“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” – Aristotle Challenging students to consider what is true, to Oxford Masterclass question their own beliefs and to promote reflection on 2019 for A level existential questions. RS Students The Four Professors Join us on Snapchat: aconferences – for your daily thought of the day, plus access to free resources. The Lectures The Speakers To Hell and Back in 45 minutes and authority in Christianity. Close reference will be Julie Arliss Professor Alister McGrath made to different views about the comparative value Prof. Tom Greggs Recently awarded a Farmington Scholar- Andreas Idreos Professor of Science of scripture, conscience, Church and religious expe- ship by Harris Manchester College, Ox- and Religion, Oxford University In Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy, Dante is rience as sources of wisdom and authority within dif- ford, Julie Arliss is a well-known expe- Professor McGrath gained first class taken on a journey through the three realms of the ferent traditions. In particular the different perspec- rienced teacher and author. She works honours from Oxford University in dead, with the Roman poet Virgil as his guide through tives of literalists, evangelicals and Roman Catholics closely with exam boards and is perfectly placed to Chemistry and first class honours in Theology. He hell and purgatory. In this session Professor Tom will be discussed. Greggs will lead us through different interpretations support students in preparation for A level examina- holds an Oxford DPhil for his research in Molecular of heaven, hell and purgatory. Are heaven and hell ac- Professor Keith Ward will lecture in London and Oxford. tions. Julie has an international reputation for inspir- Biology and a DD from Oxford University’s Faculty tual places or a dystopian fantasy for social control? ing academic excellence and encouraging students of Theology for his work in Historical and Systematic From Jean Paul Sartre’s, ‘Hell is other people’ to John The Twilight of Atheism: Is religion to push the boundaries of knowledge. She is a senior Theology. A former atheist, he has established a rep- Hick’s ‘Universal Salvation’ Professor Greggs will needed for ethics or is science enough examiner for Theology and Philosophy at Cambridge utation as one of the leading apologists for Christi- outline the breadth of salvation and different portray- to keep us good? International Examinations and founder of Academy anity. Author of Christian Theology, Wiley-Blackwell, als of the theory and practice of hell. Prof. Alister McGrath and Dr. Andrew Pinsent Conferences. Theology: the Basics, Blackwell and The Dawkins De- lusion, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The Concept of God and Atheists are keen to counter the accusation that life Professor Daphne Hampson Professor McGrath is a modern day ‘great thinker’ without God cannot be moral. The British Human- Religious Language Associate, Theology and Religion, and his work is a fundamental ingredient of the study ist Association claims that, ‘Right and wrong can be Oxford University of RS at A Level. Prof. Daphne Hampson explained by human nature alone and do not require Daphne Hampson trained in Theolo- Ariana Grande’s music video release ‘God is a Wom- religious teaching’. The claim that morality is an un- gy at Harvard and is Professor Emerita Professor Tom Greggs an’ re-imagined Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam developed branch of science will be outlined and eval- of Divinity at the University of St Andrews, an Asso- Marischal Chair, starring Grande as God. While some may consid- uated with particular focus on the question of how ciate of the Department of Theology and Religion at University of Aberdeen er Grande referring to God in female terms to be a morality is grounded and motivated. Should religion Oxford University and a Life Member at Clare Hall, heresy, it has a very long history, (St Anselm wrote be banished from public life? Should society be neu- Tom Greggs holds the Marischal Chair, Cambridge. of Christ my mother), but how helpful is it to speak tral on fundamental worldviews? Is a universal foun- (actually a physical chair established in 1616) at the University of Aberdeen. He previously of God as a gendered identity at all? In this talk Pro- dation for morality desirable and does Christianity She has published widely on Post-Christian thought held a chair at the University of Chester. He has also fessor Hampson will examine the question ‘What is have any modern relevance? with an emphasis on feminist criticism, combining her taught at the University of Cambridge. He is a fellow meant by ‘God?’ and