York Minster

Ebor Lecture and Book Launch

Published Thursday 7th February 2008 by Alix Peacock

The Ebor Lecture series on Theology and Public Life 2007-2008 will continue with a lecture given by Professor Grace Davie, on Patterns of Religion in Modern Europe: A Global Perspective. It will be held in the North Transept of York Minster on Wednesday 13th February 2008 at 7.00pm.  The lecture will be preceded at 6.15pm by the launch of Liberating Texts: Sacred Scriptures and Public Life – the published collection of the first series of Ebor lectures. Contributors to this book include The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York and Shirley Williams, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

Professor Davie’s lecture will focus on issues such as our Judaeo-Christian heritage, the continuing influence of the historic churches, changing patterns of church going, the growing significance of religion in the modern world and the secular reactions to these changes.  Grace Davie said “The religious situation in Europe is complex - a relatively secular continent is confronted with religious issues on a daily basis.  How should we understand this paradox?  This lecture will explore this question.”

Liberating Texts is edited by Sebastien Kim, Professor of Theology and Public Life at York St John University and Jonathan Draper, Canon Theologian at York Minster and chair of the Ebor Lectures Committee. In this published collection of lectures, representatives of the three great Abrahamic faiths reflect on the use and abuse of sacred texts in public life.   The Revd Canon Dr Jonathan Draper, co-editor of Liberating Texts said “We’re very pleased with this publication and hope that it will make a useful contribution to contemporary debates on the place of religion in our society”.

The Ebor Lectures series has been jointly organised by York Minster, York St John University, and The York Institute for Community Theology, The Carmelites and The Churches Regional Commission for Yorkshire and the Humber.  It is an ecumenical project, building bridges between faith communities and relating faith to public issues such as politics, economics, contemporary culture and spirituality.

Entrance to the Ebor Lecture is free of charge, but tickets must be booked in advance: Tel: 01904 876474 or e-mail: eborlectures@yorksj.ac.uk. Copies of Liberating Texts will be available to buy for a discounted price of £9.00 at the book launch on the evening of Wednesday 13th February 2008.   For further information on how to buy the book please see www.yorksj.ac.uk/eborlectures.