Do we really make choices or our behaviour is predetermined? The debate from antiquity to our days. From the ancient Greeks to the present-day, philosophers have debated whether we have the capacity to freely choose between possible alternatives paths or whether our apparent choices have already been determined long ago by our nature and upbringing. We’ll trace the long history of the debate and outline its present state today.

What is spirituality and how does it differ from religion and philosophy? An exploration of spirituality and the evolution of spiritual practices against the backdrop of the major philosophical and religious traditions in the West.

Whether religious or atheist, most people today have a picture and a sense of the character of God. What's the origin of this image and how different is it from the way people envisioned God in Biblical times?

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.

Free Will and Determinism

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.

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...

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...

Ritual Healing and the Belief in Miracles - A look at the belief in miracle healing in Ancient and Medieval times and the role it played in society....

A romantic tragedy between two Medieval philosophers: his castration and her becoming a nun. FREE OPEN LECTURE Abelard and Heloise are among the great scholastic philosophers of the 12th century. Their affair led to their secret marriage, and ultimately his castration by her relatives. Nevertheless their letters have kept the romance alive for centuries, and his philosophical ideas helped change Western history. 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.

Join us every Sunday at 1:00 PM EDT for "Illumination" — Toronto congregation's Beyond the Walls class on the topics of scripture, church history, and theology. The theme this Sunday is "Tricking the Patriarchs: Biblical Matriarchs" part 2. This class will explore the ancient texts of the Hebrew Bible and early Christian communities in light of their historical context. Our goal is to understand the text's meaning by learning about the authors, their audiences, their purposes and goals. We will then discern what value (if any) these ancient ideas have for our own day. By avoiding modern, literalist, and presentist readings of scripture, we hope to allow the text to breath and offer us new insights and value in our own spiritual practices. All are welcome. LGBTQ+ affirming. Jewish and Christ tradition, but open to interfaith and skeptical perspectives.