Enlighten at Lichfield Cathedral
Enlighten 2025 may be over - but the conversation continues....
Join us once again next year for another weekend of conversation, curiosity, and connection in Britain’s only three-spired medieval cathedral
Enlighten 2026: 2-4 October
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Lichfield Cathedral Launches ENLIGHTEN at Lichfield: Gala of stimulating talks, interviews, conversations and discussion.
Once the beating heart of the Enlightenment—home to some of Britain’s greatest thinkers, scientists and philosophers—Lichfield is reclaiming its heritage of conversation with the launch of a new ENLIGHTEN weekend at Lichfield Cathedral.
Rooted in the Christian faith that shaped the city’s historic intellects, this new annual festival will ask: ‘What does genuine dialogue look like in a contested world?’
Honouring the legacy of luminaries such as Samuel Johnson, Erasmus Darwin and David Garrick, the Cathedral will invite scholars, writers, politicians, clergy, and curious minds alike to engage in courageous, constructive conversations on the pressing issues of our day—from truth and technology to justice, division, and belief.
The Revd Canon Dr Gregory Platten, lead on the festival, said: ‘We live in a contested age, and we urgently need spaces for rigorous, respectful, and even uncomfortable conversation. The Enlightenment spirit was never about easy agreement—it was about a courageous seeking after truth. This festival seeks to revive that same spirit, and whilst in the values of faith, open to everyone.’
Expect a programme of thinkers in conversation, panel debates, keynote speakers, and sacred space for honest, reflective engagement.
This year's programme
Friday 26 September
Diarmaid MacCulloch - Sex & Christianity
Friday 26 September | 19:00
Saturday 27 September
Alec Ryrie - The Age of Hitler
Saturday 27 September | 10:30
Rupert Shortt - The Eclipse of Christianity
Saturday 27 September | 14:00
Sarah Ogilvie - The Dictionary People
Saturday 27 September | 16:00
Sir Jeremy Hunt - Can We Be Great Again?
in conversation with Nick Higham
Saturday 27 September | 18:30
Sunday 28 September
BBC 4 Sunday Service - Live from Lichfield Cathedral
Sunday 28 September | 8:00
Angus Ritchie - Inclusive Populism
Sunday 28 September | 10:30
Nick Higham - Mavericks
Sunday 28 September | 14:00
Choral Evensong
Sunday 28 September | 15:30
“Cathedrals have always been places where challenging conversations can be held with dignity and respect,” said the Dean of Lichfield, Bishop Jan McFarlane. “At a time when words are so often used to divide, we hope Enlighten will offer a voice of hope and help to foster deeper understanding and community.”
This marks the inaugural year of what organisers hope will grow to become a firm fixture in Lichfield Cathedral’s annual calendar—a festival to ignite minds, stir hearts, and rekindle the art of public discourse.
For more information, visit www.enlighten-lichfield.org.