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Upcoming Events
Check out our upcoming events focused on promoting critical thinking.
Sept-11-2025
7:00 - 9:30 PM

Peninsula Lakes Golf Course
Discovering Identity in a World of Unlimited Options
Abdu Murray
Abdu Murray is a speaker, author, and attorney who specializes in addressing issues where religious faith and emerging cultural trends intersect and collide. Since founding Embrace the Truth in 2004, Abdu has spent decades analyzing how the major religious and non-religious thought traditions have attempted to address emerging cultural issues.
Topic
In a world flooded with limitless choices—genders, belief systems, lifestyles—identity can feel like a moving target. In this compelling talk, Abdu Murray explores how the modern obsession with self-definition often leads not to freedom but to confusion, anxiety, and fragmentation. Drawing from philosophy, culture, and his own journey from Islam to Christianity, Abdu uncovers the paradox of identity in the age of options. He shows how true identity is not something we invent, but something we discover—rooted in a relationship with the One who knows us fully. This talk offers clarity, hope, and a firm foundation for our restless souls.

Past Events & Presenters
Great Questions and Dialogue Make for Great Memories
  • Andy Bannister
    Do All Roads Lead to God?
    Andy is the Director of Solas and a highly in-demand speaker, writer, and broadcaster. From universities to churches, cafes to pubs, schools to workplaces, Andy regularly addresses audiences of both Christians and those of all faiths and none on issues related to faith, culture, politics, and society.

    He was co-editor and a contributing writer for: Have You Ever Wondered? and authored How To Talk About Jesus Without Looking Like An Idiot,Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? andThe Atheist Who Didn’t Exist. He also co-hosts two podcasts, PEP Talk and Pod of the Gaps and presents the Short Answers video series for Solas.
  • Joe Boot
    Our Quest for Freedom
    Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot (M.A., Ph.D.) is a Christian thinker and cultural apologist, Founder and President of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity. He is an adjunct instructor for culture and apologetics at Bryan College, Tennessee. He also served as the founding pastor of Westminster Chapel, Toronto, for 14 years.

    Now resident in Great Britain, Joseph has worked in the fields of Christian apologetics, worldview education and church leadership for over twenty-five years on both sides of the Atlantic. He has spoken and guest lectured globally at numerous university events, seminaries, churches, colleges, and conferences. He regularly addresses pastors and Christian leaders as well as academic, medical, legal, and political professionals and has publicly debated leading atheistic thinkers and philosophers in Canada and the United States.
  • Alycia Wood
    Is Tolerance Overrated?
    As a child growing up in the church, Alycia always had questions. She wanted to dig deeper into the Christian faith beyond the Sunday morning sermon. That fueled an independent search, which led to her digging into the larger questions of life. While studying for a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology at Robert Wesleyan College, Alycia discovered Apologetics. It changed the course of her life. Her quest for a deeper understanding of her Christianity had a name.

    She went on to get her Master’s in Social Justice from Marygrove College to further her passion for serving those in need in the developing world. This led to various volunteering opportunities at orphanages, prisons, and shelters for the homeless in various countries, including Haiti, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. A few years after her travels were completed, she was able to spend a year studying Apologetics in England.
  • Logan Gates
    How Do We live with our Deepest Differences?
    Logan Gates is passionate about grappling with questions of truth, justice, and meaning through deep study of the core texts of Western civilization - ancient, modern, and biblical. He holds a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Toronto and wrote my dissertation on the theories of rights of John Locke and Bartolomé de Las Casas, the sixteenth-century Dominican friar and advocate for Indigenous peoples. His research uncovers in Las Casas an early but robust articulation of rights, toleration, and freedom, paradoxically embedded in the Christian practice of evangelism.

    Before his PhD studies, Logan served for four years as an itinerant public speaker and Christian apologist, speaking on questions relating to faith and culture at colleges, churches, and conferences across Canada, the US, and Latin America.

  • Dan Gilman
    The Allure of Power
    Daniel Gilman is Professor of History and Interim Faculty Chaplain at Redeemer University, where he teaches history and core courses. He is completing a PhD at Cambridge University on the art of public speaking and conversations in the campaign to end the slave trade. Daniel serves as an apologist with Apologetics Canada.

    He is a former speechwriter in Canada’s Parliament and now advises the Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking as a Legislative Assistant. Through FEUER Academics, he trains scholars in Europe to share Christ with clarity and courage in university settings. He also directs the Centre for Public Speaking, coaching Members of Parliament, professors, and pastors in speaking and preaching. He and his wife Alexandra love hosting faculty and students for brunch at their home.
  • Michael Suderman
    Fallacy of Freedom: Myth of Autonomy
    Michael has extensive experience in business development, advising, and strategic initiatives. He launched his professional experience as a project manager for interdisciplinary study abroad program design and development, collaborating with universities, businesses, and NGOs throughout India.

