thinking honestly about life and faith
Letty Russell’s book Church in the Round is one of the most valuable sources for thinking about what it means to be church today.Her basic image is that of a round table—a table where there is no priority, no place … Read More »
This week the Australian government announced its annual budget. With much fanfare, they have announced a spending spree. The government coffers are sloshing with money, and so there’s an income tax cut for everyone: for about 90% of workers, it … Read More »
Simon Moyle has pressed me to say more about what it means to be people of the truth, in the face of a culture of lies.I guess more than anything I am thinking of a prophetic life-style, as the most … Read More »
This post is about truth, in the context of a culture of lies. This last week has seen the most stunning revelation —if that is the right word—of deception in our public life.It goes on and on. In Australia, there … Read More »
This week I have had several occasions to relate to local church pastors who are also seeking to do theological studies.It troubles me that for so many there has been something like Lessing’s ‘deep ugly ditch’ between ministry and theology.Constantly … Read More »
Thinking more about McCourt the teacher-man, I recalled two stories about great teachers in my own sphere.It begins with one I never knew, but whose legacy I did.While I was the pastor of the Hobart Baptist Church, in Tasmania, two … Read More »
Over the Easter period, when finally I had a few days’ space to reflect on things, several things caught my attention.First, it was Easter: a time when Christians call to mind (and heart) the death and resurrection of Jesus—and all … Read More »
Last Saturday, I was teaching a session in our ‘TransFormation’ program, which is a special program of leadership training for people from a non-English speaking background. Many of the students are refugees, and some have very limited English, and often … Read More »
First Sunday of Lent: and the Gospel of Mark, for today, invites us to think of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.Mark has no nativity story, no build-up to the Jesus career. He’s just right into it. And so Jesus … Read More »
In the last week, there have been two dreadful road crashes which have taken the lives of young people, in one case 6 teenagers and another 5 people, including a mother and daughter. This last week, our local news media … Read More »