This event took place on Friday 13th November 2020
A Recording Of The Webinar Is Below
This webinar is one of a series that will explore how reimagining the ancient wisdom and resources from the wells of theology can help us to develop resilience and hope in the face of the meta crises we face today – not only individually, but also socially and ecologically.
Three practitioners, for whom theology is a key part in understanding and changing the world, reflect in conversation on how theological ideas help them to understand the massive changes our era is going through, particularly with regard to climate emergency; and not only to understand, but also to act in order to bring about change and transformation at the local level. Please do come and join in a rich and radical conversation.
Sam Wernham
Rev Sam Wernham is the creator and curator of Wild Spirit community, a web of contemplative groups orientated around spiritual ecology. They include River Dart Wild Church, which makes pilgrimages inspired by the Celtic tradition of peregrinatio, which Sam re-imagines as ‘wandering and wondering’ in communion with the wild. Also, several groups exploring new monasticism, including the fortnightly, interspiritual Wild Monastics and the Sophia sisters, who are seeking to reclaim female and feminist wisdom ways. Sam is currently training for ordination (again!) in the Church of England, alongside doctoral research into her existing pioneer ministry at Canterbury Christ Church.
John Reader
Rev. Dr. John Reader retired as Rector of the Ironstone Benefice (8 rural churches in North Oxfordshire) in 2020, having served most of his ordained ministry in rural parishes. He is a Senior Research Fellow of the William Temple Foundation and an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Education, University of Worcester. A Practical Theologian, his recent books are A Philosophy of Christian Materialism (co-written with Chris Baker and Tom James, Ashgate 2015) and Theology and New Materialism: Spaces of Faithful Dissent (Palgrave Macmillan 2017).
Clare Martin
Clare Martin is the Communications Manager and Resilience Programme Leader at St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. St. Ethelburga’s builds community resilience for times of ecological and social emergency. Their work is rooted in four core principles: Put values into action; Seek opportunity in crisis; Build community across differences; and Protect what is sacred. The centre’s projects focus on community conflict, integration of refugees, and deep adaptation to climate breakdown. St Ethelburga’s calls for visionary leadership in times of crisis. Clare brings more than 10 years’ experience of facilitating groups for the sake of inner enquiry and outer change. Prior to this she worked as a communications consultant in both the private and charitable sectors. In her spare time she runs a community garden on her Hackney housing estate, where she lives with her husband and 7-year old daughter.
Hosted by Professor Chris Baker
The William Temple Professor of Religion and Public Life at Goldsmiths, University of London and Director of Research at the William Temple Foundation. The William Temple Foundation is a research thinktank dedicated to the thinking and vision of Archbishop William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942 – 44, who coined the phrase ‘welfare state’. His ideas continue to inspire the search for just and flourishing alternatives across religious and secualr divides for future sustainability.
Heart-Shift Team
Our webinar presenter and facilitator is Flo Scialom of the Network of Wellbeing
The Heart Shift Webinars were originally conceived by Joshua Malkin as part of the Kindness Revolution – the Leeds Festival of Kindness Compassion & Wellbeing – and prior to the pandemic were to be a day conference at Leeds Minster in partnership with Leeds Church Institute who will be hosting other events in the series.