Face to Faith: Christians and Humanists in Conversation

***Please note the change of venue from the one published in our programme***

Wednesday 25^th April 7.30pm
Elstead Hotel,  12-14 Knyveton Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3QP

With David Warden and John Macdiarmid

David Warden, chair of Dorset Humanists, will be talking with John Macdiamid, pastor of Poole Christian Fellowship about their different worldviews and how they came to hold diametrically opposed conclusions about God and the meaning of life.

John Macdiarmid was brought up a Catholic. He went through a brief phase of being an atheist and then converted to evangelical Christianity as a student. David Warden was an evangelical Christian in his teens and studied theology at university with a view to becoming a priest, but he graduated and left as a confirmed atheist. John and David are friends and have much in common, but on the biggest question of all they remain firmly in opposite camps. Tonight we bring them together with compère Dean Robertson to discuss their respective worldviews in front of a live audience.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites: 

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

***Please note the change of venue from the one published in our programme***

A Sceptic's Guide to the Origins of Christianity

Wednesday 22^nd March 7.30pm

The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

With Historian Peter Marchant
Many scholars have realised that the Gospels were largely re-imaginings of earlier Hebrew scriptural stories that were believed to be prophetic, but it is less well understood that the Gospel authors also borrowed from Greek literature such as the epics of Homer. Peter Marchant will show how Persian religion influenced and merged with brands of Judaism to produce the first Christian sects, and he will challenge the early dates traditionally given to the New Testament writings, arguing that critical scholarship is now moving their composition into the second century. He will also offer a surprising alternative explanation for the Anno Domini dating system. Throughout the presentation, Peter will be providing evidence demonstrating that Christ is a ‘composite construction’ combining supernatural elements with both legendary and genuine historical persons.

Peter Marchant graduated in Ancient History from Manchester University and has been studying Christian origins for a quarter of a century.  He has worked for the Council for British Archaeology, and is the author of the book: ‘3 Peter: a Sceptic's Guide to the Origins of Christianity’. 

“Join us for some fascinating revelations about the real origins of the world’s most widely followed religion”
 

Hosted by Dorset Humanists (donations appreciated)

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed via its rear entrance in Gervis Road. The hotel has a small onsite car park, and roadside parking is also available in Gervis Road).

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:
http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Monarchy, Republicanism and The Church of England

Saturday 12^th November 2.00pm
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown, Bournemouth BH9 1TW

“Democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy” - Theodore Roosevelt

A presentation by political author, John Strafford

Is it right to have a monarch as head of state in a modern democracy; or a single privileged state religion in a multi-faith, multi-cultural society?

John Strafford, author of “Our Fight for Democracy”, examines the roles of church and monarchy in government, and argues that our democratic system needs a radical overhaul.

Everyone welcome!

Free entry (donations appreciated)

If you can help us promote this event by displaying an A4 poster, please email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF copy.

Click here to view more forthcoming and recent events.