Modern Church is pleased announce its annual conference with the theme
“The Earth is the Lord’s: Renewing the Covenant of Creation”
15 to 18 July 2013 at High Leigh Conference Centre.
This conference, chaired by Dr Margaret Barker, will explore what the Bible says about the creation, based on the most fundamental [and most neglected] idea of the eternal covenant which binds all creation and human society
into one God-given system.
Further information can be found at  www.modernchurch.org.uk/conference/2013.htm
or phone Christine Alker on 0845 345 1909

 

 

WINDERMERE READING PARTY

May 13-16th 2013

 LEAVING ALEXANDRIA

Richard Holloway's Leaving Alexandria is a hugely powerful memoir tracing his religious life through various phases: conservative, Catholic, Charismatic, Liberal, to the point where he resigned as Bishop of Edinburgh and declared his non-belief.

There is some insightful criticism of the Church:  "The problem for the church in the 20th century was that many of the pressures for human emancipation were coming from the secular rather than the religious sphere"; "The church can never just do the right thing because it is the right thing to do; it has to find religious reasons for doing it".

Holloway's objection to religion is not to the beliefs it involves - unlike evangelical rationalists, he is happy to leave people believing whatever they like as long as they can't inflict their faith on others.  But he rightly rejects the claims of religious institutions to define and possess the truth: "Religions may begin as vehicles of longing for mysteries beyond description but they end up claiming exclusive prescriptive rights to them"

Free to Believe has organized a reading party at the URC Windermere Centre from May 13-16th 2013 to reflect on this challenging and profound book.  Richard will be present for around half the time, both talking about how he came to write the book and answering questions.

 The Conference will be £180 (deposit £30) and bookings should be made direct to

The Windermere Centre, Lake Road, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 2BY

NB This event is now full.  A recording will be available later in the summer
(check the Conference CDs page)