Rethink by Quo Vadis Institute (Quo Vadis Institute)

Revd Dr Dave Bookless is Director of Theology for A Rocha International. A Rocha is an international Christian organisation engaging in scientific research, environmental education and community-based conservation projects across six continents. In this conversation, Dr Bookless talk more about his heart for Creation Care and the ways in which he think those issues are connected with Human Flourishing.

Photo Credit of Featured Picture: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels

In this episode of Flourishing Stories, Jasper Knecht and Andrzej Turkanik embark on a journey through history. Together, they explore Central Europe in the late 8th and early 9th centuries—a pivotal moment in European history: the Carolingian Renaissance. With Jasper and Andrzej, we uncover the foundations of Carolingian rule, its rise to power, and the lasting impact of its ambitious projects.

One figure stands out among all the transformative reforms and unification efforts: Alcuin of York, the central figure of ourFlourishing Story. Andrzej and Jasper examine his crucial role as an advisor and leader of the Carolingian reforms—a unifier who brought together the foremost intellectual, theological, and political minds of his time, and a visionary who sought to rethink and reshape existing systems across multiple fields.

Alcuin guided far-reaching reform projects aimed at standardization, including the unification of timekeeping and the calendar, the Latin language used in scholarship and official documents, typography through the Carolingian minuscule, as well as reforms in education, liturgy, and monastic practices. At the same time, these projects sought to preserve, produce, and document knowledge. Many ancient texts have survived to this day thanks to the meticulous efforts undertaken during the Carolingian Renaissance, when scholars copied, translated, and safeguarded invaluable works of antiquity and central theological texts, ensuring their transmission through the centuries.

Andrzej and Jasper take us into a story of collaboration—one driven by grand ideas and their practical implementation. A story that shaped governance, education, religion, and daily life throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. And a story that highlights the art and enduring impact of interdisciplinary cooperation.

In this episode of our podcast #Rethink, Jasper Knecht engages in a conversation with Sam Mabley, a young Christian from Bristol (UK), who founded a fashion company (YesFriends) centered around the idea of making ethical clothing affordable. Sam shares his story and discusses how he became intrigued by issues in the fashion industry. To quote from their website: „Clothes are the products with the 2nd highest risk of modern slavery in their supply chain and use around 10% of global greenhouse gases“.   

There's an inherent awareness that something doesn't quite add up when we purchase a T-shirt for a mere 5-10 euros from a mainstream fashion chain. Maybe we've caught wind of the harmful impact of dyeing methods, releasing alarming quantities of toxic chemicals into rivers and triggering catastrophic effects on nearby ecosystems and communities. The pressing question, however, remains: What actionable steps can we take? The prevailing industry operates within these established “norms”, and the prospect of transitioning to alternatives, often considerably pricier, poses a financial challenge for many. How do we address this dilemma and contribute to positive change? 

Sam, who faced the same problems, decided to change something right here and create a way to offer fashion that is both ethically produced and affordable. In the conversation, he meticulously describes the processes necessary for making this possible and also paints a broader economic picture, showing how we, as consumers, can support a change in the way fashion is produced and perceived.  

Moreover, Sam describes how, as a Christian, he reflects on issues of justice and perceives a clear mandate in the Bible to contemplate justice and social conditions, as well as to actively get involved when unjust conditions are observed or become salient. 

Sam Mabley studied music at the university of Bristol. He is a co-founder of the ethical clothing company Yes Friends.

This is the first of two conversations between Dr Eric Stoddart, lecturer in theology at the University of St Andrews, and Stefania Knecht. Dr Stoddart is a specialist in the intersection of theology and technology, specifically surveillance. In this episode, Dr Stoddart describes how the current Coronavirus pandemic has influenced the level and types of surveillance, both governmental and societal. How should these changes be evaluated? Should increased surveillance be resisted? And how do surveillance and a ‘love-of-neighbour’ interact?

Photo Credits: Fredrik Bedsvaag on Unsplash

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

This episode features a conversation between Professor John Wyatt and Jasper Knecht. 

Following the publication of his book Death Without Dignity? Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in Europe, Prof John Wyatt discusses the reasons for writing this book. What are his observations about our societies’ thoughts about the issue? What does he think of the arguments used in favour of the practise? In this episode, John explains some of his motivations and ideas. 

We warmly invite you to listen and rethink! 

Professor John Wyatt is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London and worked as a paediatrician specialising in the care of newborn babies at a leading neonatal intensive care unit for more than 25 years. 

Visit Prof Wyatt’s website here: www.johnwyatt.com 

The book eath Without Dignity? Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in Europe is available as print version (English and German), E-Book (English and German), and as Audio-Book (German only) at several platforms. 

