Rev Gretta Vosper

Keynote Presenter

Rev Gretta Vosper is a chair and founder of The Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity  and author of the provocative, bestselling book With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important Than What We Believe.

In 2009 she was named by More Magazine as one of the most compelling women in Canada. Her 2008 book With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important Than What We Believe was met with both acclaim and vitriol from those inside and outside the church. It hit a national bestseller list within a week of its publication and was the subject of the cover article Jesus Has an Identity Crisis in MacLean's Magazine's Easter weekend issue and went into reprint before its publication date. Multiple reprints later, it went into paperback two months before its scheduled release date.

To be Christian is not to believe in a certain set of doctrinal beliefs or participate in a special ritual; indeed these things would be anathema to an individual who was trying to get people to see and live with deep respect for one another's humanity. To be Christian for me, is to do whatever it takes to bind me to a life lived in a radically ethical way. Considering how hard this is and will always be, I'll need all the help I can get. So will you.

Notoriety in her own denomination, both vilifying her or lauding her honesty, has grown following the book's publication. While several demands were made for her to be dismissed from her position as a minister, including an attempt by a colleague to convene a panel (a heresy trial?) to question her about her beliefs.

Renowned author Bishop John Shelby Spong, and key-note presenter at Common Dreams 1 Conference in 2007, has called her a "brilliant, insightful and courageous young woman one of the most exciting voices in 21^st century Christianity" and the leading voice for a scholarly and progressive Christianity in Canada.

This is Gretta's first trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Common Dreams speaking engagements

Thursday 15th April. 7:45pm Public Lecture 1: Gretta Vosper. (Moderator: Rex Hunt.)

Saturday, 17th April. 7:40 pm Public Lecture 3: Gretta Vosper (Moderator: TBA)

Sunday, 18th April. 2.15pm Sunday Liturgy for the Celebration of Life. Preacher: Gretta Vosper

Find out more about Gretta Vosper

Gretta Vosper Website - Find out more about Gretta Vosper by visiting her personal website.

You can watch a number of presentations made by Gretta Vosper on youtube. Some of these clips include her response to the Canadian atheist bus campaign and an introduction to her publication With or Without God and her response to the Church sponsored poll that voted there was no God.

Gretta Vosper's critically acclaimed With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important Than What We Believe is available from Amazon.