I have known Stephen and his brother David since they were born. Their Father and Mother, Norman and Vaila were on staff at Prairie where Norman taught in the college and later pastored the Prairie Tabernacle Congregation.
Catherine and I loved Stephen's Grandmother, Vera Nicolson or as we called her, "Mrs. Nic". I remember many Sundays after church, (where Vaila would have played her vibraphone) begging Mom and Dad to invite them over for lunch, which they often did.
Later I knew Mrs. Nic as the hostess of tea time in the Dining Hall at 3pm every weekday. Dressed in her apron, a smile on her face and a cheery word for all she served in this capacity long after retirement age.
Catherine and I had the privilege many times of taking her with us on numerous trips to the U.S. and dropping her off at her son, Grahame's place in Montana. A more gracious lady you will not find!
Stephen is the Lecturer in Social and Political Theology at St. Mellitus College, London. He has also lectured and taught for the last two decades to thousands around the world in churches, universities, schools, festivals, political conferences, youth camps, newspapers, magazines, television and podcasts.
Stephen has a doctorate from the University of Oxford and multiple master’s degrees from McGill University in Montreal and Oxford, where he also did his undergraduate studies in philosophy and theology.
He is an historian of Christian thought, an expert on the work of Søren Kierkegaard and an authority on the political theology of nations and nationalism. He has published a number of critically well-received books and articles on religion, history, and Kierkegaard, from the popular Compact Guide to Christian History (Lion Publishers) to the academic Kierkegaard’s Critique of Christian Nationalism (Oxford University Press). He is the author of many publications, including the award-winning popular biography Kierkegaard: A Single Life (Zondervan: 2016).
I received this nice comment from Stephen's Mother, Vaila with a bit of an update:
ReplyDelete"I’m grateful to Steve Rendall for posting this article about our son, Stephen. Just to update you a little, Stephen and his wife, Clare live in West Sussex, UK. Stephen’s Tent Theology consultancy helps to articulate ethical strategies for UK businesses and NGOs, while his podcasts, Hypehen and Tent Talks reach a more transatlantic audience. In the local area, Stephen and Clare collaborate with the education enterprise LifeUni and the charitable hub Wholesome Warehouse."