Faith and Spirituality Annual Lecture

This event has taken place

View all upcoming events at Kingston University.

Time: 5.30pm
Venue: Room 0001, John Galsworthy Building, Penrhyn Road campus, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE
Price: free

This year's lecture was titled ‘Between cross and crescent: the future of religion in the UK'. Ben Ryan from the think-tank THEOS, which stimulates thinking on the place of religion in contemporary society, examined the current trends shaping the religious makeup of Britain.

The Faith and Spirituality Services' annual lecture this year involved an exploration of the trends and likely future state of religion and belief in our country. It was delivered by Ben Ryan, a researcher with the think tank Theos.

Ben provided a fascinating and lucid examination of the complex pattern of religiosity in contemporary society. He highlighted the decoupling of personal religious orientation and engagement with instructional religious practice that has characterised the UK population in recent years and pointed to the growth in new categories of spiritual identity. These include the preference for either ‘believing without belonging' or, conversely, for ‘belonging without believing.' For our speaker, the developing religious profile of modern Britain, as it unfolds during the remainder of this century, will hinge on two key questions. These are, firstly, the extent to which cultural amnesia allows society to become disentangled from its Christian roots and, secondly, the manner and extent to which Islam can become integrated within public life and national affairs.
 
Those present were treated to an informed, wide ranging and thought-provoking analysis of this important topic and this was reflected in the lively discussion that took place after the lecture.
 
An essay based on Ben's talk is available on the Theos website.

For further information about this event:

Contact: Rose Dallison
Tel: 020 8417 2948
Email: r.dallison@kingston.ac.uk