Michael Cocks (1929–2022) was an Anglican priest from Christchurch, New Zealand, known for his open-minded approach to spiritual exploration. Unlike many in his tradition who viewed mediumship with suspicion, Cocks was willing to investigate extraordinary experiences. In the 1970s, he became part of a small group that regularly met to witness the trance mediumship of Thomas Ashman. Through Ashman, a communicator identifying himself as Stephen the Martyr—the first Christian martyr—began speaking to the group, offering teachings on life, spirit, and the nature of existence. Initially skeptical, Cocks came to believe the communications were genuine, supported by profound synchronicities and the occasional use of ancient Greek unfamiliar to Ashman.
Cocks chronicled these remarkable experiences in his book Afterlife Teaching From Stephen the Martyr and in his memoir Into the Wider Dream. Educated at the University of New Zealand and Oxford University, he held master’s degrees in philosophy and theology. His work encouraged dialogue about spirituality beyond traditional religious boundaries and was furthered through his journal The Ground of Faith, which explored spiritual experience in conversation with science. Cocks’s life was deeply transformed by his encounters with Stephen, shaping his understanding of faith, spirit, and the continuity of life beyond death.
