Climate change, population growth and movement, cost of living pressures, animal welfare, seed monopolies, supply chain shortages, consumption and health… the list of challenges around food seems endless. Yet there is much thoughtful and positive work taking place to improve the health and sustainability of our food systems worldwide.

In this four-part seminar series, presented in partnership with All of Life Redeemed, an international platform of researchers will speak on their work in this area from a range of perspectives that ‘use research to do good for all’.

This event: Friday 27th May

Dr Jan van der Stoep
Eating as a normative practice

For a long time, food was seen as a matter of personal preference. Such a view is no longer tenable due to climate change, health issues and changing relationships between humans and animals. What’s a good meal? What can we learn from Reformational philosophy about dining as a normative practice?

Jan is Endowed Professor of Christian Philosophy at Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands. He is also affiliated to Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences, where he directs a research group on Faith and Work.

Dr Philip Sampson
Whose world, whose sustainability? Recovering the interests of the planet

‘Sustainability’ has become a watchword of contemporary public policy making, both in the UK and internationally. Major documents over the past 50 years have consistently adopted an anthropocentric language which views creation as an environmental resource to be managed. This well represents the interests of humans, but not necessarily those of the planet. This talk explores a broader vision which speaks of the earth as more than a human resource, drawing upon a pre-twentieth century evangelical discourse. Following the Westminster Confession, Philip argues for a vision of the world as a harmonious worshipping community of creatures. Within such a world-view, sustainability becomes an outcome of righteous living, not a goal of human managerialism. This is illustrated using the example of the global meat industry.

Dr Philip Sampson is a Fellow at The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and Consultant Editor for the Journal of Animal Ethics. His main research interest is  the archeology of nonconformist Christian discourses about animals.

The full series

Seminar details

The seminars take place on consecutive Fridays, from 12:00-14:00 BST, on Zoom. You are welcome to attend the whole series, but each lecture will stand alone.

Places are £5 per seminar, free for students.

Full joining details will be sent when you book.