Tony Watkins
Tony Watkins is the Managing Editor of Culturewatch.org and Culturewatch.tv, having joined Damaris at its inception in 1996. Tony is the author of Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema (2007) and Dark Matter: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to Philip Pullman (2004), co-author of Back in Time: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to Doctor Who (2005) and a contributor to a number of other books including Matrix Revelations: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the Matrix Trilogy (2003) and the Talking About series of books, of which he is the editor. He is also responsible for the Culturewatch courses and Culturewatch groups, and is an experienced speaker in a wide range of contexts. For more about Tony Watkins, visit his website: www.tonywatkins.org.
Experience
Tony is a very experienced and popular speaker in all kinds of contexts from small groups through to international conferences. Subject matter ranges from engaging with popular culture (especially film and literature) through seminars on science or postmodern philosophy to Bible teaching. He is much appreciated by both Christian and secular audiences. As both a teacher and a trainer, he is very able to help people learn in a variety of styles: interactive, multimedia workshops, facilitating learning through small groups, mentoring individuals and lecturing.
Tony started preaching in churches as a late teenager and has since been involved in a wide variety of up-front roles in many different contexts. Several years as a teacher gave Tony a good grounding in engaging the attention of an unwilling (sometimes even hostile!) audience, as well as the ability to communicate effectively to a wide age range. Five years as a staffworker with UCCF (Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship) enabled Tony to develop his skills as a trainer as well as in teaching. His leadership of the Congregational World Assemby of Youth over eight years gave him invaluable experience in speaking in a number of cross-cultural contexts.
Since joining The Damaris Project (the predecessor of Damaris Trust) in 1996, Tony has developed significant expertise in helping people learn through highly interactive multimedia workshops as well as in more traditional teaching and training styles.
Speaking topics
Tony is a very enthusiastic communicator who will happily speak or provide training on a very wide range of subjects but areas of particular expertise include:
- Understanding films: workshops based on Tony's highly respected book Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema, looking at how to watch films with a greater awareness of worldviews, and therefore how to respond to the messages which they communicate
- Engaging with the media: Theoretical frameworks and practical processes involved, as well as looking at lots of examples - especially from cinema and literature - and a biblical foundation for why this is important. Some of the many specific areas of the media on which Tony can speak on include: Doctor Who, Philip Pullman, The Da Vinci Code, Douglas Coupland, Ian McEwan and the Matrix trilogy
- Developments in culture: Helping people understand both how our culture has developed, and some of the enormous changes that have taken place in recent decades with the rise of postmodernism
- Worldviews: How to think about and engage with worldviews generally, or a specific focus on any of a number of major worldviews
- Science and faith: origins, the environment, ethics of technology, bioethics, philosophy of science, etc.
- Bible teaching: Tony's greatest passion; he has a particular love of teaching the Old Testament prophets
For more detailed information, see Tony's website.
Payment details and booking
Tony does not have fixed fees and will negotiate a speaking rate with you. Payments should be made directly to him and VAT is not applicable. There are some guidelines on his website.
To book Tony, please email him - his address is 