The Puzzle of Christianity LIVE
Event for students of Christianity for AS/A Level Religious Studies
With Dr Peter Vardy
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Dates for 2023-24
● London, Thursday 29th February 2024
● York, Thursday 7th March 2024
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The Puzzle of Christianity LIVE is Candle Conferences first live event specifically designed for students of Christianity for A/AS Level Religious Studies and, at least in Dr Vardy’s opinion, one of the best events we have run! Exploring content specified by ALL ENGLISH EXAMINATION BOARDS the event aims to get students really excited about the content, enriching and extending their knowledge and understanding as well as supporting them in analysing, evaluating and making informed, well-reasoned academic judgments.
● Tickets to the live event come with access to an exclusive online resource-area, which provides participants with video-clips, detailed notes on each topic as well as activities, model-essays, revision-tips, reading lists and more. Participants also get FREE access to our A Level Masterclass for the academic year 2023-24 (worth £5 per student) and providing 4 hours of expert online tuition designed to improve writing skills and improve grades.
- The Nature of God
This first session will explore the concept of God in Christianity, considering the status of Jesus, the significance of the doctrine of the Trinity as well as the meaning and implications of attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience and omnibenevolence. Is the Christian concept of God coherent and to what extent is it compatible with the “God of the Philosophers”? The ideas of Boethius, St Anselm, St Thomas Aquinas, and Richard Swinburne will feature in this session and Dr Vardy will set students a short activity at the end of this session, which they can try during break. - Christianity and other Religions
After a short break, Dr Vardy will consider whether being a Christian is necessary for salvation, and if so, being a Christian in what sense. Are universalism, inclusivism and/or pluralism compatible with the Christian concept of God, Scripture and Doctrine? If not, what does this mean for inter-faith relations? The ideas of St Augustine, Karl Rahner, Hans Kung, John Hick and Gavin DaCosta will feature in this session and the morning will end with a group discussion and opportunity for Q&A. - Secularism and Secularisation
After lunch, the third session moves forward to the 20th Century, outlining how secularisation has changed Christianity in the developed world and evaluating both a range of arguments for secularism – including those associated with Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and Richard Dawkins – as well as different Christian responses to those arguments. Dr Vardy will set students a short activity at the end of this session, which they can try during break. - A Theology of Liberation?
After a short break, the final session of the day will explore how the Roman Catholic Church responded to the emergence of Liberation Theology and the implications of this response for understandings of Jesus and of Authority in the Church, the interpretation and use of the Bible and the relationship between Religion and Politics. The ideas of Karl Marx, Gustavo Gutierrez, Leonardo Boff and Alistair Kee will feature in this session and the event will end with a group discussion and opportunity for Q&A.
