Philosophy and Life
Recent writing and occasional thoughts on assorted matters.
- The Evolution of Religion with Rupert Sheldrake Oct 12, 2019- The origins of religion lie deep in the story of human evolution. But as Rupert Sheldrake and I discuss in this new episode of The Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, the scientific study of our encounter with other worlds is changing. It has been proposed that humans believe in gods because punishing presences keep individuals in check, but that's discredited. New research is… …
- Temenos Academy talk Oct 12, 2019- My talk at the Temenos Academy, The Inkling Owen Barfield, Jesus, and the Evolution of Consciousness, on 1st October is now online. …
- Owen A Barfield on Owen Barfield Oct 7, 2019- It was a joy that Owen Barfield's grandson, Owen A Barfield, who has done so much to champion his grandfather's work, spoke at the book launch of A Secret History of Christianity. …
- I saw that silence… Oct 7, 2019- This article is published in The Friend, the Quaker magazine this week. I was on holiday with friends in a sunny corner of Cornwall, when one of them confessed she was engaged in a personal enquiry. She had decided to ask each of us about our image of God. It was a good idea. As a group we occupied many… …
- Mere Christianity by Owen Barfield Sep 30, 2019- If Owen Barfield had written a Mere Christianity, like his "oppositional friend" C.S. Lewis, this is what he might have said. Where Lewis started with morality, Barfield would start with vision. Where Lewis addresses a flawed humanity, Barfield would invite us to seek participation in divine life. This was a talk I gave at Southwark Cathedral on 27th September 2019… …
- Owen Barfield on C.S. Lewis Sep 30, 2019- This article was written for The Church of England Newspaper, published on 26th Sept 2019 as "Uncovering the last Inkling". Everyone has heard of C.S. Lewis. Not many have heard of Owen Barfield. However, Lewis would not have become the famous author and apologist without the man he called his “oppositional friend”. I have found reading Barfield to be a… …
- William Blake’s therapy for the soul Sep 10, 2019- This article was written for The Idler. The new William Blake exhibition at Tate Britain is tremendous. It features three hundred of his works, any of which on their own would command a room. Together they present an extraordinary energy. It’s a rare chance to be immersed in the images of the prophet and poet, and could hardly be more… …
- BBC Radio 4’s Beyond Belief on God Sep 3, 2019- I was a panelist for the latest edition of the long-standing BBC Radio 4 religious discussion programme, Beyond Belief. We discussed the nature of God. "God is a presence that runs in and through all things that's quite quiet and still but there's something very powerful and strong in that presence and stillness." "You can wake up to the inside… …
- Talk at Watkins Books online Sep 2, 2019- What is the meaning of the disenchantment of our age? Is the ego a clue to a way forward, not a hindrance? What might the next steps in the evolution of human consciousness look like? These questions, and more, were explored by Owen Barfield. He was a member of the famous Oxford literary group, the Inklings, and the one whom… …
- A Secret History of Christianity out today! Aug 30, 2019- A Secret History of Christianity seems to have had a good first day in the world. I hope it opens up the genius insights of Owen Barfield for readers. I've also written an article published in The Tablet outlining his take on Christianity. And there's a discussion with Jules Evans on the Church Times podcast about the need to rediscover… …