On Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m., author Luke Kemp will present a lecture entitled “Are We on the Road to Collapse?” in the sanctuary at First Congregational Church, 55 Elm Street, Camden.

Drawing from his bestselling book, Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse, scholar Luke Kemp will speak about the recurring collapse of large, hierarchical societies (Goliaths) throughout history, from ancient empires to the modern world. According to a news release, Kemp argues that these collapses, often triggered by inequality and concentrated power, were frequently beneficial for the general population, and he warns that our current global system faces a similar, potentially final, collapse unless we build more collaborative and democratic structures.

Dr. Luke Kemp is a research affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) at the University of Cambridge. He has advised and led foresight studies for multiple international organizations, including WHO and Convention on Biological Diversity. Kemp’s research has been covered by the BBC, the New York Times, and The New Yorker.

This evening event is free of charge and open to the public. Questions? Please call the church office at 236-4821 or email churchoffice@camdenucc.org.