The Nature of God

First Seminar: Saturday 13 January 2026 | 7:00–8:30pm (then every six weeks)

Throughout history, the Abrahamic traditions have expressed remarkably diverse understandings of the Divine. This seminar explores influential conceptions of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, where differences within each tradition can often appear more striking than those between them.

Participants will examine how the Yahwist, Elohist, and Priestly schools portray God’s nature in the Hebrew Bible, and how these ideas relate to later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic theology. The session will also consider the development of monotheism, the Christian Trinity, and Islamic philosophical perspectives on divine transcendence, form, and immutability.

How Should We Live Our Lives?

Seminar Two: Saturday 11 January | 7:00–8:30pm (subject to change)

This seminar invites participants to consider timeless ethical questions at the heart of the Abrahamic traditions. Drawing from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought, we explore how each tradition interprets divine law, moral responsibility, and spiritual discipline.

Discussions will include the role of Mosaic law in Judaism and Christianity, the Five Pillars of Islam in relation to shared moral principles, and the complex question of when, if ever, violence and restraint are justified. Together, we reflect on what each faith presents as the moral foundations of human life.

How Literary Devices Change Our Understanding of Scripture (Parts I & II)

Part I: Saturday 22 February | 7:00–8:30pm (subject to change)
Part II: Saturday 5 April | 7:00–8:30pm (subject to change)

Scripture is not only revelation; it is literature. Across the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Qur’an, writers employed profound literary devices that shaped meaning and deepened interpretation.

In Part I, participants explore Janus parallelism, chiasmus, numerology, gematria, and metaphor, discovering how these ancient techniques enrich our understanding of sacred language and theology.

In Part II, attention turns to irony, rhetorical questions, riddles, and parallelism, examining how such forms illuminate the text and invite us to read with nuance, sensitivity, and imagination.

Together, the two sessions reveal how literary form and sacred message intertwine, transforming how we read, teach, and understand scripture itself.

Open Access – Registration Required