Someone sent this quote found on the side of their coffee mug: “It’s tragic that extremists co-opt the notion of God, and that hipsters and artists reject spirituality out of hand. I don’t have a fixed idea of God. But I feel that it’s us — the messed-up, the half-crazy, the burning, the questing —Continue reading “Coffe Cup Quote”
Category Archives: Spirituality
House of Sand and Fog
Meeting with a book club forces me to read things I wouldn’t normally come across. I wouldn’t normally access books from Oprah’s Book Club, for instance. I’m glad of the opportunity however, for I have come across a range of fascinating material in the form of stories and dilemmas that would not arise out ofContinue reading “House of Sand and Fog”
Jindabyne the movie
Take a short story from the USA and convert it to Aussie cinema and something like Jindabyne appears. Raymond Carver’s So Much Water So Close To Home underwent some changes to become Ray Lawrence’s dramatic depiction of a community’s response to the thoughtless and apathetic actions of four fishing mates who discover a corpse inContinue reading “Jindabyne the movie”
World Cup Blues
Members of my congregation were somewhat exercised that Brazil appeared on yesterday’s list for intercessions under the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Within 14 hours, Australia’s Socceroos were due to play Brazil, the top contenders for the World Cup. How do you intercede for a nation with which one’s own is in contest, even only recreationally? WeContinue reading “World Cup Blues”
Push-ups, Palamas and Prayer
My doodle of a Benedictine monk exercising speaks of a convergence of thoughts. My post middle-aged frame is now being subjected to regular workouts at the local gym (under the wise eye of a personal trainer, I hasten to add!) I’m also attending to the continuous development of Dayspring’s coursework in the practice of prayer.Continue reading “Push-ups, Palamas and Prayer”
Synchronicity strikes again!
I was at a planning meeting today where the lyrics of this song were posited as evidence of the contemporary individual’s inner search for meaning (“Wake me up inside”). At the end of the day, when I opened my e-mail, there were the same lyrics in a message from halfway around the world, part ofContinue reading “Synchronicity strikes again!”
Kairos and chronos – finding the door to Narnia
A certain large cat, witch and article of household furniture continue to hold their own at the box office. The jury is still out on whether C.S. Lewis intended The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as an allegory or even analogy of the Christian kerygma. Be that as it may, I find some compellingContinue reading “Kairos and chronos – finding the door to Narnia”
Incarnation strikes retail hub
I ventured into Perth’s CBD this morning, on leave from my pulpit and looking for a church service to sneak into. For the first time, I saw the new street decorations, unashamedly and unabashedly telling the story of the Incarnation, from the Annunciation through to the Flight to Egypt. The replicas of medieval paintings enthralledContinue reading “Incarnation strikes retail hub”
God’s surprises
Two weeks away from blogging is far too long! Sometimes life’s events take over, however, and there is not enough time to stop and smell the roses – that’s if you can find any. What a gift to find 24 hours to spend with my son and some ministry colleagues. We went bush – andContinue reading “God’s surprises”
Is King’s Park a thin place?
I led a group of theologs in addressing this question earlier this week. King’s Park is a popular tourist spot overlooking Perth. It contains a large number of hectares of natural bushland, the state war memorial, botanic gardens and picnic areas. It is a place of great spiritual significance to the Noongar people. Our particularContinue reading “Is King’s Park a thin place?”
Wondering Pilgrim 