For more information or to buy this book please visit https://qvi.eu/purchase-book. 

Photo Credit: Rahul on Pexels

Welcome to the first episode of our new podcast! Our host, Jasper, who will also guide you through the upcoming episodes, begins by introducing the podcast, along with our ideas and vision behind it. Our future episodes will unfold in two formats: Flourishing Stories and Flourishing Ideas. You’ll soon see that “flourishing” lies at the very heart of this podcast. In this episode, Jasper reflects on what flourishing can mean in general and what it means to us.

In Flourishing Stories (FS), we talk with (or about) people, their work, and their contributions to the public sphere. What drives them? What truly matters to them? How do they, as Christians, approach their work, the significance of their actions, and the importance of actively shaping and creating? Given Jasper’s background as a theologian and church historian, we also explore the lives of historical figures, diving into their stories and considering how and why these narratives still resonate with us today.

In Flourishing Ideas (FI), we engage in conversations about ideas and the history of ideas across various fields. What ideas influence and shape our lives and societies—whether through political systems, healthcare, education, legislation, or other areas? We also discuss innovative ideas with our guests, exploring how these concepts are grounded in, informed by, and express a Christian understanding of the person and the public sphere.

We’re thrilled to begin this journey and look forward to growing and flourishing together in the episodes to come! RETHINK Podcast from the Quo Vadis Institute (www.qvi.eu).

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Foot discusses her work as a Palliative Care Physician. What does good, holistic care look like? Foot explains that a physical problem does not always have a physical solution and that much of her job is also to help patients navigate choices and decisions. Important in this process is to define what success means in this context? Even though ‘curing’ a patient is not often a realistic aim, it is very rewarding to help people manage pain and support them in achieving their goals.

Featured Photo by truthseeker08 | pixabay

Introduction to our new five-part series on "Human Flourishing":

What does it mean for people to do well, to flourish? This is a difficult query that would probably lead to a variety of answers, depending on who is answering it. Nevertheless, how we understand human wellbeing influences many of our decisions in the public sphere, as ‘human wellbeing’ is oftentimes the explicit or implicit objective. This five-part series hears professionals reflect on the nature of their work in the first place and how what they think ‘human flourishing’ is and how it guides them.

EPISODE 1: Dr Darrell Cosden is a specialist on the theology of work and has written extensively on the topic. In this episode, Dr Cosden introduces us to some of the main aspects of the theology and work and links it to his understanding of what it means for a human being to well, in the context of work.

Photo Credit: Nam Mau | Pexels

This third instalment within our series of the newly released book "The Robot Will See You now" features a conversation between Victoria Lorrimar and Johannes Knecht around the chapter Victoria wrote on “The Future of Humanity” in TRWSYN.

Dr Victoria Lorrimar is originally from Perth. She started her academic journey in the sciences, but later switched to theology. She has also worked in the Western Australian Government in the fields of science, innovation, and neurodegenerative disorders research. In her PhD, she studied how technologies that promise to enhance human characteristics and abilities can be engaged by a theological understanding of what it means to be human.

In this conversation, Victoria discusses how Transhumanism (a future where Robots supersede humans) and Eschatology (the theological study of the “end times”) can fit together.

She opens up the theological debate about the relation between the Present and the Future: Will the Future arise from outside of time and space, or is it a continuation of the Present? These beliefs will in turn pose the questions: Can we humans shape the future – or is it out of our hands?

We warmly invite you to listen and rethink!

For more information or to buy this book please visit the SPCK website HERE.

In Austria and Germany, you can buy the book in Thalia.

In this episode, Elaine Pountney shares about her life as a counsellor. She reflects on the nature of wellbeing, the connection between flourishing and relationships, and whether flourishing is possible after trauma. We loved our conversation so we hope you’ll enjoy it as well.

Photo Credit of Featured Picture: Gary Barnes | Pexels

Introduction to the new Quo Vadis Institute Podcast #Rethink 

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

This is the second of two conversations with Dr Eric Stoddart, lecturer in theology at the University of St Andrews, and Stefania Knecht. Dr Stoddart is a specialist in the intersection of theology and technology, specifically surveillance. In this episode, Dr Stoddart describes how we can helpfully think about surveillance in times of racial bias and in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. How can we foster communication and reconciliation in a cancel culture, fuelled by video snippets? What are the most important things to remember when watching video footage online?

Photo Credits: Clay Banks on Unsplash

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

The latest instalment of QVI’s Podcast Rethink is now out! This episode features a conversation between Olivia Lyster and Johannes Knecht. Olivia is a researcher and manager with Levin sources, a UK based consultancy specialised in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining. In this conversation, Olivia shares about her experiences working in this field, explains what the current challenges are, and why this particular sector deserves more attention.

