University launches millennium lecture series

Some of the world’s most eminent thinkers will descend on St Andrews this year as part of a millennium lecture series looking at some of the biggest issues facing society in the 21st century.

To commemorate the year 2000, the University is launching a year- long programme of public lectures featuring leading thinkers of our time in the areas of philosophy, theology, social anthropology, literary and cultural studies. They include Professor John Gray, former advisor to Margaret Thatcher, now turned Blair-ite, and France’s most eminent philosopher Professor Paul Ricoeur.

Originating from France, Germany, the USA and the UK and rarely seen in this country, the speakers will address fundamental topics, ranging from the future of human nature to whether science and religion are now friends or still, as at the end of the last century, declared enemies.

Open to the general public, the series is entitled “2000 Years: Faith, Culture and Identity in the Common Era” and is co-sponsored by the Institute of European Cultural Identity Studies, Centre for Philosophy and Public Affairs, Department of Social Anthropology and the School of Divinity.

The lecture series will kick off in the University’s Lower College Hall at 5.15pm on Monday 21 February with Professor Jurgen Moltmann of the University of Tubingen in Germany, one of the most influential Christian voices of his time. Moltmann will be speaking about the 20th century as a time of unheard of progress and of spectacular horrors and asking what grounds there are for being hopeful in the next century.

Further lectures are planned for March, May, June, September, October, November and December and it is hoped that follow-up seminars in the various sponsoring departments will take place to pursue the issues raised.

Further details on the lecture series can be obtained from Professor Paul Gifford on telephone 01334 477243.

Issued by Beattie Media on behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information please contact Claire Grainger on 01334 462530, 07887 650072 or email [email protected] Ref: gifford/standrews/chg/9feb2000/ PR1890