Our Events

Friday 19 October 2012 - Jonathan Miller: A Reasonable Life

7.30pm to 9.30pm, Friday 19 October 2012

Bishopsgate Institute, London, EC2M 4QH (opposite Liverpool St Station)

The Rationalist Association presents the humorist, doctor, opera and theatre director and President of the RA, Sir Jonathan Miller, in conversation with the sociologist, broadcaster and chair of the RA board Laurie Taylor about his life, work and attachment to reason.

There will a chance to have drinks and mingle with the RA team and board members, including the Chair of the RA Laurie Taylor, as well as your fellow RA supporters.

All proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the work of the Rationalist Association.

Tickets are on sale now, priced at £15 for members of the Rationalist Association, and £25 for non-members.

If you're interested in coming along and you are not an RA member, why not consider saving money by joining? You can join for a first year introductory rate of £45 (Direct Debit only), which includes a free ticket to the Jonathan Miller event, and you will then be able to buy additional tickets to the event for £15.

By joining the Rationalist Association you will receive a print subscription to New Humanist magazine, and also get free access to our online and app versions; priority and discounted tickets to RA events; and access to our new online rationalist community (an exciting new project currently under construction, due for launch later in 2012). You will also be supporting a 125-year-old organisation that promotes reason, science, and critical thinking, and campaigns to defend reason and rationalists worldwide.

Numbers for the event are limited and we expect demand to be high, so get ahead of the crowds by ordering today. To book visit our events website, or call 01371 851881.

Past Events

An Evening of Rationalism Past and Present with The Rationalist Association

A unique opportunity to view the RA’s 120-year-old archive, and meet the board and members, with short talks from Laurie Taylor (Chair),Caspar Melville (CEO) and special guest David Aaronovitch (The Times) on "Why I am a Rationalist." Spaces for the event are severely limited, first come first served.

21st March 2012, 7-9pm, The Library, Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4QH

Nine Lessons and Carols for the Godless 2011

Sun 18th to Fri 23rd December 7.30pm Sold out.

Now in its fourth year, our Christmas shows are becoming an institution. Curator Robin Ince explains the origins of our yuletide rationalist romp, with past performers Ricky Gervais, Simon Singh, Richard Herring, Natalie Haynes and Ben Goldacre with some seasonally inappropriate winterval witterings

Acts confirmed for every performance this year: your host Robin Ince plus Josie Long, Martin White, Helen Arney, Richard Herring and Matt Parker.

Other confirmed Acts:
18th Darren Hayman, Alex Bellos, Aleks Krotoski, Neil Hannon
19th Helen Keen, Mark Thomas, Darren Hayman, Alexei Sayle
20th Isy Suttie, Mark Thomas
21st Isy Suttie, Jim Bob
22nd Mark Miodownik, Jim Bob
23rd Stewart Lee, Tim Harford

A full list of (most) of the acts we saw at this year Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People can be seen on our Blog

If you missed this, Adam Smith managed to get all the back stage banter and even recorded some interviews, you listen on audioboo or view on our Youtube page

Nine Lessons and Carols for the Godless 2010

Another sell out show in its 3rd year included only the best science and comedy from Chris Addison, Baba Brinkman, Dara O’Brian, Isy Suttie, Matt Parker, Richard Herring, Robin Ince, Simon Singh, Gavin Osborn, Josie Long, Jo Neary, Helen Arney, Setphen Grant, Frisky and Mannish, Martin White’s Mystery Brass Machine Orchestra…… and more.

Missed out? Check out the behind the scenes banter on our You Tube Channel

Martin Rowson: Creations in Bad Faith 8-12 June 2010

Cartoons are an integral part of the New Humanist magazine, and Martin Rowson has provided some of our most striking covers over the time he has worked with us. To celelbrate his work, we hosted an exhibition "Creations in Bad Faith" at the Menier Gallery in Southwark from 8-12 June.

Laurie Taylor commented, "Martin Rowson skewers the lies, hypocrisies and pious platitudes of organised religion with quite enough sacriligious relish to secure him a prominent place in Hell. Bang next to Voltaire."

The exhibition featured much of Rowson's work from the New Humanist

After New Atheism: Where now for the God debate? 21 Sep 2010

"Since the publication of 'The God Delusion' in 2006, the debate over the role of religion in society has become dominated by the so-called New Atheists - Dawkins, Hitchens, Grayling - and the frequently defensive responses from those trying to defend faith from an attack they claim to be crude and simplistic.

The arguments have often been entertaining, but have we learnt anything?
Whatever your take on God is it time the debate moved forward and took a different tone?

This event arranged in collaboration with the RSA featured a panel of disscussants including- Orange prize-winning novelist Marilynne Robinson, philosopher Roger Scruton and humanist historian Jonathan Rée - discuss the future of the God debate in a session chaired by broadcaster Laurie Taylor.

Listen to the Audio or Watch the Video on the RSA site or read Caspar Melville's response to the event

Nine Lesson and Carols for Godless People 2009

This years line up included the likes of Brian Cox, Simon Singh, Chris Addison, Jo Neary, Ben Goldacre, Josie Long and Marcus Chow

Night of 400 Billion Stars (and maybe some string theory)

Ad for Night of 400 Billion Stars A celebration of astronomy, physics and other scientific distractions

A night of scientists, musicians and comedians including Simon Singh, Marcus Chown, Ruth Padel, Martin White, Gavin Osborn, Helen Keen, Christina Martin, Peter Buckley Hill, Lucy Porter, AL Kennedy, Darren Hayman, Chris Addison and hosted by Robin Ince. Proceeds went to the Rationalist Association. Held at the Bloomsbury Theatre on 29 June 2009, 7.30pm.