Photo Credits: MUILLU on Unsplash

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

In this episode, we talk to Sarah-Joe Burn about what drives her as a scholar and a Christian. How does she see her role as a data scientist who works primarily with selection traits in dairy cattle and why we need to breed cattle that emit less methane? Is there a reason why she decided to pursue this field?

DIin Sarah-Joe Burn grew up at 1300m in the Bernese Alps (Switzerland). SJ has long been fascinated by the tranquillity of cows. Caring for creation, sustainability, and improving animal welfare in general, are very important to her. She studied agriculture and obtained her Bachelor's degree in Zurich, Switzerland (ETH). She holds a Master's degree in Livestock Sciences from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria, where she is currentlywriting her thesis on "Direct and indirect traits for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions in dairy cows".  (Project: https://www.rinderzucht.at/projekt/breed4green.html)

Driven by her IFES background, she is also involved in various other projects aimed at nurturing and connecting people in their Christian faith, such as serving as President of theBoard of ÖSM (Austrian IFES). 

For her work, SJ measured methane on 30 different Austrian farms and explores how methane correlates with milk yield and health traits. Through the conversation, we found out why rumination is actually a smart way for us as humans to thrive! 

Tune in to this episode of the revamped RETHINK podcast from the Quo Vadis Institute (www.qvi.eu).

Quentin Genuis (MD, MLitt St.Andrews, BMSc) and John Wyatt (Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London), talk about the current Covid-19 crisis - how medical professionals experience this unprecedented situation and how they can cope with it, not only from a medical perspective but also as a whole human being.

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

The second instalment within our series of the newly released book "The Robot Will See You now" on QVI’s Podcast Rethink is out!

This episode features a conversation between Andrzej Turkanik and Johannes Knecht around the chapter Andrzej wrote on "Art, music and AI: the uses of AI in artistic creation" in TRWSYN.

Andrzej completed degrees in music and art in Poland as well as theology in Germany, before earning a Ph.D. in Oriental Studies from Cambridge University. He is the Executive Director of Quo Vadis Institute, which is dedicated to exploring questions around human flourishing in the changing societal landscape of Europe and the Western World, as well as how cultural renewal can be stimulated.

In this conversation, Andrzej shares about the uses of AI in artistic creation, and the importance of the concept of imago Dei - and how this relates to what can make something be truly music.

Is there a difference between human created and AI created art? What would the arts scene of the future look like if it all becomes simply AI produced imitations?

We warmly invite you to listen and rethink!

For more information or to buy this book please visit the SPCK website HERE.

In Austria and Germany, you can buy the book in Thalia.

Photo Credits: Possessed Photography on Unsplash

This is the first installment of our series featuring the recently published book ‚The Robot Will See You Now‘ on QVI’s Podcast #Rethink!

This episode features a conversation between Professor John Wyatt and Johannes Knecht.

Prof John Wyatt is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London, and a senior researcher at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge. He is also the editor of The Robot Will See You Now and author of two chapters of the book; dealing with humans in a world of intelligent machines, and the impact of AI and robotics on health and social care.

In this podcast, John shares about his motivation behind writing The Robot Will See You Now and the gap he is hoping for it to fill in the discussion (or lack thereof) about intersections between AI and faith. Could humans be simply seen as machines? Can one argue that a robot is a superior caretaker, even though it is missing a defining characteristic of human connection: emotions?

We warmly invite you to listen and rethink!

For more information or to buy this book please visit the SPCK website: https://spckpublishing.co.uk/the-robot-will-see-you-now

In Austria and Germany, you can buy the book in Thalia.

Austria: https://www.thalia.at/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID150522481.html 

Germany: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID150522481.html 

Photo Credits: Andy Kelly on Unsplash

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

In the third and last part of their conversation, Quentin Genuis and John Wyatt discuss some more personal and ethical questions they are confronted with as physicians amidst the Covid-19  crisis. How does this crisis change especially the perspectives of younger doctors who have never experienced that to be a physician can also involve great risk? What is the motivation behind risking your life for others? And how can people working in healthcare cope with the current pressure? 

Guests: Quentin Genuis (MD, MLitt St.Andrews, BMSc) and John Wyatt (Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London)

Photo Credits: Jonathan Borba on Pexels

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!

Medical professionals have to deal with ethical questions more than ever now during the Covid-19 crisis. How to decide who to treat is just one of them. How can we approach this crisis from an ethical point of view? 

Part two of the conversation with Quentin Genuis (MD, MLitt St.Andrews, BMSc) and John Wyatt (Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London).

Photo Credits: EVG on Pexels

For more content, please check out our website https://qvi.eu!