Andrew Ashdown

Andrew was brought up in Zimbabwe of Missionary parents during the Rhodesian war. After completing his education in England, Andrew spent a while working in banking in the City of London, before going to spend 2 years as a volunteer Teacher at a Christian school in a remote part of Central India. This was a very formative experience of further encounter with other cultures and other faiths. He returned to England to study Theology at King's College, London before training for ordination.

Since being ordained in 1990, Andrew has served in parishes in Yorkshire, Surrey and Hampshire, and also worked for a time as the Regional Desk Officer for South Asia, for the Anglican Mission Agency, USPG.

Over the years, Andrew has travelled widely throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, some of these journeys including studies on monasticism and inter-faith dialogue. For a while, Andrew held responsibility for Diocesan links with West Africa , and led several Diocesan and Deanery visits to West Africa.

But throughout the past 20 years, Andrew has had a particular passion for the Middle East and its people, regularly leading groups to the region, and visiting privately. Some of those experiences are illustrated in a book published in 2007 by Christians Aware: 'The Stones Cry Out: Reflections from Israel and Palestine', which is available from Christians Aware.

THE STONES CRY OUT

Reflections from Israel and Palestine
By Andrew Ashdown

Published by Christians Aware
ISBN 978 1 873372 248

  • Available from Christians Aware,
  • 2 Saxby St, Leicester. LE2 OND
  • Cost: £ 6.99 + £1.50 p & p.

This book is a reflective journey through the Holy Land, visiting and describing places both familiar and less well-known. But it is the voices of the people of the land, and the experience of today that witness to the contemporary realities described in this pilgrimage. The book has some striking photographs, and also a full resource section – a bibliography, and addresses and web-sites of organisations and agencies who work with and on behalf of Palestinians and Israelis, both in Israel and Palestine, and in this country. The book will be a useful resource – a companion to pilgrimage; an insight into the current realities; and a resource for finding out more about the land, its history, and its people.

The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Rt Revd Riah Abu El Assal writes:

These living stones are the indigenous peoples of the Land of the Holy One, the Arab Palestinian Christians, the descendents of Jesus, whose story of pain and hope, death and resurrection, must be heard, lest, as Jesus said 2000 years ago, the stones cry out. It is not the events of yesterday, it is the events of today that are chronicled in this book..

Garth Hewitt:

"I am grateful for Andrew's book, as any journey to the Holy Land at the moment is vital and especially to the beleaguered and forgotten Palestinian Community. Andrew's book will encourage people to go, and make links and see what is happening on the ground, and nothing could be more important, as we seek to keep relationships with the forgotten faithful."

Jennifer Oldershaw, Chair of Friends of Sabeel UK. Andrew Ashdown, previous Chair of Friends of Sabeel UK, has written an interesting book, which is not a guidebook, reflecting on Palestine and Israel, past and present, from his experience of many visits, starting in 1982. This book alerts you to the lives of the "living stones" and their rich Christian heritage. It gives some of the ancient biblical history, and more recent history, leading up to the second Intifada and its consequences. As well as visiting the holy sites, Andrew Ashdown engages with the people and the realities in which they live out their lives today. He challenges us to discover the spiritual connection between the holy sites and the contemporary realities surrounding them, and to discern our role in bringing God's ways of justice and peace to fruition in the Holy Land..

The book is a very useful information resource, containing a comprehensive bibliography covering different topics: guidebooks, history and politics, reflections, autobiography, and theology, and a list of organisations based in the UK with an interest in Palestine and Israel.

Andrew has also contributed to the following works:

  • Di Taylor & Tony Howard Walks in Palestine & the Nativity Trail Cicerone Press 2001
  • Barbara Butler & Jo White To be a Pilgrim Kevin Mayhew 2002
  • Compiled by Geoffrey Duncan Entertaining Angels Canterbury Press 2005 A Worship Anthology on sharing Christ's hospitality