience as a parish priest and Christian disciple.
Mindfulness is clearly a valuable practice for all sorts of people to help manage stress and support better self-care but this book explores what it might have to offer the Christian tradition of spirituality, prayer and spiritual growth.
Tim suggests that mindfulness can make a huge contribution – but there are also challenges. This talk with reflect on both of these.
Biog:
Tim is currently working as a Church of England parish priest in Headington Quarry, Oxford (see: www.hthq.org.uk). He has practiced Christian forms of contemplative prayer for 30 years but discovered Mindfulness 6 years ago through the Oxford Mindfulness Centre’s (O.M.C.) 8 week course: ‘Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy’ (see: www.oxfordmindfulness.org). He is now an accredited Mindfulness teacher. He has developed an eight week course based on the best-selling book “Mindfulness – finding peace in a frantic world” by Mark Williams (former director of O.M.C.) and Danny Penman, which he teaches in the parish and to clergy.
Tim’s book ‘Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality – making space for God’ was published by SPCK in March 2016. It explores how mindfulness practice can contribute to Christian thought, prayer and spirituality.
Tim also has a science degree and has developed an interest in how science and faith can both critique and inform one another. He sees Mindfulness as a particularly good example of how this has happened in a constructive way.