2013 Sarum Theological Lectures

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The speaker for the 2013 Sarum Theological Lectures is Dr Paula Gooder, a freelance writer, bestselling author and lecturer in biblical studies.

Tues 9, Wed 10, Thurs 11 and Fri 12 July, 7pm each evening in Salisbury Cathedral.

Spirituality is a word that is notoriously hard to define but it implies that when we encounter God we do so with our spirits. These lectures explore not only what ‘spirit’ might mean in the New Testament but also what other relevant words like ‘mind’, ‘soul’, ‘flesh’, ‘heart’ and ‘body’ might mean and from them to reflect on what the New Testament might have to say about ‘spirituality’ to us today.

This lecture series will explore the relevant ideas as they are used throughout the Bible but with a particular eye on the writings of Paul as he is considered to be so influential in this area.

Tues 9: Keeping Body and Soul Together: Setting the scene

The soul is out of fashion. Many modern philosophers would argue that we are just physical beings nothing more but in the Christian tradition the soul/spirit has, for obvious reasons, been hugely important and is the primary way in which we talk about our relationship with God. But has that been at the expense of how we view our bodies? This first lecture will set the scene and explore these two concepts particularly in Paul.

Wed 10: Soul Purpose: An Exploration of the concept of the Soul and the Spirit in the Bible

When we talk about the soul it is often used interchangeably with the word spirit as though the two are exactly the same…but are they? What is the soul in the Bible? Is it the same as or different from spirit?

Thurs 11: The Thoughts of our Hearts: Reflections on reason, the mind and the will in the Bible

Almost as important as soul and spirit in the Bible is ‘the mind’, but what is it and how does reason relate to soul/spirit? Also intriguing is the question of where in our body we do our thinking – by and large in Hebrew thinking thought you think with your heart; in Greek with your head what difference does this make to what we think about ‘thinking’.

Fri 12: Redeeming the Body: Connecting Soul, Spirit, Heart, Mind and Body

In the final lecture I come full circle to where I began. If the body is not (as many people have believed through Christian history) to be viewed negatively, what does Paul have to say about bodies and their importance and what difference might this make to the way in which we live and pray?

Price £7 per lecture, £24 for series of four

Contact Alison Ogden for booking enquiries
aogden@sarum.ac.uk | 01722 424826 | 01722 424800 (main reception)

Those attending the lectures can stay B&B at Sarum College at the reduced educational rate one night before or one night after their lecture.

Educational B&B rate
£48.85 single en-suite room; £70.85 double/twin en-suite room

Contact Alison Ogden or our hospitality team for details