The St Wilfrid lectures are a response to the growing need for theology and education to interact with issues facing society in the 21st century. In the contemporary world, both theology and education need to engage in dialogue with a range of communities on issues wider than narrowly defined matters of religion and schooling.

This series of lectures aims to promote public conversation and to contribute to the formation of personal decisions and collective policy-making in economic, political and social spheres. It is also an ecumenical project that seeks to exchange insights between academic, religious and educational tradition, and to build bridges between church and different faith and community groups and organisations. The lectures relate faith to public concerns including politics, the arts, religion and education, local and global Christianity and the multi-faith and multicultural society.

THEME FOR THE 2009 LECTURES Rethinking Mission - The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society

2009 marks the 1300th anniversary of the death of St Wilfrid.

Founded in AD 650, Ripon Cathedral has a long history of commitment to, and involvement in, learning. Formal education can be traced back to the 7th century when Wilfrid brought a teacher of chanting to the original monastery.

Born in 634, only just after Christianity was accepted in Northumbria, Wilfrid was the son of an Anglo Saxon Nobleman. A dedicated pastor and skilled missionary, zealous for Christian Unity, his brief time spent in Friesland, Holland, in 678-679 was the starting point for the great English mission to the Germanic peoples of Europe. When Wilfrid died, his body was brought back to Ripon, his first and favourite foundation. He was buried in Ripon Cathedral to the south of the high altar.

The theme for the inaugural series of lectures offers an appropriate memorial to Wilfrid’s work whilst at the same time providing opportunities for some new thinking. All lectures take place in Ripon Cathedral on Thursday evenings at 7.00pm.

LECTURE PROGRAMME 2009

19 February The Most Revd & Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu Archbishop of York Rethinking Mission: The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society

23 April Professor David Jasper Glasgow University The Church and the Arts

18 June Revd Dr David Wilkinson Principal, St John’s Durham Star Wars, The Simpsons and God: The Role of the Church in a World of Pop Culture

9 July Dr Catherine Cubitt University of York St Wilfrid: a Saint and his Mission

17 September Revd Janina Ainsworth Church of England’s Chief Education Officer and General Secretary, National Society Reflecting on Education and Mission

19 November Dr Inderjit Singh OBE BBC Radio 4 ‘Thought for the Day’ & Editor, Sikh Messenger The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society – a Sikh perspective

Admission is free but by ticket only. Disabled access is available but please mention when booking.

TO BOOK A TICKET Email: judithbustard@ riponcathedral.org.uk Telephone: 01765 603462 or write to: St Wilfrid Lectures, Cathedral office, Liberty Courthouse, Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QS