About the event
Religion has shaped civilizations, inspired movements, created communities, and helped people find purpose for thousands of years.
It has also fueled division, dogma, and some of humanity's darkest chapters.
So what if we started over?
What if we could take the best parts of religion—community, meaning, rituals, belonging, personal growth, and shared purpose—while intentionally leaving behind the parts that no longer serve us?
For this Big Idea Night discussion, Colin Campbell, the founder of Aretéanism, a modern, nontheistic religion, invites the audience into such a thought experiment. If you were designing a religion from scratch, what would you keep? What would you throw away? And what would you build instead?
Whether you're religious, spiritual, skeptical, or none of the above, this conversation will challenge assumptions, spark discussion, and leave you questioning what "religion" really means in the first place.
Venue: Little Bird Brewing in North Park.
Doors open at 6. Talk begins at 7.
Help support our host venue by arriving early to get a drink, something to eat and meet fellow attendees.
We'll have some interactive points of discussion out too.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Colin Campbell is the founder of Aretéanism, a modern nontheistic religion focused on personal development, community, and cultural transformation.
His career has taken him from Mormon missionary to Marine Corps veteran of the Afghanistan conflict, intelligence analyst, operations planner, refugee advocate, charity worker, political activist, game designer, and videographer.
Since founding Aretéanism in 2016, Colin has dedicated himself to exploring one of humanity's oldest questions: How do we help people become better versions of themselves while building stronger communities and a healthier society?
His work combines insights from religion, psychology, philosophy, and community design to create practical systems for meaning, belonging, and personal growth in the modern world.