thinking honestly about life and faith
A man got on the tram this morning and remarked to his companion how quiet it was. I could not help but hear him, and realized he was right. Though the tram was full of passengers, the usual buzz … Read More »
There are many items to remark upon today, the first being the death of Malcolm Fraser, former Prime Minister and later a great Australian statesman. I say ‘later’ because in many ways I do not regard his prime ministership as … Read More »
Mahatma Gandhi once described seven dangers to human virtue: 1. Wealth without work 2. Pleasure without conscience 3. Knowledge without character 4. Business without ethics 5. Science without humanity 6. Religion without sacrifice 7. Politics without principle As we reflect … Read More »
This weekend I began teaching my class on Lives of Faith. It’s one of the most interesting topics in all the things I’ve taught. The unit is based on the methodology of James McClendon who wrote a book Biography as Theology, … Read More »
It’s just too easy to use the word ‘community’ without much idea of what it really means. Bonhoeffer wrote about it with the title Life Together. Perhaps we also need to re-order the words, to say together-life. I read this … Read More »
Some time ago I saw this helpful post on Facebook from Sue Fitzmaurice, about ‘unsuccessful strategies’ in life: and it’s fundamentally so right. Of course, the fact is that many of these ‘strategies’ can be helpful and appropriate, at times, or to … Read More »
There’s a brilliant, ancient poem called ‘A Celtic Rune of Hospitality’. The basic idea is profoundly challenging. It suggests that when we offer hospitality, food and shelter to a stranger, it just might be that we are serving Christ himself. … Read More »
What do we mean by confidence? Here’s a reflection I wrote on this last year: I listened today to a radio discussion about confidence, including about how parents can encourage children to be confident and what experiences might strengthen, or … Read More »
As Australian people await the outcome of the judicial processes in Indonesia and the likely execution of convicted drug dealers, the question arises as the fundamental basis of our views of human life. What right has anyone to take another … Read More »
As we launch into a new year of study, teaching and growth in community—and in this season of Lent, when it is time to take stock, to name some regrets and to be deeply conscious of how God forgives and … Read More »