Open Discussions
in association with
Gulf Cultural Club
invites you to a Discussion titled:
Resurrecting the soul in a secular age
Speakers
*Dr Stephen Sizer (Director of Peacemaker Trust)
** Sheikh Ahmad Haneef (Religious scholar)
*** Ranjan Palmar)Spiritual researcher)
Last month I read an article titled “Resurrecting the Soul in a Secular Age” It was written by Samuel Loncar, the editor of the Marginalia Review of Books and a philosopher and scholar of religion at Yale University, USA. The writer says: “Soul” is a metaphysical and religious word; its provenance is the history of philosophy and theology; its friends and companions are words like “eternal,” “spirit,” and “divine.” In the examples of “soulful” or “soulless,” the word connotes intensity and depth, something beyond the surface, something that abides through change and resists capture by everyday ephemera. The soul is part of the second, and higher, world, that of heaven or the inner person, cherished by romantics and the spiritual as a portal beyond the mundane. That world has largely disappeared in our secular age.
This will form the core topic of our debate this month
6.30pm, Tuesday, 15th January 2019
Venue: Abrar House, 45 Crawford Place, W1H 4LP
*Dr Stephen Robert Sizer was born in Lowestoft in 1953, the son of a carpenter. He is the founder and director of Peacemaker Trust, a registered charity dedicated to peacemaking, especially where minorities are persecuted, where justice is denied, human rights are suppressed or reconciliation is needed. A former Anglican priest, he is also the author of several books on the Christian origins of Zionism and the role Western Christians have played in perpetuating the Middle East conflict. He began his career working for the Department of Health and Social Security (1971–1973). He studied geography (African and Asian studies) at Sussex University, (1973–1976). It was while at University, that he became a Christian. After graduation Sizer worked as a campus director/student counsellor with Agape at the Universities of London, Liverpool and Sussex. In 1980 he was accepted for training as a minister in the Church of England and gained a diploma in theology at Trinity College, Bristol. In 1983 he was ordained and became an assistant curate in St Leonards-on-Sea, then was appointed Rector at St. John’s, Stoke, Guildford in 1986.
***Ranjan Parmar has been practicing spirituality for the last 7 years, after doing a meditation course and attending a retreat. She wakes up at 4 am, practices meditation, listens to spiritual lesson then writes inspirational thought, which she shares with friends. These thoughts are her soul journey to develop her spirituality. When her mum passed away 18 months ago she published her first book in memory of her. Last month she wrote a sotry for “1000 Ripples Effect” which consists of four books with different topics to help children aged 14 to 21 years old. Ripples Effects book has 4 volumes consisting of 1000 stories altogetherShe delivers talks to the elderly in residential homes or individuals about spirituality. Ranjan’s motto is to take everyone onboard in her journey to share her experience.
**Shaykh Ahmed Haneef is one of a growing number of scholars with style – his intimate knowledge of east and west. His ineffable energy and sincere love of all things spiritual have placed him as a firm favourite with young Muslims. Shaykh Haneef was born in Trinidad in the 1950s and studied in Canada. He studied political science at university. After briefly flirting with Communism he began his research of religion and became a Muslim. In 1993 he moved to Iran with his family to study at the religious seminary in Qom, Iran. Shaykh Haneef continues to combine study with action and regularly lectures at mosques around the world, as well as taking part in TV programmes.
Admission is Free. Please register for catering purposes – email: d05sa@yahoo.co.uk or text 07795 660 438