    Subsequent studies at the University of Oxford generated the opportunity for Michael to continue his professional experience as an international advisor, consulting senior government officials, political leaders, and industry executives on strategic communications and issues pertaining to ethics, religion, and public life.

    He is also an experienced presenter and public speaker, having led seminars and engaged in public discourse at some of the world's most prestigious universities. Michael has travelled to 20+ countries for business, consulting, and advisory engagements.
  • Michael Ramsden
    Why We Work
    Michael Ramsden is a renowned international speaker and the co-founder of The OCCA, The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He spent most of his childhood in the Middle East and later moved to the UK, where he worked for the Lord Chancellor's Department, investing funds.
  • Abdu Murray
    The Role of Art in Life and Faith

    Abdu Murray is a speaker, author, and attorney who specializes in addressing issues where religious faith and emerging cultural trends intersect and collide. Since founding Embrace the Truth ministry in 2004, Abdu has spent decades analyzing how the major religious and nonreligious thought traditions have attempted to address emerging cultural issues.
Meet the Team
Meet the individuals dedicated to delivering impactful experiences that promote a reflective way of living.
  • David Cottrill
    Board Member
    Dave is a retired engineer and entrepreneur, having led Pace Engineering Canada for over 22 years in the construction, mining, and energy sectors. John holds a mechanical engineering degree from LETU (1980) and has been actively involved in church and ministry leadership. His service includes roles with Young Life Niagara, the Vision Casting Team at Harbour, and the Canadian Board of CAM International.

  • Stephen Mason
    Spiritual Care Provider
    Stephen is a spiritual care provider, currently serving seniors in assisted living and long-term care. Some of Stephen’s favourite things are: holding his wife’s hand, hugging his children, sipping coffee, reading biographies, paddling his kayak, strumming his guitar, and listening to people of all ages share their stories.
  • Rev John Garner
    Lead Pastor (Retired)
    John Garner has served in pastoral ministry for over 30 years and currently leads Redeemer Bible Church in Niagara Falls. He and his wife Peggi, a registered nurse, have been married nearly 30 years and are proud parents of two adult sons. John is passionate about golf, enjoys reading widely, and values meaningful conversation whether travelling, walking, or hosting friends at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a few frequently asked questions. If you cannot locate the information you're seeking, feel free to reach out so we can assist you.
Socrates
Who is Socrates in the Vineyard for?
Socrates in the Vineyard is for anyone who enjoys deep conversation and wants to explore life’s big questions—whether you're a person of faith, unsure, skeptical, or just curious. All perspectives are welcome, and respectful dialogue is at the heart of what we do.
Socrates
Do I need to be religious or Christian to attend?
Not at all. While many of our speakers come from a Christian worldview, we encourage open conversation from all walks of life. You won’t be pressured or preached at—just invited into honest, thoughtful dialogue.
Socrates
What actually happens at one of these events?
Each gathering includes a talk from a guest speaker, followed by time for open discussion. There’s also live music, food, and wine—all set in a warm, welcoming vineyard environment. Think of it as a salon for the soul.
Socrates
Is there a cost to attend?
These events have a cover charge to help with costs like food, wine, and speaker travel. Details for each event will be posted in advance on the event page.
Socrates
Can I bring a friend who doesn’t share my beliefs?
Absolutely. We encourage it! The whole point of Socrates in the Vineyard is to create space for dialogue between people of different backgrounds. Bring someone who enjoys a good question and an open mind.
Socrates
What kinds of topics do you cover?
We explore themes like faith and doubt, meaning and purpose, suffering and hope, culture and identity, and the intersection of ancient wisdom and today’s world. Each event has a unique focus based on the speaker and current topics.
Socrates
How do I stay informed about future events?
Check our Upcoming Events page for details on the next event. Join our mailing list to receive updates on gatherings, speaker topics, and important news—no spam, just what matters.
Socrates
What is Socrates about?
Socrates in the Vineyard is a curated event series that invites people to engage with life’s big questions—faith, culture, meaning, and purpose—in a relaxed and intimate setting. These gatherings combine thoughtful dialogue, a guest speaker's talk, food, wine, and music—all in a welcoming vineyard atmosphere.
Socrates
What is the core mission of Socratea in the Vineyard?
It provides a space for authentic, pressure-free conversation—whether you’re a skeptic, seeker, or simply curious. The aim is a deeper exploration of big ideas in a comfortable setting.
Socrates
How did it originate?
Inspired by Socrates' famous declaration—“The unexamined life is not worth living”—and experiences with philosophical and faith-driven conversations at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, the idea grew to become an event to allow people to engage with the deeper questions of life.
Socrates
When is the next event?
Check out the Events tab to locate the next event.

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