Event recording
Event description
Thomas will explain his work as a philosopher and historian and educator working in peace studies and religious and philosophical education for many years. He will explain the direction his PhD took in proposing that a new form of historical research will be needed to solve the many complex interfaith and inter-ideological conflicts of our modern world. He will explain exactly what he means by Transpersonal History and why this is of direct relevance to the work of the Galileo Commission, particularly as far as extending its outreach into the humanities. Thomas will then explain how, as an intellectual historian who is also a healer, he feels that the Hippocratic (or Pythagorean) Oath should also apply to scholars working in the Humanities and Natural Sciences and that our purpose should be to heal our conflicts through in-depth scholarly work rather than allow politicians to polarise our intellectual and spiritual differences of emphasis into opportunities for mass destruction, genocide and war. Lastly Thomas will explain how the Periodic Table of the World’s Religious and Philosophical Traditions can help in this wider work of interfaith healing and reconciliation. He will also explain how Transpersonal History has been using in interfaith mediation cases hitherto and how it can be useful in mediating between Israel and Palestine and also between Russia and Ukraine and in other similar ongoing conflicts worldwide.
THOMAS CLOUGH DAFFERN (born Montreal, Canada (dual UK Canadian European citizen) is a philosopher, historian, peace studies expert, poet and religious studies specialist. He was awarded his PhD from the University of London for a thesis which explores the history of the search for peace, and which proposes a new field of historiography, Transpersonal History. More recently he has developed the Periodic Table of the World’s Religious and Philosophical Traditions as a teaching aid for use in schools and universities. As Peace Officer to the Council of British Druid Orders, he practises an eco-centred spirituality affirming the wisdom of primal peoples of all cultures, epochs and geographical regions. He has taken initiations in Sufism, Christianity, Druidry, Qabalah, Tantric Buddhism, Sikhism, Wicca, Asatru, Jainism & other spiritual paths. He runs the Commonwealth Interfaith Network.
He is Director of the International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy (IIPSGP) which works across many academic fields to bring together all those with an interest in and a commitment towards the study of peace, nonviolence and philosophy applied to the resolution of the problems and tensions of today’s world. IIPSGP arose out of a feasibility study which Thomas undertook for the University of London into the proposed establishment of an Institute of Peace Studies (from 1989-1992). IIPSGP now operates as an autonomous Institute with members scattered worldwide. Thomas is also Founder of The Global Green University, which has arisen from the work of IIPSGP and was launched in 1999 to bring into being a new global higher education initiative which can provide space for the deeper kind of learning which we believe is needed at this time of critical transition in the history of planet earth. Thomas taught at the Muslim College 1990-1993 & for the University of London, & University of Oxford 1993-2003, before training as a senior Religious Studies and Philosophy Teacher in schools. Opposing brexit, Thomas has co-chaired over 30 meetings in the UK House of Lords on peace and ethics, supports the Lib Dems, and has proposed a new written constitution for the UK which better reflects the needs of the four nations that make up the country.
He proposes that all parliamentary members should swear an Oath of Veracity on taking office and if they lie, they lose their seats. He has written over 60 books and is a published poet, historian, philosopher, religious studies expert and specialist in interfaith peace-making. He is Global Chair of the World Intellectuals’ Wisdom Forum and has been active in calling for a proper scientific investigation of the aetiology of the current Coronavirus pandemic. From 1993-2000 he worked with the Gandhi Foundation (UK) in developing a School of Nonviolence, which is now run from France. He also serves as Educational Coordinator for the Delphic Games, and has proposed we devote attention to this work of arts and culture for peace instead of war-fighting. His philosophical commentaries on texts eg the Quran, the Bible, Das Kapital etc draw on transpersonal history.
