Sorry is not the hardest word

31 Jan

It’s a new year, and I’ve started back at work after an excellent break. Now, I have some positive and hopeful things to share on my blog. The new Australian government has announced that in just 13 days time, the … Read More »

Presence and Absence

23 Dec

It’s Christmas, and that for me is the celebration of a presence: the presence of God in the midst of ordinary life.This  is the astonishing thought at the heart of the Christian faith.Life is not meaningless, valueless, or inconsequential.The world, … Read More »

Incarnational community

14 Dec

Right now, in the Advent and Christmas seasons, there is a lot of talk about Christ being born: about God becoming a human person, appearing in human form and so on.Making some sense of the reality of this claim is … Read More »

Brad Pitt and Zacchaeus

7 Dec

I was astonished yesterday to read in the newspaper about Brad Pitt, the actor, who has committed himself and a lot of his own money, to a re-construction project in New Orleans. Apparently Pitt came to love the city when … Read More »

Beginning again

6 Dec

It is months since I posted. I’ve been deluged with work, pressures and a feeling that I am just not able to write for this blog.That’s been my reality, frankly. But now it is Advent, and I really do feel … Read More »

A Nation’s Shame

4 Oct

I am once again ashamed to be an Australian.Yesterday, the Immigration Minister in our country  announced that the government has decided that it will allow no more Africans into the country. Notwithstanding the huge number of African refugees in camps … Read More »

Encouraging news from Washington!

2 Oct

Today I received the regular email news from the Washington head office of the Baptist World Alliance: but for once this was exciting. We have a new General Secretary, Neville Callam, who is from Jamaica, and in this his first … Read More »

Faith in Politics

21 Sep

I have at last finished Barry Jones’ memoir, A Thinking Reed. In this blog, I want to write about the chapter in which Jones describes the religious convictions which have guided his life. I’ve chosen the title ‘Faith in Politics’ … Read More »

The body-mind in synch

31 Aug

I am so enjoying Barry Jones’ memoir, A Thinking Reed. Right now I am in the chapter where he reflects on the development of his mind. In part at least, he undertakes this task as a process of self-discovery. He … Read More »

Some decent pollies!

27 Aug

Politicians everywhere have a bad name. It is one of the most despised professions.When Christians read in the letter to Romans, chapter 13, that we are to be subject to governing authorities, as to God, it is often quite problematic. … Read More »