Lichfield Cathedral has announced the inauguration of a recent festival dedicated to “discussion and debate” and to fostering “deeper understanding and community”.
The festival, generally known as “Enlighten” will probably be held from 26-Twenty eighth September this 12 months and can feature plenty of notable figures, equivalent to former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt. Hunt will probably be interviewed by journalist and author, Nick Higham on the query of “can we make Britain again?”.
Chairing a discussion on “Sex and Christianity” will probably be historian Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, while Alec Ryrie will cover “Age of Hitler” and Sarah Ogilvie, “The Dictionary People”.
Lichfield Cathedral has said the event is partly about returning to its heritage, saying the cathedral was “once the beating heart of the Enlightenment”. Famous locals include the author Samuel Johnson, abolitionist Erasmus Darwin and the playwright David Garrick.
According to organisers, Enlighten will probably be rooted within the Christian faith and can invite a variety of writers, politicians, clergy and academics to debate the pressing problems with the day in addition to to explore how contentious issues might be debated in a spirit of charity and goodwill.
The Rev Canon Dr Gregory Platten, organising lead on the festival, said, “We live in a contested age, and we urgently need spaces for rigorous, respectful, and even uncomfortable conversation.”
He added that, while rooted within the Christian faith, the event was open to anyone, saying it will be a spot for many who seek truth reasonably than easy agreement.
The Rt Rev Jan McFarlane, Dean of Lichfield said, “Cathedrals have all the time been places where difficult conversations might be held with dignity and respect. At a time when words are so often used to divide, we hope Enlighten will offer a voice of hope and help to foster deeper understanding and community.”
Organisers have said they hope Enlighten is not going to just be a one off this September but grow to be an annual event at Lichfield Cathedral.
For information and tickets, visit https://enlighten-lichfield.org/
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