thinking honestly about life and faith
It’s difficult being a scholar of theology or Biblical studies, during Christmas.The faith community loses its critical awareness at Christmas. I’m not talking about all that commercialism. I’m talking about the music, the children’s plays and all the other traditional … Read More »
I’ve been marking student essays for days. Sometimes a rewarding experience. One student’s essay included the following quotation, which reminded of the wonderful resources in the book from which it comes —but even more of the marvellous thought that real … Read More »
Margaret Mead, arguably the greatest cultural anthropologist of the last century, once observed:‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ So many people today feel … Read More »
Marc Batko, a member of the Moltmann discussion group, has translated Jurgen Moltmann’s "The Future of Theology" (1997) and uploaded the essay to www.portland.indymedia.Click on the link to this group and you can read Marc’s post. Here is a brief … Read More »
It’s Remembrance Day, November 11th.Today in Australia, people are asking, ‘Where were you when the Whitlam Government was dismissed?’ That was thirty years ago today; and in the subsequent uproar, ousted Prime Minister Gough Whitlam called on supporters to ‘maintain … Read More »
It was the great Karl Barth, theologian of the ‘Word of God, who lamented that the reformers had left us nothing in our churches, no images, no symbols. no visual helps, as we try to pray, nothing except words.At least … Read More »
A group of leaders in my faith community have been wondering just why it is that so many Christian groups actually fight so much – and sometimes fight pretty dirty. If we are honest, often our church groups are not … Read More »
In many parts of the world right now, governments are introducing new laws to combat terrorism. In the name of protecting our freedoms, new laws will remove those very freedoms. People may be detained, without even the right to notify … Read More »
The second phase of the healing process, as describe by Father Michael, is forgiveness.Most people find this costly, painful and very difficult.But we speak as if it is cheap and simple.In fact it is often only the power of God … Read More »
Yesterday I heard a sermon by a truly great man, Fr Michael Lapsley, who leads a ministry in South Africa. The sermon was called ‘Forgive and Forget’.Micheal Lapsley is an Anglican priest whose ministry focusses upon ‘healing the memories’. It’s … Read More »