interrogate different sources of commitment to theological realism with an ethical cri- Prof. McGrath in London, Oxford & Cambridge. of the Royal Society of Scotland, and is an Honorary wisdom and authority for answers. Professor Hamp- tique of Christian mythology. Her latest work focuses Dr. Pinsent in Gateshead, Manchester & Wellington Professor of Theology at St Mellitus College, London. son will map the relationship between classical beliefs on the role of religion in contemporary Western socie- He has been a visiting research fellow at St John’s about God to androcentric teachings and values and ty, the underrepresented field of Lutheran thought and Debate: This house believes that the College, Durham, and College of Arts and Sciences will argue that it is time to re-formulate language for an exposition on the work of Kierkegaard. God to mirror modern day values. She will outline the different truth claims made by world International Visiting Scholar and Visiting Professor importance of religious experience as a source of wis- religions shows that all religion is Professor Keith Ward at the University of Virginia. dom and authority for developing new language for fundamentally false. Emeritus Regius Professor of He is the author of five major books and is current- God and outline her own distinctive contribution to This is a critical question for multicultural Britain, Divinity, Oxford University ly the recipient of a British Academy Mid-Career Fel- the modern religious language debate. and has implications for interfaith and interdenomi- Professor Keith Ward is Regius Profes- lowship. He is in high demand as a speaker and well national relations as well as for the dialogue between sor Emeritus of Divinity at Oxford and known for his engaging wit. Sources of Wisdom and Authority religion and philosophy. Professor Tom Greggs and was Professor of the History and Philosophy of Re- Prof. Keith Ward and Julie Arliss Julie Arliss will present different views about this live- ligion at King’s College, London. He is a Fellow of Dr. Andrew Pinsent Is it possible to know the will of God, and how are ly topic and include close reference to the pluralistic the British Academy and a member of the executive Faculty of Theology, Oxford University such claims grounded? This session will outline the hypothesis of John Hick and different religious re- Council of the Royal Institute of Philosophy. He is Dr. Andrew Pinsent is a former parti- nature and authority of different sources of wisdom sponses to issues of freedom of religious expression. currently publishing academic work on the develop- cle physicist at CERN, being a named ment of Ethical thinking and continues to hold an ac- author on thirty-one papers of the ademic chair at Roehampton University, London. DELPHI experiment. He is a member of the United Kingdom Institute of Physics. Dr. Pinsent also has a A former President of the World Congress of Faiths second doctorate in Philosophy and is currently the and member of The Board of Social Responsibility Research Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Sci- for the Church of England; Professor Ward has also ence and Religion, a Research Fellow of Harris-Man- written a 5 volume work on ‘Comparative Theolo- chester College and a member of the Faculty of The- gy’ which is about inter-faith relations. He is a former Bookings now open at: Join us on Social Media: ology and Religion at Oxford University. Chair of the Governors of the Oxford Centre for Hin- www.ethics.academyconferences.com aconferences du Studies and on the Academic Committee of the Is- 07979 524277 @A_Conferences lamic Centre at Oxford. [email protected] @AcademyconferencesGiftedTalented What students and teachers say: Details and Bookings “I am so glad I got to the conference this year. Speaking to others, we all Arrival and Registration agreed that it allowed us to Arrival from 09.15. The programme begins promptly at 10.00 and con- see our course in a differ- cludes at 15.15. NB: times for London conference as follows: 09.45 arriv- ent and broader context. It al, 10.30 start, 15.45 finish. was lovely engaging in our subject in a way that goes Conference Fees beyond our textbooks.” Students: A fixed fee of £23. We have access to sponsorship for students wishing to attend but for whom the cost is a significant challenge for “I found the conference to their families. Please contact us for further details. be very interesting and enriching – both for the Staff:A fixed fee of £23. One free staff place with every 12 students content and philosophy booked. Unaccompanied teachers attending for CPD to pay £195. as a whole. 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