delighted that john and olive drane are joining us in london for a blah... details below. if you live in the north they are doing a blah... on the same theme in manchester on may 2. anyway here's the detail...

Spirituality, Gospel, Culture and Mission
We talk all the time about our desire to be ‘spiritual’, and ‘spirituality’ is regularly used to sell everything from sex to shoes, as well as being promoted as a stand-alone lifestyle or belief system that we can invent for ourselves.
What do we mean when we say we want to be ‘spiritual’, and how does that connect with anything that Christians might understand about the Gospel and God’s mission in the world? Can we create spiritual experiences for ourselves, or do they come to us from outside, unannounced and unsought? And what happens to us when we are in ‘spiritual’ mode? Is it the same thing as being ‘religious’, or something entirely different? Does ‘spirituality’ require a prior belief system, or is it a stand-alone dimension of being human?
These questions, and others like them, are of great interest not only to philosophers and theologians, but also to social scientists and healthcare workers. The possible answers are both fascinating and challenging, and will be explored in a context of asking how they might all connect with the mission of the church in a post-secular culture.
John Drane is the author of Do Christians know how to be Spiritual? The rise of New Spirituality and the Mission of the Church (Darton Longman & Todd 2005). Olive Fleming Drane is the author of Spirituality to Go: Rituals and Reflections for Everyday Living (Darton Longman Todd 2006).Both are adjunct professors of Practical Theology at Fuller Seminary, California.
blah... is a series of conversations hosted by CMS on mission, worship, church and Christianity in today’s rapidly changing culture. It’s a time to keep listening, chatting and reflecting as God beckons us into the future.
Wednesday 10th May | 6:30-8:30pm | Drinks and refreshments provided | Admission free
Venue: CMS Partnership House, 157 Waterloo Road [Nearest tube Waterloo - follow signs from station to Old Vic. Go past Old Vic and Partnership House is on the same side opposite the ambulance station]
It would help us to know in advance if you're coming, so please book a place and turn up!
E-mail elizabeth