Christ and Christian education

Firbush Retreat, 6-8 November 2024. In-person, Loch Tay.

Theme: Christ and Christian Education: Christian faith in a deeply secular society.

As usual, the aim of the Retreat in its spectacular setting is to make in-depth understanding of the bible with good theology available to all in accessible language without loss of depth or content.

The nature of November’s subject is necessarily inter-disciplinary. It covers knowledge of God in Old and New Testaments, education both Christian and secular, humanism in Christian and secular thought, and involves questions of truth and morality. A reformed educational curriculum could do much to provide a vision here for healthy society and what it would be to be truly human.

For a fuller outline of the rationale behind this Retreat and topics to be covered in light of the challenges to Christian faith, please see the attachment (PDF).

Outline programme (download Firbush 2024 Program PDF)

Speakers:

• Colin Graham, Royal Society of Edinburgh Education Committee
• Tommy MacNeil, St Martin’s CofS, Stornoway, Head of the “Shed” Project
• Tom Noble, Didsbury Theological Seminary, Manchester & Kansas USA.
• Colin Sinclair, former Head of the Scripture Union and CofS ex-Moderator
• Bob Walker, New College Honorary Fellow, M.A. Philosophy, B.D. Theology

Costs: 

RESIDENTIAL in the main building (2 days): Edinburgh University (UoE) 

Cost per person (2 night stay inc. full board accomm. & activities):

• UoE student £196 (no conference fee)
• UoE Staff/Alumn £212 (incl CF conference fee of £16)
• Non UoE £240 (incl CF conference fee of £10)
• Child under 18 £196 (under 6 yrs free)

Full day visitor fee £45 (incl activities, packed lunch, dinner, no CF); Students £20 (no CF), plus breakfast 8.30am £10 (if required).

NON-RESIDENTIAL but self catering on site (meals available at the centre for £10 per meal)

Pod:

• £130 for a two night self-catered stay.  (Pod + all meals = £190, OR without packed lunch £170, dinner only £150). 
• Each pod has 1 Double bed and 1 Single Sofa Bed. (2 pods available)

Lodges:

• £270 for a two night self-catered stay. (One room + all meals = £135 + 60 = £195, OR without packed lunch £175, dinner only £155)
• Lodges have 4 single beds between 2 twin rooms (one bathroom)

All meals, breakfast, packed lunch, dinner, are available to self catering guests at £10 per meal = £30  total.

Conference Fee:

Please note that on-site catering residents are also liable for a Conference Fee (CF) of £15 per head. For B&B in Killin, £8 CF.
One of the main aims of the CF is to be able to subsidise students who would find it difficult to come otherwise.

Booking / Contacts & questions: 

To book please answer all 3 question below, copy the answers and email to Bob and Jock:
1. Main Centre / Pod / Room in Lodge …….…………………………………...  
2. Any allergies / dietary requirements………………………….…………........
3. If “self-catering”, total no. of meals and when………………………  ……....

Contacts Robert  Walker  bob@hebrides.u-net.com and Jock Stein  jstein@handselpress.org.uk   

Booking asap (esp. for pods / lodges) or deposit £25 (total numbers limited to 32 for breakfast / dinner)
Bank Transfer or Cheques to "Avalon Education”, sent to Dr Jock Stein, 35 Dunbar Road, Haddington, EH41 3PJ .
For Bank Transfer details, please contact myself or Jock.   
Please also email Jock to notify him of any bank transfer or cheque in the post.

Best wishes,

Bob 

• About Firbush retreats