New College Festival 2024

Our festival commenced with poet and author and author of Somewhere Else, Jenni Daiches, in conversation with playwright, director and podcaster David Neville and cultural historian Hannah Holtschneider. The discussion explored how personal and collective histories shape identity, and illuminated issues of displacement and belonging in a way that resonated with a wide audience.

Later that evening, we were treated to an intimate conversation between musician and author Stuart Murdoch and writer and academic, Kevin MacNeil. The event explored artistic expression, vulnerability and chronic illness throughout Murdoch’s new novel, Nobody’s Empire, and ended with a surprise rendition of ‘Fox in the Snow’ on the piano by Belle and Sebastian’s celebrated singer.

Friday brought with it a fascinating interfaith discussion on the subject of ‘Words that Heal and Unite’ featuring speakers from different faith traditions based in Scotland: Buddhist teacher Ani Rinchen Khandro, community imam Shaykh Amin Buxton, and Bishop of Edinburgh John Armes. The panel, chaired by the Edinburgh Interfaith Association’s director Iain Stewart, explored peacebuilding, community and connectedness, underscoring the importance of interfaith dialogue in fostering peace and understanding in today’s complex world.

That afternoon, the renowned author and historian Bruce Ritchie was interviewed by Mike Fuller about his new book, James Clark Maxwell: Faith, Church, Physics. This lively discussion centred on the scientific, philosophical and religious questions raised in the 19th century, and how these affected the fascinating and ongoing relationship between science and religion.

We were later fortunate to be able to host scholar, writer, broadcaster and public intellectual Ziauddin Sardar to New College, in conversation with Shadaab Rahemtulla. Sardar spoke about some of his most celebrated books, his experience as editor of the magazine ‘Critical Muslim’, and his work as an internationally acclaimed cultural critic and futurist.

The last day of our festival began with the prize-winning novelist Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, and a reading from her lyrically crafted and haunting debut novel When We Were Birds. Interviewed by Alysa Ghose, Banwo spoke about the power of storytelling to preserve and redefine our sense of belonging, our connections to each other, and our intertwined histories.

Later, Sarah C. Williams joined us to speak about the life of a nineteenth-century social activist and feminist philosopher in her new book, When Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursuit of Justice for Women. Interviewed by Bethany Sollereder, Lecturer in Science and Religion, Williams talked us through Butler’s spiritual convictions and her relentless and nonjudgemental advocation for women in her time.

Next came a multilingual celebration of Scottish poetry from Janette Ayachi, Samuel Tongue, and Niall O’Gallagher. 2024 saw the long-awaited publication of Scottish Religious Poetry: From the Sixth Century to the Present, edited by Alison Jack, Linden Bicket and Emma Dymock, and this gave the poets and editors an opportunity to speak about their inspirations and processes, and to recite some work.

Another poet warmly welcomed at the festival was Trinidadian Scottish writer, Anthony V. Capildeo. In conversation with Senior Lecturer in Patristics Sara Parvis, Capildeo shared some of their resonant recent work, Polkadot Wounds, and their passion for exploring place, memory and faith in their poetry.

Writer and burnout coach Anna Katharina Schaffner joined Jeremy Carrette to speak about her inspiring research into the ways in which we can meet and overcome exhaustion in our day-to-day lives. She introduced her new book, Exhausted: An A-Z for the Weary, and shared her work on how we can improve our relationships to work, rest, each other, and ourselves.

The grand finale to our 2024 festival brought author of fiction and nonfiction, Michel Faber into conversation with his biographer and fellow author Rodge Glass. Their discussion ranged across Faber’s genre-defying oeuvre, from the beauty of the everyday connections and losses between people, to the implications and opportunities presented by belief and nonbelief.