Internationally renowned philosopher of religion, Dr Peter Vardy, spent the day at Loreto recently. Our Theology students were lucky enough to have a full day conference covering topics ranging from Ethics, the relationship between religion and science, the Problem of Evil, and New Atheism. He also explained the shared historical philosophical traditions of Christianity and Islam. Dr Vardy, who has written numerous books and delivers lectures internationally, fascinated students with his charismatic style and encyclopaedic knowledge.

It was a fabulous opportunity for our students to revise what they had already learned but also to develop their knowledge and understanding at a much higher level. Dr Vardy stayed and chatted with students at the end of the day and was very impressed by their maturity and insight and they clearly enjoyed having the chance to speak to a real expert in his field.

Students who attended the event commented:

‘The talk by Peter Vardy offered a deeper insight to the topics already explored in my A-level course, it was really beneficial as the knowledge gained can then be applied in my exams but also in my day to day decisions. He was unbiased and looked at each topic from diverse religious perspectives and showed both the flaws and strengths of each concept. He didn’t fixate on a particular view and enabled us to develop our own views on each subject.

I spoke to Peter Vardy after the talk and had a quick discussion on the state of society and what might improve it. He offered the answer of ‘education.’ Samuel Remi-Akinwale

‘Although I’m an atheist, Dr Vardy opened my eyes to different religious interpretations. I originally viewed all religions to be mythological but now view it as much more.’ Jamal Williams