The Great Search: An Evening Talk

2026 Fall

talk

Off-Site

with John Philip Newell

When:

October 16, 2026

| 6:45–8:45 pm

Where:

Christ United Methodist Church

410 N Holden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410

In which the internationally renowned spiritual teacher John Philip Newell outlines the main themes of his ground-breaking new book The Great Search: Turning to Earth & Soul in the Quest for Healing & Home (August 2024). In this time of transition in which so many of us are longing for a spirituality of intimacy with Earth rather than a spirituality of alienation from Earth, and a vision of interrelatedness and harmony instead of religious and political division, John Philip points to a path of healing and transformation for us, both individually and together.

John Philip Newell is a much-loved Scottish ‘wandering teacher’ in the ancient Celtic tradition. He describes himself as a ‘grateful son of the Christian household’, seeking to be in relationship with the wisdom of humanity’s other great spiritual traditions. His prophetic message carries great hope for wellbeing in our lives and world.

Interested in a deeper immersion?

Learn more about the Great Search Weekend Silent Retreat.

About John Philip Newell

John Philip Newell is an internationally renowned Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being.

Canadian by birth, and also Scottish, he resides with his wife Ali in the ecovillage of Findhorn in Scotland. In 2016 he began the Earth & Soul initiative and teaches regularly in the United States and Canada as well as leading international pilgrimage weeks on Iona in the Western Isles of Scotland.

His PhD is from the University of Edinburgh and he has authored over fifteen books, including his award-winning publication, Sacred Earth Sacred Soul, which was the 2022 Gold Winner of the Nautilus Book Award for Spirituality and Religious Thought of the West. His new book, also with HarperOne, is The Great Search (August 2024), in which he looks at the great spiritual yearnings of humanity today in the context of the decline of religion as we have known it.

Newell speaks of himself as ‘a wandering teacher’ following the ancient path of many lone teachers before him in the Celtic tradition, seeking the wellbeing of the world. He has been described as having ‘the heart of a Celtic bard and the mind of a Celtic scholar’, combining in his teachings the poetic and the intellectual, the head as well as the heart, and spiritual awareness as well as political and ecological concern.

Price:

$35.00

274 Available

Scholarships: Cost will never be a barrier to participating in programs at Kinward— we honor 100% of scholarship requests. Contribute to the scholarship fund here.

2026 Fall

with John Philip Newell

Make presence, practice, and purpose accessible to all.

Give:

2026 Fall

with John Philip Newell

Make presence, practice, and purpose accessible to all. ​

Give:

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Make presence, practice, and purpose accessible to all.