Difference, Diversity, Deviance:

At the Heart | On the Edge is organised by HeartEdge with partners

HeartEdge Development with Partners

Miranda Threlfall-Holmes and Evie Vernon-O'Brian in conversation

<h3>There is a declension of difference: I am different; you bring diversity; they are deviant. </h3><p>From the burning of heretics to 'mutual flourishing', one thing the history of Christianity demonstrates is that we have always struggled with how to deal with difference,<em> writes Miranda Threlfall-Holmes:</em></p><p>I’ve been working for over a decade on the history of Christian attitudes to and theologies of difference. Mostly these are implicit rather than explicit, and so we have to look carefully at a wide range of sources – theological writings and scriputural souces, yes, but also sermons, liturgy, material culture, wider debates in society and the historical contexts in which these debates and the churches’ contributions to them took place – to try to unpick various strands of theological and philosophical thinking about difference.</p><p>There are 7 ‘big ideas’ that I’d like us to isolate and look at in turn: purity, hierarchy, trinity, toleration, aesthetics, economics and evolution. These ideas about difference underpin and shape a very wide variety of arguments and clashes over our shared history, and many of them recur in striking ways across a very wide variety of cultures, religions and philosophies.</p><p>Understanding and raising our consciousness of how we conceptualise difference has implications for soteriology, ecclesiology, the problem of evil, liberation theologies, and political theology,  as well as informing our approaches to and handling of the presenting issues on which we disagree. </p><p>So I invite you to take a step back from the presenting issues of difference, diversity and deviance which threaten to overwhelm us emotionally and spiritually, and take some time out to become more mindful and conscious of some of the big ideas about difference which, often subconsciously, underpin and shape our debates and conflicts. </p><h3><em>4 weekly Zoom sessions in July</em></h3><ul><li>Why the Trinity doesn’t solve the problem alone</li><li>Two big ideas: Purity and Hierarchy</li><li>Answers that raise more questions: Aesthetics and Toleration</li><li>New ideas? Economics and Evolution</li></ul><h3><em>In part 2 join Miranda Threlfall-Holmes and Calvin T Samuel in conversation Friday 10 July  4pm BST  to 5/5.30pm BST via Zoom.</em></h3><h3><strong>Miranda Threlfall-Holmes </strong><em>is Team Rector at St Luke in the City, in Liverpool. She is a writer, blogger, Church Historian and plotter.</em></h3><h3><strong><em>Rachele (Evie) Vernon O’Brien, </em></strong><em>Jamaican by birthday and British by naturalisation, ia an activist womanist theologian and educator,  who is particularly interested in grassroots theologies of justice. </em></h3>

<p><em>&#x27;Difference, Diversity, Deviance: 7 big ideas about difference, and what difference they make&#x27;,  is part of the &#x27;Living God’s Future Now’  series - the mini online festival of theology, ideas and practice by </em><a href="https://www.heartedge.org" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"><em>HeartEdge</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Living God’s Future Now’  has been developed by HeartEdge members in response to the pandemic and our changing world. The church is changing too, and - as we improvise and experiment - we can learn and support each other. </em></p><p><em>This is &#x27;Living God’s Future Now’  - talks, workshops and discussion - hosted by HeartEdge. Created to equip, encourage and energise churches - from leaders to volunteers and enquirers - at the heart and on the edge. </em></p><p><em>By signing up to this event you agree to HeartEdge emailing you Zoom codes for the Event and occassonal emails about HeartEdge programming.</em></p>

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Difference, Diversity, Deviance:

More events from HeartEdge Development with Partners

Discover more events from HeartEdge Development with Partners, from Spirituality to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.

Difference, Diversity, Deviance:

More events from HeartEdge Development with Partners

Discover more events from HeartEdge Development with Partners, from Spirituality to other experiences you might love.

More Spirituality events

Browse more Spirituality events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.