In that conversation, Prof. Orr and Fr. Dcn. Andrew will consider what is the current place of Christians in the public spaces of formerly Christian countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and other western democracies. Specifically, they will discuss the following questions: 1) Is liberalism in its current progressive iterations hostile or simply indifferent to Christianity?; 2) Can Christianity accommodate a pluralism that may or may not accommodate it?; and, 3) Should Christians be committed to political programmes that reflect Christian social doctrine as a clear alternative to secular progressivism?

Professor James Orr is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. He is a respected conservative commentator and serves as the UK Chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation and Director of UK Programs for Trinity Forum Europe. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett is Director of Faith Community Engagement at Cardus. He leads Cardus’s engagement with faith communities across Canada on issues such as religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and the importance of public faith to our common life. He also helps to direct Cardus’s program of public theology through the Communio network of Christian young professionals.