The Enlightenment is often seen as an anti-Christian movement, rich in cynicism, skepticism, and a scientific consciousness intolerant of supernatural faith. Although some of this narrative holds up to historical enquiry, the notion of a ‘warfare’ between reason and faith is misleading for the simple reason that much of the period’s hostility to theology was motivated by Christian ethics and spirituality. The Enlightenment was, in many ways, a protest of faith against faith – an extension of the subversive energies of the European Reformation.
This lecture argues that some of the most dynamic impulses of the Enlightenment era were products of a biblical imagination, including religious tolerance, the sanctity of conscience, and human equality. Important as this is in itself, the lecture will also argue that such an understanding can help to open fresh avenues of dialogue between Christian and secular thought.
Where | Henderson Campus |
When | 7:30pm - 9:00pm |
Cost | Free (includes light supper) |
RSVP | Click on the link to register by Friday 13 September |