Philosophy Salon

What can people who put God at the centre of their lives and those who completely deny his existence learn from each other? Debates between atheists and believers have often been bitter, but in this informal salon hosted by St George’s Philosopher-in-residence Julian Baggini, atheist philosopher Richard Norman and the Dean of Bristol Cathedral, Revd Mandy Ford, will be discussing and modelling better ways to do difference.

Professor Richard Norman is Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Kent and a patron of Humanists UK. His books include The Moral Philosophers, Free and Equal, Ethics, Killing and War, and On Humanism. He is an active member of the Humanist Dialogue Network and is involved in initiatives to promote constructive dialogue between religious and non-religious people. He co-edited, with Anthony Carroll, and contributed to Religion and Atheism in Dialogue: Doing Difference Differently and Religion and Atheism: Beyond the Divide.

The Very Revd Dr Mandy Ford has served as Dean of Bristol since 3 October 2020. As Dean, she is an important point of contact between the Diocese and the city and shares in the Bishop’s oversight of the Diocese. She is committed to “developing a culture of welcome and inclusion; addressing the challenges of our heritage and embracing the opportunity for transformation, restoration and creativity.”