thinking honestly about life and faith
Mother's Day—which was today, May 10th in Australia—is for so many people a day of slight discomfort, as we resist the commercialization, yet feel a little guilty, too. We all have a mother, to thank for the gift of life. … Read More »
For my class next week, I have been preparing a short Keynote presentation of a number of paintings of Jesus. I will also use at least one song to help present a series of images of Jesus, to try to … Read More »
In the latest Harvard Business Review (April 09) there's a terrific article called 'Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln'. Much is made of the stated intention of President Obama to model his presidency on Abraham Lincoln.The article is based on a … Read More »
Since my school days, when I studied John Keats' poetry, I have loved the last lines from his 'Ode on a Grecian Urn', Beauty is truth, truth beauty— That is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to … Read More »
I'm working on a sermon, for Lent, week 4, and just now I am reflecting on the Gospel text, John 3. 14-21. One part of this very familiar passage is about people who prefer darkness rather than light. There's something … Read More »
In the aftermath of the recent and horrendous bushfires here in Victoria, Australia, people have been calling for a system of 'early warning'. They want some scheme, perhaps based on mobile telephones, by which the authorities can warn people who … Read More »
Last week I found another superb quotation from the wonderful G K Chesterton. It sits beautifully with a feeling I have had during my summer holidays. It's all about gratitude: being thankful for so much that we have.Here's the quote:When … Read More »
We all try to make sense of the world. It's natural that we do. It's what makes us human: to apply some kind of rational thinking to the way we live and act. We try to make order amidst the … Read More »
At the end of this series comes 'self-control'.In the garden of the Spirit, we find the fruit of self-control. What can this mean?First, this is a huge challenge to all those who see religion as the deprecation of self: 'all … Read More »
The harvest of the Spirit includes gentleness.This is surely a greatly mis-understood idea, supported for example by the imagery of 'gentle Jesus, meek and mild'.It is this kind of thinking that associates faith, or more precisely Christian faith, with weakness, … Read More »