The Gospel of Matthew tells us that "magi" from the East brought gifts to the infant Jesus following a mysterious star. Western Christianity commemorates this event with the feast of Epiphany, on January 6. What do we know about these wise men? Where did they come? Were they kings or Zoroastrian priests? Is there any evidence of a new star? We'll look at all these and other questions to reveal the meaning of this story from a mythological and theological view point.

The Origin of King Arthur's Legend

The Pagan Roots of Christmas

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The Story Behind Handel's Messiah - The music, the libretto, and the composer behind the most iconic work of sacred music in English language.

The development of the gods and legends of Ancient Rome before and after the incorporation of Greek myths. The traditional pagan religion of ancient Rome is often equated with its Greek counterpart, leading us to think of Jupiter and Zeus as the same god with the same attributes and associated myths. However, the native Roman practices and myths were not abandoned, but incorporated into the elaborate stories of Greek mythology which are more familiar to us. In this presentation we will attempt to untangle the two pantheons: gods and goddesses, stories, and cultic practices. What are the differences? What elements of each religion were later absorbed into Christianity? The presentation ends around 9.00. The exchange of ideas usually continues until 10, or even later, while we share complimentary snacks and beverages . The venue is called “Centre Place” and is located at 320 Richmond St. E - Suite 101, Toronto, ON, M5A 1P9. We're on a commercial unit of "The Modern" condominium, at the NE corner of Sherbourne and Richmond. Our unit has its own entrance on Richmond, right next to McFarrens Ln. Above the main entrance there's a blue sign that says "Centre Place". (For directions lookup "Centre Place Toronto" on your phone). The venue is 100% accessible.

The emergence of Sikhism in 15th Century India as an alternative path to Hinduism & Islam. FREE OPEN LECTURE with Brian Carwana, director of the Encounter World Religions Centre. Let's explore the emergence of Sikhism in 15th Century India as an alternative path to Hinduism & Islam. We'll consider how the new tradition drew from and rejected elements from the two older religions. The presentation ends around 9.00. The exchange of ideas usually continues until 10, or even later, while we share complimentary snacks and beverages . The venue is called “Centre Place” and is located at 320 Richmond St. E - Suite 101, Toronto, ON, M5A 1P9. We're on a commercial unit of "The Modern" condominium, at the NE corner of Sherbourne and Richmond. Our unit has its own entrance on Richmond, right next to McFarrens Ln. Above the main entrance there's a blue sign that says "Centre Place". (For directions lookup "Centre Place Toronto" on your phone). The venue is 100% accessible.

Decrypting Ancient Calendars - How did the Mayans reckon time? What about the Babylonians? The Egyptians? The Persians? Why do Ramadan and Easter move...

Flat Earth, Anglo Israel, and Golden Plates. The Worldwide Church of God preached that Anglo-Saxons were the descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel...

How a lagoon village became the commercial centre that helped revive Europe and build the modern world. Today Venice is known as the world’s original...

The Rise and Fall of the Ostrogoths - Gothic barbarians took over Rome after the Empire's fall. The story of what happened next. After the fall of the...

Is the mindfulness movement misusing ancient wisdom and modern science in order to create a product of mass consumption? Is this approach leading us towards enlightenment or just promoting selfishness and complacency? This lecture will look at mindfulness from the perspectives of ancient Buddhism and the modern disciplines of evolutionary psychology and neuroscience. We will analyze the consequences of secularizing ancient spiritual practices disregarding all ethical teachings that emphasize the importance of compassion, generosity, kindness, and community building. We will also consider the commodification of this practice in the context of consumerism and whether corporate programs make us more likely to accept unreasonable workplace stress. The presentation ends around 9.00. The exchange of ideas usually continues until 10, or even later, while we share complimentary snacks and beverages. The venue is called “Centre Place” and is located at 320 Richmond St. E - Suite 101, Toronto, ON, M5A 1P9. We're on a commercial unit of "The Modern" condominium, at the NE corner of Sherbourne and Richmond. Our unit has its own entrance on Richmond, right next to McFarrens Ln. Above the main entrance there's a blue sign that says "Centre Place". (For directions lookup "Centre Place Toronto" on your phone). The venue is 100% accessible.