Symposium – ‘Death, be not proud’ : Dying, Death and Destiny

A record of the Symposium held in The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU on Saturday 18 November 2023, organised by The Society of the Faith.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

John Donne (1571-1631)

Each topic was introduced by the main speaker, responded to by the other speakers and then opened to the floor for question and comment. The transcript of their addresses have been checked and approved by the speakers. The questions and comments which follow have been lightly edited.   

Many thanks to the members of the Publications and Activities Committee who have organised this event: Tim Abraham, Fr David Lawrence‑March, Fr Stephen Tucker, Professor Andrew Chandler, and particularly Fr Robert Gage. And to our indefatigable Secretary and Treasurer, Marjory Roberts, who has done all the running around, and all the booking, organising, and so on and so forth.

The Revd Canon Angela Tilby: ‘Whatever happened to ‘a sure and certain hope?’

The Revd Dr Jonathan Jong: On human being, death, and resurrection. 

The Revd Dr Charlie Bell: Death and contemporary medicine.

The Revd Dr Peter Anthony: Death online – the care of the dying and the bereaved, last rites and funerals in the digital age.

CHAIRMAN

The Revd Canon Jonathan Boardman is the Vicar of St Paul’s Clapham and Priest-in-charge of St Peter’s Clapham. Previously he was Chaplain at All Saints Rome for nearly 20 years and Archdeacon for Italy and Malta. He was made a canon of Malta Cathedral in 2007. Educated at Oxford, Cambridge and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome Jonathan was ordained in Liverpool where he served his title. Precentor of St Albans Cathedral between 1993 and 1996, he then served as Team Rector of Catford and Downham and Rural Dean of East Lewisham. His book “Rome. A Literary and Cultural Companion” was published in 2006. He has also contributed to the Church Times.