Quiet Day at the Royal Foundation of St Katharine

For 2,000 years, the Virgin Mary has been depicted throughout art, literature and culture as symbolising the perfect mother: chaste, beautiful, meek, mild and white. These supposed virtues and symbols have shaped not just Christianity but wider popular culture; and have contributed to harmful views about motherhood and what it is to be a woman. This retreat will offer a time for reflection on the impacts of these tropes on us, and attempt to create a space to exhale; freeing ourselves from the burden of perfection.

Chine is Director of Theos, the religion and society think tank. She was previously Head of Public Engagement at Christian Aid and spent two decades working in journalism, media and communications across faith, media and international development.