Breakwater Festival is an annual three‑day Estuary gathering designed to offer a respite from the turbulent tides of online exchange. Inspired by influential thinkers such as Paul Van der Klay, Jonathan Pageau, and John Vervaeke, the Estuary movement has sparked a vibrant, ongoing conversation that fosters honest dialogue, shared meaning‑making, and community building.
Cross‑pollination plays a pivotal role in increasing the resilience, quality, and yield of crops. At this year’s Breakwater Festival, we explore how this dynamic plays out when beliefs encounter diversity. In an increasingly pluralistic world, how should we approach religious questions across difference?
Paul Vander Klay, Jared Smith (Heliocentric), Nathan A Jacobs, Justin Brierley, Joe Folley, Elizabeth Oldfield, Glen Scrivener, Bethel McGrew, Nemo the Mormon, Naomi Brehm, Nate Morgan Locke & Elliot Bewick.
I’ll be hosting the opening evening of the Breakwater Festival, moderating a conversation between Paul Vander Klay, Joe Folley and Nathan Jacobs. An informal ‘pub chat’ with audience Q&A on the topic ‘Is theology the queen of the sciences?’
DETAILS:
Friday, June 19th:
The Clerkenwell Tavern, 2 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4PX
Gathering and drinks from 5:00pm
Event begins 6.30pm
Pub Chat: ‘Is Theology the Queen of the sciences?’ with audience Q&A
Featuring: Nathan Jacobs, Joseph Folley, Paul Vander Klay & Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley is a writer, speaker and broadcaster, known for hosting conversations between Christians and non-Christians on radio, podcast and video.
Joe Folley is a writer and YouTuber who runs the channel Unsolicited Advice, where he explores ideas drawn from philosophy and related fields. He studied at the University of Cambridge, completing his BA in 2021 and his MPhil in 2022. His academic interests include Epistemic Logic and the Divine Hiddenness Problem, topics that reflect his broader engagement with questions about knowledge, belief, and religion.
Paul Vander Klay is a Christian Reformed pastor, speaker, and online content creator known for his thoughtful engagement with philosophy, theology, and culture. His life and work is dedicated to navigating the fields of faith, meaning, secularism, and the intersection of religion with modern intellectual life
Nathan A. Jacobs, Ph.D., is an artist turned scholar turned writer/producer/director. His newly published book, "Leibniz, Classical Theism, and the Problem of Evil: Why Classical Theism Must Affirm That Our World is the Best of All Possible Worlds" (Routledge Studies in Seventeenth-Century Philosophy), represents his latest scholarly contribution to the field. Jacobs film work includes KILLING POE (2016), BECOMING TRULY HUMAN (2017), and of HOUSE OF DAVID (2025), the $100M Amazon Studios Original biblical epic series.
St Mark’s, Clerkenwell
09:00 AM
Welcome & Introductions
09:30 AM
Uprooted: Stories of Faith Disruption- Panel
Featuring: Elizabeth Oldfield, Nemo the Mormon & Jared Smith
11:00 AM
Seeds or Weed: Is Apologetics Helping or Hurting? - Dialogue
Featuring: Nathan Jacobs, Jared Smith, Bethel McGrew & Elliot Bewick
12:30 PM
Lunch Break
2:00 PM
Estuary Leadership Panel and Q&A
3:30 PM
Rando's Conversation
Featuring: Paul Van der Klay & Mystery Guest
5:00 PM
Dinner Break
6:30 PM
Tilling the Sacred Ground: Navigating Faith Conversations- Dialogue and Q&A
Featuring: Paul Vander Klay, Jared Smith, Nathan Jacobs & Glen Scrivener
Mercato Mayfair
10:00 AM
Ready Singer One! - Musical Performance
12:00 AM
Lunch Break
St Marylebone Parish Church
2:00 PM
Becoming Truly Human Film Screening
A Nathan Jacobs Film
4:00 PM
Live Speaker Estuary Conversation
Featuring: Paul Vander Klay, Jared Smith, Nemo the Mormon, Bethel McGrew, Naomi Brehm & Nate Morgan Locke
6:00 PM
Closing Remarks
