* Due to unforeseen circumstances, the April and May Progressive Christianity Forum sessions have been swapped. Kym Bills will now be the speaker at the April Forum and Esmond Dowdy at the May Forum.

Join us for our May FORUM - Rev Esmond Dowdy presenting on The significance of the Spirituality Revolution.

In recent years there has been a noticeable shift in attitudes towards spirituality, what some call a ‘spiritual awakening’ and others a ‘spirituality revolution’. This transformation is characterised by a departure from traditional religious structures, old-style religion, and a growing interest in new patterns of faith, in spiritual practices geared towards a more personal and experiential engagement with the sacred. This session explores the concept of spirituality, its emergence, features, various forms of expression, and significance. We will consider the collective yearning for meaning, purpose and balance in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, and the notion that as more people engage in this transformative journey, the ripple effects have the potential to shape a more conscious, compassionate and spiritually enriched world.

Esmond grew up in Wolseley in the South East, and began his working life as a secondary maths and science teacher. A call to ministry in the late 60s saw him training at Parkin-Wesley College, then serving in parish ministry in the Uniting Church, celebrating 50 years of ordination in 2023. In 1977 he moved into Higher Education where he worked for nearly 30 years at UniSA as the Manager of Student Services across 5 campuses ― managing a wide range of personal and practical services in areas that impacted student learning. During this time, he completed a Masters Degree in Social Science (Counselling). In retirement from 2010, he has been actively involved in supporting refugees, in Progressive Christianity, in ministry, and widely travelling. Meredith, his wife of 56 years, is a musician, and they have 5 children, and 8 grandchildren.