thinking honestly about life and faith
We celebrate the 90th birthday of John Dominic Crossan, whose exceptional scholarship into the origins and types of the Christian testament has been so valuable. Having hosted a conference with him as the main speaker, I can testify to his … Read More »
Sorting some books, I found a number of old notebooks in which I’ve recorded words of wisdom, song lyrics, and prayers or blessings, from an extraordinary range of sources. Some of these saying used to be posted on my notice … Read More »
I’m preaching this coming Sunday at the Collins Street Baptist Church (10.30 am) for the Sunday before Lent: the Lectionary Gospel is Mark 9. 2 – 9, the story commonly called the Transfiguration of Jesus, and the Epistle, from 2 … Read More »
It was the year after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination that the thin paperback version of his Strength to love was published and, it appears, I bought it for 80 cents! This is another of those thin books, but again … Read More »
Actually, here I want to bring together quotes from four sources. But to begin with one I found from actor and writer Rainn Wilson: The metamorphosis of Jesus Christ from a humble servant of the abject poor to a symbol … Read More »
Yesterday in several Australian states it was a public holiday. In Victoria it is called ‘Labour Day’. It commemorates the foundations of the Labour movement here, where workers on the new buildings for the University of Melbourne went on strike, … Read More »
On this International Women’s Day, I write in praise of ‘Macrina the Younger’, who lived from 327 to 379 in Cappadocia, and was the sister of Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. Gregory wrote a biography of her, lauding … Read More »
The late and truly wonderful Archbishop Desmond Tutu once remarked: I don’t preach a social gospel; I preach the Gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned for the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t … Read More »
‘Hope has two beautiful daughters: Their names are anger and courage. Anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.’ This quotation is widely attributed to St Augustine of Hippo … Read More »
I have never forgotten the declaration by a much esteemed teacher of theology to me, a student: ‘This is the age of thin books and thin theology’. True, I came to love the theology contained in large volumes, such as … Read More »