QPHS magazine - Spring Term 2026 - Magazine - Page 14
CHRISTIAN CONTROVERSIES
Faith, Ethics & Modern Issues
On Wednesday 17th March our Year 12 and Year
10 Religious Studies students had an inspiring
and thought-provoking day at the Christian
Controversies Conference hosted within the
beautiful surroundings of Chester Cathedral. The
event provided a valuable opportunity for students
to deepen their understanding of complex
theological and ethical issues while learning
alongside experts in their fields.
The day began with a warm welcome in the
Cathedral Nave, followed by the keynote address
delivered by The Venerable Dr Miranda ThrelfallHolmes. Her talk, 8Difference, Diversity and
Deviance: What We Make of Difference9, offered
an engaging and insightful exploration into how
societies perceive and respond to difference. Her
ideas immediately sparked lively conversations
among our students, who were encouraged to
reflect on the themes and prepare thoughtful
questions for later in the programme. Following
the keynote, students were placed into mixed
Year 10 and Year 12 groups and invited to
choose from a range of specialist seminar
workshops, which included:
•
Professor Paul Middleton – Church
Responses to Sexuality and Gender
•
Canon Rosie Woodall – The Status of Women
in Religion
•
The Revd James Doo – Sanctity of Life:
Abortion & Euthanasia
•
Jill Elson – Creation Care
Each session challenged students to think deeply,
question assumptions and engage respectfully
with ideas that often provoke significant debate.
Built-in reflection time allowed them to gather
their thoughts, make notes and refine their
questions in preparation for the final activity.
The afternoon session ended with a vibrant Q&A
panel featuring Dr Threlfall-Holmes, Professor
Middleton, Canon Woodall, and The Revd James
Doo. Our students asked insightful and mature
questions that demonstrated their curiosity,
compassion and critical thinking.
It was a truly enriching day of
learning outside the classroom, and we
are incredibly proud of how our
students represented the school.
Mrs Merryweather
Curriculum Team Leader for
Social Studies
