Event Date: 29 June 2018
Royal Holloway Central London
11 Bedford Sq
London WC1E 6DP
Royal Holloway University of London presents
The Church & Societal Challenges in Contemporary Britain
Chaired by Giles Fraser
Are you interested in religious education in schools? Moral prejudice against atheists? Violence against clergy? The effect of administration on clergy’s ability to attend to their calling? Changing notions of what counts as ‘sacred’? Other societal issues of relevance to the Church?
Join us for a discussion – Chaired by priest, journalist and broadcaster Giles Fraser – of the sacred and the secular within the urban and suburban spaces of contemporary, multicultural Britain, as well as some of the challenges facing Anglican clergy working within it. The event offers an opportunity for dialogue around issues in which Royal Holloway has research expertise, such as:
Violence: issues around violence against clergy and churches.
How does whether we identify as believing in God affect the extent to which people trust us? What are the societal ramifications of this?
How do shifting representations of the sacred shape understandings of what is sacred, what isn’t – and with what implications?
Religious education in schools – how can Local Authorities help provide innovative delivery, such as Ealing’s use of architectural practice in West London.
Bureaucracy and faith: how administrative burden on clergy affects their ability to attend to their calling and its implications for parishioners.
Royal Holloway researchers Professor David Gilbert (Geography), Professor David Denney (Law), Professor Ryan McKay (Psychology), Professor Neil Conway (Management) and Dr Arantza Mayo (Modern Languages) will share findings on these topics and take questions from the floor. Participants are warmly encouraged to share their own experience and knowledge of these topics and other societal challenges relating to the Church. What’s the role of the Church in public mental health, for example? What innovative models are there for the sustainability of religious buildings? There will be time for discussion of any such topics in addition to those above.
Chair: Rev. Dr Giles Fraser
Order of presentations: Professor David Gilbert (Geography) 3.10 mins, Professor David Denney (Law) 29.14 mins, Professor Ryan McKay (Psychology) 51.20 mins, Professor Neil Conway (Management), presented by Dr Olivia Swift 1 hr, 14.22 mins, and Dr Arantza Mayo (Modern Languages) 1 hr, 28.47 mins.
David Gilbert – accompanying images:
