Australia’s National School Chaplaincy Program is under review and the public is invited to respond to a discussion paper through submissions that are due no later than March 18th. As I predicted when government subsidies for chaplains in schools was announced by the Howard government in 2006, religious organisations would need to prepare for a roughContinue reading “Funding school chaplaincy”
Monthly Archives: February 2011
Thirteen Moons: a book review
My regrets at not inquiring more closely when I traveled through Cherokee country in 2008 were compounded when reading this novel by Charles Frazier. His protagonist is Will Cooper, all but abandoned as an orphan at the age of 12. In his role as a bound boy running a remote trading post, Will finds himself adopted by the fading remnants ofContinue reading “Thirteen Moons: a book review”
Prayer – a light side!
My faith community purposefully set itself up in the 60s as non-gender biased – quite a statement in the conservative setting of the times. It did not matter whether it was male or female that performed ministry functions among us and there continues to be no distinction at all levels of leadership. This does notContinue reading “Prayer – a light side!”
If Darwin Prayed – Evolutionary spirituality and the path of Christ — Prayers for Evolutionary Mystics
Looking forward to meeting the author, Bruce Sanguin, as he conducts a workshop at Dayspring, Saturday March 5th, and service and forum the next day at Wembley Downs Uniting Church. In the prologue of “If Darwin Prayed” he writes: My concern, however, is not with the fundamentalist strain of Christianity. Rather, it is with theContinue reading “If Darwin Prayed – Evolutionary spirituality and the path of Christ — Prayers for Evolutionary Mystics”
The “why?” question arises again
In the wake of the NZ earthquake, as with other natural disasters, the “Why does God allow it?” and “Why did God not prevent it?” questions have arisen in some of my circles. These questions are not new and are part of the human reaction to traumatic events that range from personal to worldwide inContinue reading “The “why?” question arises again”
Reasonable hope after the earthquake
I’ve avoided writing much about the earthquake – not really knowing where to start after a season of flood, fire and storm. What can be said that hasn’t been said before? How does one reach out anew? Then Eureka Street publishes an article contrasting ‘reasonable’ and ‘unreasonable’ hope reflecting on the image of the collapsedContinue reading “Reasonable hope after the earthquake”
Living on the Sunset Coast
My employment has always dictated where we live. We’ve always been very fortunate in our locations – thriving port city to bushland capital to genteel hills settings – and the last 15 years, a five minute journey from scenes like this. I probably have more sunset photos in my collection than anything else.
The real deal
Here’s a prayer book with a difference – it certainly arrested my attention. It’s called “Common Prayer: a liturgy for ordinary radicals” and you can see a daily on line version at http://commonprayer.net/ An excerpt from today’s offering demonstrates the true meaning of radical (“from the root”) Frederick Douglass [1818-1895] wrote in his autobiography, “Between theContinue reading “The real deal”
Ball-eating tree
Move over Charlie Brown. Can you see it? Easy to get the ball lodged in the arboreal heights – not so easy to get down. My son’s Sunday afternoon project.
Hereafter – Film Review
The unknown matter of death continues to fascinate us, whether or not we form our view from a religious, spiritual or nihilist perspective. This film, directed by Clint Eastwood, weaves together the disparate stories of three characters, all intimately touched by death in different ways. Rising French career journalist, Marie Le Lay, survives the 2004Continue reading “Hereafter – Film Review”
Wondering Pilgrim 