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 TateGlobalised, Politicised, Spiritualised, Radicalised? Welcome to Muslim 2.0
They are hardwired for globalisation. They belong to many communities and none. They are the ‘others' that allegedly raise threat levels and refuse to heed Middle England's calls to integrate....
Speaker(s): Abdul-Rehman MalikWhy 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...
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?...
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...
What Kind Of Church Is Emerging
It's called 'The Emerging Church', but what is it, who is it for and has it got anythign to say to 'The Submerging Church'? With leading voices from Europe, the USA and Australia including Karen...
Coming Out – Staying In Church
‘The gay issue' has become the hot potato du jour in the church, and for some is a litmus test for separating the heretics from the sound. The people who are personally affected are often left...