Durham Cathedral lines up impressive speakers for Lent talks on prayer

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, which this year is on 14 February, and is a time where Christians practice humility and trusting in God.

The Dean of Durham, Philip Plyming, who will be giving the first talk, says:

"Lent is traditionally a time when Christians prepare to celebrate Easter by giving special attention to our own growth in faith. Prayer is a crucial way in which we are invited to go deeper in our relationship with God, and it is also a great way-in for those who are exploring faith for the first time."

Each talk will connect a biblical passage or theme with both contemporary culture and the practice of prayer. The talks will be accessible to those exploring faith as well as those who are more experienced in prayer, and will include a short time of prayer on the theme of the talk.

Topics covered in the upcoming Lent Talks include how we bring our bodies into our prayers, how we connect prayer with what we are studying and how prayer can take us deeper into an understanding of ourselves. Speakers include the Bishop of Jarrow, Sarah Clark, the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, and the Van Mildert Professor of Divinity, Simon Oliver.

Philip continues:

"I am looking forward enormously to learning from our outstanding speakers about how prayer connects with our contemporary lives – for those of us whose faith is longstanding and those who are taking the first steps of faith."

The talks will take place every Sunday during Lent from 18 February - 24 March and will follow on from Evensong which starts at 3.30pm. All talks are free, with no tickets required.