What's On

This calendar lists events by SoF or other organisations where the focus is on exploring progressive or non-traditional approaches to religion and interfaith dialogue. Please email  the webmaster  if you would like to suggest other events that should be listed here.

Lectures, short conferences and other public events

October 2007

In Birmingham the best venue for radical religious thought is the Carrs Lane Centre. Here is their annual October series of lectures.

The Scottish Churches House in Dunblane is hosting "third Wednesday theology", a series of eight open-ended conversations about questions of faith led by Elizabeth Templeton, free-lance theologian. People of any faith or none join in a free ranging exploration of major theological issues which emerge from those who attend. The programme includes afternoon tea and two main sessions with a break for dinner. Possibility of staying overnight, bed and breakfast. Cost: £21.

Other upcoming events

11-13 September 2007 — The Concept of God - A conference of the British Society for the Philosophy of Religion, in Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. For more information, or to offer a paper, please contact the Secretary, Dr T J Mawson, at tjmawson@rocketmail.com

15 September 2007 — Earth is Community - A Celebration of the Vision and Path of Thomas Berry. This London event is being run by GreenSpirit and the Gaia Foundation and is supported by Resurgence, Be the Change, the Schumacher Society, GreenSpirit Books, the School of Economic Science, Greenpeace and the Environmental Law Foundation. Speakers will include Matthew Fox, Vandana Shiva, Satish Kumar, Cormac Cullinan and Peter Reason. Tickets are £39 and there is also an optional lunch for £6 (options are vegetarian, vegetarian/wheat/gluten free or vegan). To buy your ticket online go to: www.earth-is-community.org.uk or send a cheque payable to "The Gaia Foundation" with your name, address, phone number (and email address if you have one) and lunch choice (if required) to: Earth is Community, The Gaia Foundation, 6 Heathgate Place, Agincourt Road, London, NW3 2NU.

28-30 September 2007 — Retelling the Story: the familiar, the unfamiliar. The annual conference of the Sea of Faith in New Zealand will be held at Kings College Otahuhu Auckland. Bishop John Spong will be one of the featured speakers. For more details see www.sof.org.nz.

15-20 October 2007 — British tour by Bishop Jack Spong, speaking on his latest book Jesus for the Non-religious. Bishop Spong will speak in four locations:

For further details or to reserve a place, email info@pcnbritain.org.uk.

26 - 28 October 2007 — Spirituality and progressiveness - The annual retreat weekend of the Progressive Christianity Network at St Deiniol's Library with Charles Hedley, rector of St James' Church Piccadilly. For more information email alan.powell@pcnbritain.org.uk.

9 - 10 November 2007 — Paul and the Justice of Equality. A weekend with John Dominic Crossan, co-founder of the Jesus Seminar. Crossan will offer an opening lecture on Friday evening, three lectures on Saturday, and a Sunday sermon at St Mark's Sheffield. The Friday and Saturday lectures are costed separately to allow you to chose what you wish to attend. The Friday lecture is £8; Saturday is £18. For further information telephone 0114 2663613 or visit www.stmarkscrc.co.uk.

12 April 2008 — Uncovering the life, teachings and relevance of a religious revolutionary. A day conference with Marcus Borg, Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University. 10am - 4.30 pm at St Marks Church, Broomhill, Sheffield, £18. For further information telephone 0114 2663613 or visit www.stmarkscrc.co.uk.

23-25 June 2008 — Beyond Paley: Renewing the vision for natural theology. An international conference sponsored by the British Society for Philosophy of Religion (BSPR) at the Museum of Natural History, Oxford. Details will be available later this year or by emailing Alister.McGrath@hmc.ox.ac.uk.

Retreats, reflection days, and longer courses

The events included here are necessarily our own selection of those that seem most concerned with questioning our understanding of traditional religious doctrine, and those that are led by SoF members. There are however a wealth of other retreats available; please check the invaluable Retreat Association catalogue or website or the websites of individual retreat centres for other options. We would welcome feedback from those who have attended these retreats.

Scargill House

Continues its conferences on new spirituality with three retreats in 2007. To book contact: bookings@scargillhouse.co.uk or telephone 01756 760234. Scargill House, Kettlewell, Skipton, N.Yorks, BD23 5HU — www.scargillhouse.co.uk.

9th – 11th March 2007 — Spirituality for Ambivalent Christians. Led by Linda Woodhead (Lancaster University, author ‘The Spiritual Revolution’). Are you attached to Christianity in some ways, but frustrated, angry or maybe hurt about aspects of your Christian or church experience? How might you move forward to develop a personally meaningful spirituality? £116

30th May - 3rd June 2007 — Post-Christendom Led by Jonathan Bartley (Co-director Ekklesia’, author ‘Faith & Politics after Christendom’) and Stuart Murray (author ‘Church after Christendom’). How will Christians negotiate the demise of Christendom, where they are sojourners rather than settlers? Is post-Christendom a threat or an opportunity? £162

29th June - 2nd July — The Shape of Progressive Faith for the 21st Century - Led by Gordon Lynch (University of Birmingham, author ‘Losing My Religion?’). What are the key ideas to be found within the emerging spirituality and what are its prospects within the changing religious landscape of Britain? £116

Ammerdown Retreat Centre

Ammerdown Retreat Centre in Radstock. Telephone 01761 433709.

2-6 July — Our changing perception of God, with Fr Adrian Smith.

16-20 October — Let’s Play God! Dare We? Should We? – an exploration of our relationship with God, each other, the planet and a modern science that want to push at every boundary, with Fr Adrian Smith.

St Deiniol's Library

St Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, Flintshire, Telephone 01244 532350 or email deiniolgpm@btconnect.com. This is just a sample of the upcoming programme from our favourite retreat and study centre; their speciality is exploration of theological and religious questions in modern film.

24 - 27 September 2007 — Flickering Images of Faith and Doubt. Tom Aitken and Peter Francis explore characters and themes in movies by filmmakers who have ostensibly rejected Christian faith, but continue to offer profound insights into faith and religion.

8 - 12 October 2007 — Jesus for the Non-Religious: seeking the divine in the heart of the human. A rare opportunity to spend a week with John Spong, discussing his latest book.

13 October 2007 — Why I am a Christian. A public lecture by John Spong, 5pm.

Sarum College

Sarum College, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Telephone 01722 424800 or email hospitality@sarum.co.uk

2007/8 - Theology Quest and Questions — EXPLORING THE NEW TESTAMENT A programme of study which may lead to a University if Surrey Certificate of Higher Education in Theology. Course Director: Professor David Catchpole

Registered charity number 1113177
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