Courses at Gladstone's Library

Except where otherwise stated, all prices include course fee, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, bed and continental breakfast.

Making Space - Approaches to leading creative quiet days

Wednesday 15th February 10am-4pm

This day is for anyone involved in organising or leading quiet days and short retreats. There will be opportunities to experience practical activities and resources suitable for creative quiet days as well as an exploration of the process of creativity itself and its relationship with spirituality. The day will offer space for reflection as well as time to discuss ideas and possibilities. It will also provide an opportunity to meet others engaged in a similar ministry.

Cost £25.00 (includes morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea) or £20.00 for members of any Retreat Association group.

Moral Crisis in British society

Friday 24th - Sunday 26th February

Is there a moral crisis in British Society? Keith Ward explores this ‘moral chaos’ by reviewing Jesus’ ethical teaching in the Gospels and asking whether morality is quite separate from religion? If it isn’t, what can faith add to morality?

Cost £245 - £275 residential, non-residential £225

Effing the Ineffable - an ‘honest’ conversation about prayer

Wednesday 29th February - Thursday 1st March

If your God is not a being but ‘Being’ or “the sum of your values”, - how then do you pray privately or publicly? If Jesus is for you somehow, or in some way, the (partial) embodiment of those values, - how or where does Jesus fit into the question of prayer?

If the language of public prayer ‘wars’ (I use the word advisedly as the traditional language of prayer is powerful, male and hierarchical) against your reading of faith – what language have you found that expresses your faith? If the context in which you live, move and have your being shapes your theology, - and if you accept that there are many theologies shaped by many contexts (for there is no one truth) – what is appropriate when people come together from many contexts?

If it is true that “people are shaped by the way they pray,” then hadn’t we better find a language that is shaped by a contemporary theology? First, second, sixteenth or even nineteenth or twentieth century theology cannot be our theology – if it is, aren’t tied to a fantasy? If you do find a language for public prayer (and private prayer), does that language allow for growth and development, change and challenge or does it only deify your own views and prejudices?

Cost £50-£70 residential, £35 non-residential

Fictionalising religion: journeys in trying not to give offence but giving it anyway

Thursday 22nd March 8pm

Writer-in-Residence Naomi Alderman takes us through her journey of using religion in fiction.

Cost £10 (includes a glass of wine).

Creative Writing Workshop with Naomi Alderman

Sunday 25th March 10.30am - 4.30pm

Writing Convincing Dialogue Naomi Alderman will guide you through practical exercises and readings, to refine your ability to write convincing dialogue in fiction and to understand the many layers of meaning that occur during even the most simple conversation.

Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Film & Theology

Monday 16th - Thursday 19th April

The 15^th Annual Film & Theology gathering to watch, discuss and theologise about the movies.

Cost £225- £180 residential, £160 non-residential

Jill of All Trades, Mistress of Some - Talk & Reading

Thursday 17th May, 8pm

Stella Duffy has written twelve novels encompassing literary, crime and historical fiction, ten plays, fifty short stories, many essays and articles – she also directs and teaches theatre and writing. She will read from her work and speak about how doing many things, rather than just one, feeds and enhances her work.

Cost £10 (includes a glass of wine)

Creative Writing Workshop with Stella Duffy

Sunday 27th May 10.30am - 4,30pm

Inspiration for the Application - Stella will teach a writing workshop using improvisation and theatre techniques to inspire, kick-start, open and excite your work. A firm believer in doing rather than talking, in work rather than talking about work, she will offer a day’s worth of tools to get you started, keep you going, and help you get your work out there.

Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Sodom & Other Perplexities from Genesis

Monday 4th - Thursday 7th June

Feminist, Old Testament scholar, Lyn Bechtel, returns to continue her popular series looking afresh at the Hebrew Bible. This year Lyn takes a look at some of the more bewildering stories from Genesis. This week of reflection and discussion will help reclaim the perplexities of Genesis for the contemporary reader.

Cost £290 - £350 residential, £270 non-residential

Making a Scene

Friday 8th - Sunday 10th June

Author Greg Garrett will lead this weekend writing workshop that will focus on three primary elements of successful scenes: dramatic structure, conflict and dialogue.

Cost £180- £210 residential, £160 non-residential

Paul Re-Visioned

Monday 2nd - Thursday 5th July

Following his acclaimed Sufi-inspired reading of John’s Gospel last year, Kalyan Dey turns his attention to the dominant New Testament figure of Paul. Exploring Pauline key texts Kalyan offers a distinctive, insightful and liberal reading of Paul’s writings that will challenge preconceptions. This short course will help you look at both Paul and his writings with fresh eyes.

Cost £235 - £280 residential £215 non-residential

The Gladstone Umbrella

Friday 6th - Sunday 8th July

The Library, the National Memorial to the Grand Old Man, provides the perfect setting for the annual colloquium for scholars and Gladstone enthusiasts. Offers of papers on all aspects of Gladstone’s life and times are welcome (please contact David Brooks d.r.brooks@qmul.ac.uk). The weekend includes a trip to Gladstone’s study at Hawarden Castle, the Temple of Peace. There is an opportunity to stay an extra night to listen to David Cannadine deliver the 2012 Gladstone Lecture.

