Debunking Dawkins: How we can engage the New Atheism
What can we say in response to Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion? One of Dawkins' leading critics sets out the main arguments and shows how Christians can respond. Alister McGrath is head of the...
Sacred Spaces and Utopias
Is literature an escapist art form? And if so, where does it allow the reader to escape to? This talk explores the phenomenon of ‘sacred spaces' envisioned in classic and contemporary literature...
Speaker(s): Andrew TateEpic narratives
Some of the greatest stories ever told also tend to be the most sprawling, convoluted and frustrating narratives to engage with. Join Andrew Tate as he takes a ‘long now' view of the cultural...
Speaker(s): Andrew TateEmpathy and the revolution of human relationships
What are the benefits of looking at the world from the perspective of others? Roman Krznaric explains why empathy is the ultimate art form for the 21st century. A writer, teacher, Real Tennis...
Why bother?
Could time spent on art be better used saving the planet or feeding the poor? An exploration of why the arts are an indispensable feature of human flourishing and should not be neglected or...
Why Bother
The violence of our times
This first Signs of the Times talk explores ‘Moses as a war criminal' and ‘cosmic child abuse atonement'. How does religion sanction violence, for whom, and at what spiritual cost? Sometime...
Speaker(s): Alastair McIntoshThe climate of our times
This second talk explores the colonisation of the soul that drives consumerism and climate change. How can we face come-what-may in the come-to-pass? Sometime in the future, someone will write a...
Speaker(s): Alastair McIntoshWhat did the Imam Say to the Rabbi?
A joint scripture reading hosted by Christian Aid with Lucy Winkett, Rabbi Natan Levy, Harfiyah Haleem. Harfiyah Haleem has been a trustee of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental...
Out of body experiences – leaving church, finding faith?
Combining signposts for the journey as well as real-life stories from it, this interactive session will look at where we might go to discover a more real and integrated faith when the 'one size fits...
For the Bible Tells Me So
In an age of ‘tolerance' and ‘inclusion', where we ‘respect other traditions', has the Good Book been left behind? For millennia it has been the final authority cited to exclude,...
Faith In Football: The Beautiful Game Interogated
For some, football fulfils the social (and maybe spiritual) role that religion does for others. How do we interpret this in the context of a sport caught between mega-rich multinational clubs and...
Is It Ok To Be British?
We've talked Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English this weekend ... so does ‘British' matter anymore? Are any of us ‘British' now and what's distinctive about it? Does a Muslim think...
How do you shop for development?
Can your purse be ethical? Are your everyday consumer choices that influential in the fight against global poverty? Can your choice of iPod or coffee or shoes reflect your hopes for the planet and...
Can we have Faith in Politics
According to the Faith in the Future report, despite being wealthier and healthier than ever Britons are no happier today than 50 years ago. Does the absence of certain key values cause discontent?...