Asking the Big Questions – Guest Preachers & Sunday Evensong

Have you figured out the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything yet?  See if any of our distinguished guest speakers (from scientists and novelists, to bishops and missionaries) do better than old boy Douglas Adams’ ‘42’

Chapel is not about indoctrinating people and saying we have all the answers but rather about encouraging you to ask the big questions, to think for yourselves about the sort of life you are going to live, the sort of person you want to be.  You’re surrounded by the memories, names and statues of famous Johnians from the past who did just this, people like Clarkson, Wilberforce, Wordsworth, but on a Sunday we try to bring in some of the best speakers we can find to inspire you to find new answers today.

Each term the Sunday Evensongs have a theme (recent series have included science and faith in ‘Exploring the Mystery’, painting and art in ‘Images of Christ’ and how a person’s life has shaped their belief in ‘I Believe In...’) and guest preachers from best-selling novelists like Salley Vickers to eminent scientists like John Polkinghorne have encouraged us to think more deeply.

Evensong happens as usual, beginning at 6.30pm but with the sermon or address after the anthem and the service finishes approximately at 7.35pm, just in time for Hall.

Johnians are entitled to wear surplices (white gowns available to borrow from the cupboard at the back of Chapel) on a Sunday and if you do wear a surplice, you may also process out behind the Dean and Fellows at the end.  You can just wear ordinary clothes though and stay in your seat like everybody else.

Details of this term’s preachers and podcasts of past sermons may be downloaded here.