Cost £180 - £210 residential, £160 non-residential

Still Honest to God?

Monday 16th - Thursday 19th July

Ian Bradley and Peter Francis consider the influence and themes of John Robinson’s Honest to God. Written 50 years ago, it still challenges the Christian world. They outline their ideas for a revived liberal Christian agenda - Ian from a Presbyterian perspective and Peter from an Anglican perspective.

Cost £230 - £275 residential, £210 non-residential

Celtic Christianity

Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd July

Author and broadcaster, Ian Bradley explores the myths and realities of Celtic Christianity and ponders its relevance for contemporary Christians.

Cost £195 - £225 residential, £175 non-residential

Three Sacred Mothers of Wales

Monday 23rd - Friday 27th July

A five day exploration of Christian life in early medieval Wales through the lives of three women. The week will include visits to both Pennant Melangell and Winefride’s Well. Saints Melangell, Nonn and Winefride demonstrated unique faith, courage, and prayerful witness to the presence of Christ in the culture and religious life of early medieval Wales. Their lives offer wisdom and inspiration for living with similar challenges, cultural transitions, in the evolving Christian life of the Twenty-first century.

Cost £305 -£365 residential, £285 non-residential

Beyond Space and Time

Saturday 4^th August 10am-4pm

This day course is an exploration into Sufism and the 13^th century Persian poet and mystic Jalaluddin Rumi. Topics to be discussed include Rumi and his life, Rumi’s spiritual teaching and its place in Sufism as well as his role in life today.

Cost £25.00 (includes morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea)

Greek in a Week

Monday 6th - Sunday 12th August

Kalyan Dey explores a selection of texts for those who are seeking an opportunity to learn, revise or extend their knowledge of New Testament Greek. No prior knowledge is assumed or required.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Hebrew in a Week

Monday 13th - Sunday 19th August

This course offers an exciting way to enjoy and understand Biblical Hebrew. Lyn Bechtel leads the week for those who wish to begin to read Biblical Hebrew. It can be enjoyed by those who know a little Hebrew and wish to revise and improve their knowledge or those who have no prior knowledge.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Latin in a Week

Monday 20th - Sunday 26th August

This exciting new course aims to take complete beginners to the point where they can read some short extracts of poetry and prose by Latin authors. Robert Parker leads the week for those who wish to begin to read Latin. It can also be enjoyed by those who know a little Latin and wish to revise and improve their knowledge of it but no prior knowledge is assumed.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Welsh in a Week

Monday 27th August - Sunday 2nd September

Come with little or no knowledge of the Welsh language – just a desire to learn - and by the end of the week, Julie Brake will have helped you to achieve a basic ability in Welsh.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

The Book of Ruth

Monday 10th - Thursday 13th September

Lyn Bechtel helps us to examine the Book of Ruth in Hebrew. Ideal if you are wishing to revise or improve your Hebrew.

Cost £235 - £280 residential, £215 non-residential

Talk & Readings with Nadene Ghouri

Tuesday 11th September

Love, life and family in East/West - Nadene Ghouri has travelled and worked extensively as a journalist in Afghanistan and Pakistan for over a decade. In this talk she will discuss how the people she has met along the way have informed and challenged her pre-conceptions about love, family values, society and individual freedom. She will also talk about the writing of The Favored Daughter (about the life of Afghan presidential candidate Fawzia Koofi) and what it was like working with one of the most-outspoken women in Afghanistan. A woman whom the Taliban try to murder almost every week.

Cost £10 (includes a glass of wine)

Creative Writing Workshop with Nadene Ghouri

Sunday 23rd September 10.30am - 4.30pm

The art of writing memoir. From personal memoir to ghost-writing and biography. What makes a good memoir?

Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Faith & Doubt

Friday 28th - Sunday 30th September

Writer and broadcaster Richard Holloway is well known as an outspoken and respected figure of the modern church in Britain. He frequently reminds people that the church should stand for inclusiveness and plurality, not singularity and exclusiveness.

Cost £245 - £275 residential, £225 non-residential

Latin - Second Steps

Monday 22nd - Friday 26th October

Cost £220 - £280 residential, £200 non-residential

Sign Language in a Week

Monday 29th October - Sunday 4th November

Cost £220 - £280 residential, £200 non-residential

Films of Faith & Doubt

Monday 5th - Thursday 8th November

Tom Aitken and Peter Francis continue their annual series re-viewing classic films of faith and doubt.

Cost £180 - £225 residential, £160 non-residential

Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks

Thursday 8th November 10.30am - 4.30pm

From Blank Page to Poem: The Writing Process. Arrive with an empty notebook and go home with a poem. This workshop is aimed at anyone who wants to experience the writing process first-hand. From initiating the first few words to polishing the final poem, this workshop will get beginners started and offer those who write already a different way of approaching poetry.

Cost £25.00 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks

Thursday 15th November 6-9.30pm

Stories in Verse: Writing Narrative Poetry - What is the difference between a short story and a narrative poem? How do we set about telling a story in verse? This workshop examines the nature of narrative poetry and suggests some practical approaches to writing it.