Director of Westminster Abbey Institute to Deliver Public Lecture on Bioethics

Claire Foster-Gilbert, Director and Founder of the Westminster Abbey Institute, will deliver a lecture on bioethics on Thursday 5th February as part of the series ‘Ethical Standards in Public Life’ jointly sponsored by St Mary’s University, Twickenham, the Von Hügel Institute and the Las Casas Institute, Blackfriars, Oxford. Hosted by St Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge, the lecture will address the challenge bioethics presents to policy-making and legislation. Claire Foster-Gilbert, said, “Bioethics is becoming an increasingly important area of public debate and I’m delighted that this prestigious lecture series is addressing this issue. The lecture will focus on two main issues that have challenged law-makers: embryo research and assisted dying. The public needs to understand more about bioethics as it comes under greater scrutiny from scientists, the media and politicians. I hope that my lecture goes some way towards raising awareness of all the issues involved.” A leading expert on ethics and the environment, Claire Foster-Gilbert established the Westminster Abbey Institute in 2012 which seeks to revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life, working with Parliament, government, the judiciary amongst others. She has a background in ethics, regulation and public theology and is a member of the British Medical Association’s medical ethics committee. St Mary’s co-sponsorship of the lecture series is part of a number of high-profile events marking the 165th anniversary of the University. The next lecture in the series will be delivered by Francis Campbell, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, on 20th February and will ask ‘Has Globalisation changed the Nature of Diplomacy?’ Francis Campbell said, “These lectures have focused on a number of complex ethical issues, none more so than bioethics which is very much under the spotlight at present. I very much look forward to Claire’s lecture on this important and topical issue.” The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams delivered the inaugural lecture in the series. Other lecturers include Professor Joseph H.H. Weiler, President of the European University Institute in Florence and Professor Andrew Gamble, former Head of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. St Mary’s University is the largest Catholic University in the UK and recently appointed former Irish President Dr Mary McAleese as Distinguished Professor in Irish Studies, while leading barrister Cherie Blair and renowned theologian Monsignor Roderick Strange have been appointed Visiting Professors. Claire Foster-Gilbert’s lecture will take place in the Garden Room at St Edmund's College, Cambridge from 5-6.30pm on 5th February. It is free to attend with no booking required. Full details are here.