candle conferences

Candle Conferences leads the market in events for RS students across the UK. Dr Peter Vardy is renowned for combining academic rigour with pace and energy; our events offer fantastic value, being supported by quality resources, including student notes, a teaching DVD and FREE INSET.

The DVD will include a full interview with Professor BrianLeftow (Oxford University) on the Arguments for the Existence of God.

Sessions relate to and build upon chapters in “God Matters!” by Peter and Charlotte Vardy (SCM Press, 2013). Participating schools will be able to order class-sets of these bookson the day at a 50% discount.

Sessions will include…

Hume on Miracles

This session will consider different definitions of miracles as well as the implications of miracles for our concept of God. Hume’s
criticisms of using miracles as a basis for faith will be explored and placed in the context of his attacks on the arguments for God's existence. A useful summary of Hume's arguments, including extracts from his writings, will form part of the student notes and a video-clip of Professor Richard Swinburne talking about miracles is on the DVD.

The Design Argument

This session will encourage students to look again at the oldest and probably the most persuasive argument for God’s existence, exploring William Paley's classic statement in depth before moving on to chart the different types of design argument that emerged during the 20th Century, including so-called "intelligent design" arguments. The session will support students' critical thinking skills, showing them how to evaluate different design arguments and the evidence that they employ.

The Will to Believe

This session will consider the relationship between faith and reason, explaining five different ways of defining faith and their significance for the role of argument in establishing God's existenceand the relationship between Science and Religion. William James'response to WK Clifford's evidentialism will be explored. Students will be given the opportunity to contribute their own ideas and
take part in a lively debate on a related motion.

The Problem of Evil and Suffering

To what extent is it possible to argue from an apparently imperfect world to a perfect God? This major session will focus on the developed theodicies of St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas and will model how to structure a highly evaluative typical examination essay-answer on the topic. Students will be invited to participate in a live discussion on this topic and related video-interviews with Professors Richard Price, Timothy Chappell and Brian Leftow will be included on the DVD.

God and the New Physics

How have advances in Physics affected traditional Cosmological and Teleological arguments for God's existence? Could God really
have started the Big Bang - or is that a classic example of "God of the Gaps" reasoning? Do "Fine Tuning" arguments stack up – or have they finally been discredited? Does Quantum Physics offer an opportunity to Philosophers of Religion or present an insuperable challenge to Theism? This session will provide an indispensable guide to what can be a baffling topic.

Tickets are priced at £18, with FREE accompanying teacher places.

The ticket price includes…

* Printed notes for each student, complete with follow-up activities & reading lists, essay-writing & revision guides
* An exclusive DVD for each school comprising the full video-interview and some PowerPoints.
* "God Matters!" by Dr Peter and Charlotte Vardy (SCM Press, November 2013, rrp£9.99) for order in class-sets of at least 12 copies @ £5 + p&p per copy, on the day.
* The opportunity to book a place on one of our INSET conferences, totally FREE.

Doors open for registration at 9.20am: Conferences begin promptly at 10am. Conferences will be over by 3.30pm.

No refreshments are provided for students, but we provide break and lunchtime refreshments for teachers.

Please contact us by e-mail candleconferences@ymail.com or on telephone 07833 225040) if you have any questions.