St Wilfrid Lecture to highlight the importance of childhood
A free
lecture taking place at Ripon Cathedral on Thursday 13 September
will address a common issue of debate - the ethics of
guardianship.
Dr Elaine Storkey will discuss the topical
subject ‘Ethical Guardianship: Giving Childhood a High Priority’,
speaking under the St Wilfrid Lecture 2012 series theme of
‘Questions of right and wrong: The role of faith in contemporary
society’.
Dr Elaine Storkey has lectured at Stirling University, Kings
College in London, and Oxford University. She has been a
member of the General Synod since 1987 and President of Tearfund
since 1997. She is also President of Anglican think-tank
Fulcrum and Chair of the Church and Media Network. As a
broadcaster and author for 25 years, she has made documentaries,
written hundreds of newspaper and journal articles and is the
author of eight books, including Created or Constructed: The Great
Gender Debate (2000). Dr Storkey was named as one of the 100
women public intellectuals by The Guardian, and made a Templeton
Journalism Fellow in 2009.
Speaking in advance of the lecture, the Very
Revd Keith Jukes, Dean of Ripon Cathedral said: “Childhood is the
foundation upon which the rest of our life is built. For this
reason alone, childhood needs to be given a high priority, and
there is much to be thought about concerning the way we welcome
children and accept their invaluable contribution to society.
There are also clearly issues of protection and safeguarding.
We are delighted to welcome Elaine Storkey to address us on ‘Giving
Childhood a High Priority’. Her deep insight will lead us
into the rich territory with fruitful debate and action.”
The annual St Wilfrid lectures, named in
honour of Ripon Cathedral’s founder, have been running since 2009.
They are jointly organised and sponsored by York St John
University, Ripon Cathedral, the Methodist District of York and
Hull, and Ripon and Leeds Diocese. Previous lectures have
ranged widely over questions of faith and public life, with high
profile speakers including the Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John
Sentamu, Lord Inderjit Singh, Ruth Gledhill, Baroness Estelle
Morris, Professor Terry Eagleton, and Professor Mona Siddiqui.
Dr Elaine Storkey’s lecture will take place at
7.00pm on Thursday 13 September at Ripon Cathedral. Admission
is free but by ticket only. To book a ticket email
judithbustard@riponcathedral.org.uk or telephone 01765
603462. For further information visit www.yorksj.ac.uk/stwilfridlectures.
For further press information please contact Louise
McKenzie, PR & Communications Officer on T: 01904 876466 or
E: l.mckenzie@yorksj.ac.uk
