The Christian Approach to Catastrophe
​Symposium 2020

We are very much looking forward to this year's annual symposium on the theme of 'Catastrophe'.   Rev. Simon Woodman will speak on the book of Revelation and environmental catastrophe.   Dr Ruth Valerio will also present a paper on environmental catastrophe and Dr John Day will speak on potential future medical threats (antibiotic resistance etc).   
Saturday 16th May 2020 at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London.  
1. ‘Environment: Catastrophe and Hope?'
Dr Ruth Valerio is Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at Tearfund. An environmentalist, theologian and social activist, Ruth holds a doctorate from King’s College London, and honorary doctorates from the  Universities of Winchester and Chichester. She is Canon Theologian at Rochester Cathedral and her home church is part of the 24/7 Prayer Network. She enjoys living sustainably - practising what she preaches and inspiring others as she does so - in the South of England with her family. She is the author of L is for Lifestyle:Christian Living that doesn’t cost the earth and Just Living:Faith and Community in an age of Consumerism, and has written the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2020 Lent book, entitled Saying Yes to Life.  
2.  ‘Future Medical Disasters'
Dr John Day is Consultant in Infectious Diseases & Tropical Medicine at Southend University Hospital, Essex and  Honorary Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London. He previously worked in Zimbabwe and South Africa, developing HIV and TB services amongst gold miners. He and his family are part of Tower Hamlets Community Church in East London.
3.  ‘The End Times: Revelation and Catastrophe'
Rev Dr Simon Woodman is Minister of Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church in the West End of London, and the Free Church Chaplain at King's College London. He grew up in Sevenoaks in Kent, and has degrees from Sheffield, Bristol and Cardiff Universities. He has previously been a market stall holder on Camden Market, a Baptist Minister in Bristol, a Tutor at South Wales Baptist College, and a lecturer at Cardiff University. He is married to Liz.