Moving on: healthy or immoral?

13 Sep

In the last few years, a new term has crept into our public discourse, seemingly innocuous but in fact enormously powerful, the term ‘moving on’. I think I first noticed it when our national leader  in Australia declared that there … Read More »

In the public sphere

12 Sep

For too long, the media and public commentators have given the impression that the only Christians with anything to say in the public sphere are conservative fundamentalists, such as the American ‘Moral Majority’. This last week in the media we … Read More »

Of difference and goodness

9 Sep

Thanks to all who have responded to my thoughts about Trinity and about ‘sin’.It has been a challenging discussion. More of that now … But I want also to reflect something further in relation to the disaster in New Orleans. … Read More »

Are we weak or wicked? Or what?

4 Sep

Like most other people, I guess, I’ve been astonished by the looting and violence that has broken out in New Orleans, following the devastation and flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina.The storm has blown away whatever it is that we mean … Read More »

Gentle Revolutionary

25 Aug

I’ve just read the biography of Bob Brown, conservationist leader, founder of the Australian Greens, and Senator in the Australian parliament.He is a person widely respected, even by those who disagree with him deeply. This I think is because he … Read More »

Prophetic values

25 Aug

I read this quotation from the Australian Greens’ leader, Senator Bob Brown. He wrote this in a newsletter for a conservation group in Tasmania, back in 1976. That’s almost 30 years ago. The comments are still as challenging, the issues … Read More »

The Canaanite Woman: Does Jesus learn?

16 Aug

I preached a sermon last week on the story in the Gospel of Matthew about Jesus encountering the Canaanite woman—an aboriginal woman, who asks for her daughter to be healed and will not take ‘No’ for an answer. (Gospel of … Read More »

What are we trying to achieve? Key objectives in theological thinking

16 Aug

It is worth asking just what our objectives might be, in engaging in conversation and honest thinking about life and faith. What are we trying to achieve?One aspect of this question is quite personal: What motivates us in doing thinking … Read More »

Conversation, story and theology

16 Aug

At the Melbourne Theatre Company last night, I notices they have a series of talks on ‘Conversation, Revelation, Discussion’.This sounds exactly like what I think theology should be. But the big challenge is: who gets to engage in the conversation, … Read More »