Can I ever really be free? In 1762, Rousseau famously wrote, ‘Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.’ Why is it that two and a half centuries later, with more liberties than he could have dreamed of, his words still ring true for us? For many, God is one source of those chains: wouldn’t He take our freedom away?

Isn’t the Bible just a book of myths? It’s undeniable that the Bible has had a tremendous impact on the world— but has taking it seriously caused more harm than good? With a contested history, revisions and alterations, and a very sketchy origin story, how can thinking people trust what it has to say?

Ryan, speaker and ex-gang leader, grew up in Northern Ireland, where his father was a prominent member of the Ulster Volunteer Force. He was involved from a young age in violent gangs, cocaine trafficking, and survived several attempts on his own life before having to deal with the murder of his best friend on a railway line at the age of 15. In 2013, Ryan was imprisoned again for orchestrating the Belfast riots before his life was radically changed by finding faith in God. He’ll be joining us to share his story of violence and transformation.

If I am only matter, do I even matter? The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-sized planet…’ – Stephen Hawking Does this story about our origins and our purpose make sense of our experiences, or of those around us? Could there be more to life and more to us than this? Or is it just wishful thinking?

The promise of a new year and a new term beckons: we all want this year to be our year. Resolutions are made and occasionally kept, but will they give us the results that we want? Will lifestyle changes make us happier and better people? Jesus claimed that it is only through Him that we can have life to the full, join us in the DSU on Friday lunchtime to hear how this is possible!