Writer
Stephanie Dowrick
Rev Dr Stephanie Dowrick is a writer, social activist and interfaith minister. She was co-founder and first MD of The Women's Press, London; has long been a contributor to Australian media, including "Inner Life" columnist for Good Weekend Magazine. Her many books include a newly updated edition of Intimacy & Solitude, and also Seeking the Sacred: Transforming Our View of Ourselves & One Another. Follow on Twitter @stephaniedowric.
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Women cannot revive Liberal “appeal”
How drearily predictable it is that in the wake of another loss in Victoria that mythical cohort “women” is being bandied about as key to a resurrection of the floundering, flailing and failing Liberal Party at both State and Federal levels. Brad Hazard is the NSW Health Minister retiring at the forthcoming March 2023 election. Continue reading »
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Questionable Deves in leafy Warringah
We have in Scott Morrison a Liberal Party leader who “sold” himself to the nation on the basis of “stopping the boats” and dehumanising, then indefinitely imprisoning, asylum seekers. Now this same “leader” is stirring transphobic bigotry, using the lowest means to try to again secure the nation’s highest office. Continue reading »
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Easter celebrates life – and peace
One of the most beautiful names given to Jesus is “Prince of Peace”. So why do Christian churches support conflict so enthusiastically – including bitter conflict between denominations and sects, and armed conflict between nations? Continue reading »
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Replace celebration of January 26 with a lifetime of deep listening
The day is an abomination masquerading as inclusivity. Whatever we call it, there should be no link to the violence of the colonisers. Continue reading »
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Election 2022: perhaps Australia will see the light this time
Australia’s vote for Scott Morrison’s government in 2019 was a triumph of naive hope over bitter experience. History must not repeat itself. Continue reading »
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A call to contemplation coexists with a call to meaningful action
The longing for stability is real, whatever our political leanings. But there is another choice, brought about by a transformation of consciousness. Continue reading »
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A universal story of hope for today’s world, whatever you believe
Questions about the birth story of Jesus and his divinity are secondary to his message of love and peace, which has never been more relevant. Continue reading »
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Labor and independents can end a political reign of error
Anthony Albanese’s best chance of election victory is to appeal to the better nature of Australians — and to replace his deputy. Continue reading »
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Business as usual: The price of Gladys Berejiklian’s politics
The emotional and moral maturity of our politicians has been on trial at ICAC. Continue reading »
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Mirage man Morrison continues to defeat the common good
The Coalition government remains in thrall to a tiny rump of its support base despite its wilful refusal to make changes necessary to the national interest and the climate. Continue reading »
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Trading Covid freedoms in NSW
Among the wreckage caused by a near two-year pandemic, with far to go, is the idea and ideal of “freedom”. Continue reading »
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Gladys’ infection is spreading everywhere
Intransigence is experienced by many of us daily. It may even dominate our own emotional repertoire. Now, though, as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announces rising Covid infections and accumulating deaths, this unhelpful trait seems increasingly endangering. Continue reading »
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Analysing Morrison is not enough. He must be challenged.
Scott Morrison is seldom called exceptional. Yet the current PM will stand out in history in any number of ways. None of them are attractive. All need not just analysis but persistent, tough-minded challenging if we are to be left with any semblance of public integrity. Continue reading »
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Promise to restore integrity, Mr Albanese, and you might be surprised
Anthony Albanese, you possibly have the worst job in Australian politics. Up against a federal government rich in marketing skills and basking in its entitlement and a public that is buying it. Please give us more of your passion and tell us your plan. Continue reading »
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The dangerous intransigence of Gladys Berejiklian
Intransigence is too seldom called out. It should never be mistaken for strength. Nor is it an admirable quality in anyone who wishes to lead effectively. Yet is something felt by many of us daily; and may even dominate our own emotional repertoire. Continue reading »
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Time for ALL to think about race in Australia
Do Black lives matter in Australia? Race is surely this nation’s primal wound. But the actions of those with most power to lead or inspire this nation are not reassuring. Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. Communication in a time of crisis
“Isolation” is also a crisis of communication for us as social beings. And an opportunity to consider with fresh interest how we can more thoughtfully support others – receiving with grace and gratitude what they may have to give. Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. Doing more in a time of less
The losses in this time of COVID19 crisis are very real. Loss of life is worst beyond comparison. Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. It’s indifference to poverty – not refugees – that profoundly affects our “security”
We have a government led by a former Minister for Immigration that’s obsessed with playing power games around the idea of security: who has it, who threatens it, and – most especially – who should define and control it. But while those games grind on, true “insecurity” is being lived daily by hundreds of thousands Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. Powerful men vs. Powerless Children: A worse than unequal “battle”
As I write this, from the safety of my inner-city home, two little Australian-born girls are held on Christmas Island with their Sri Lankan-born parents, desperately awaiting some flicker of insight, common sense, common decency, act of mercy that’s most unlikely to come. Continue reading »
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Are “moderates” failing to keep us safe?
Could it be “moderates” – through lack of vigilance, or is it apathy? – who most threaten our safety and existence? Yes, this seems a ridiculous, even immoderate assertion. But let’s think about it. The US, the UK and Australia are currently “led” – though there’s precious little leading – by men unembarrassed to flaunt Continue reading »
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Speaking out loud for the silenced
Scott M. has a new group of faves. It used to be that “hard working Australians” were top of his pops, along with those who benefit from the hard work of others through tax, negative gearing,“canny investments” and superannuation perks. They are still cherished and protected but even closer to Mr Morrison’s heart are “Quiet Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. What should we do?
In the few days since Election 2019, each time I have walked down the main street of my Sydney suburb I have been stopped by people asking me, “What should we do?” I wish I could give one simple answer. I cannot. But two things about the question bring hope. First is the use of Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. Election lies we cannot afford
The choice that citizens – not mere “voters” – will exercise on Saturday is primarily between socially beneficial policies, a gender-equal leadership team, a leader who can pause, listen and think – up against a leader weirdly bereft of team or original thought, but ample in promises of yet more protections for corporate and Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. Selling a PM – or just trashing the alternative
With only days to go, it’s clear the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is running his campaign not just as a Lone Ranger but as a Marketing Man. Despite his striking lack of past success (“Where the bloody hell are you?”) and the core fallacy that we are yet “Back in the Black” (slogan and image Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. More death than life in the Christian (and secular) Right.
There are many theories as to why the so-called “centre” in Australian politics has moved so far to the right that even moderately progressive views are shrieked at as “dangerous”. There are probably fewer theories as to how and why the radical, genuinely anti-authoritarian teachings of Jesus Christ have been successfully kidnapped and hung out Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. After al-Noor, a new sense of “neighbour” is needed.
There’s a simple, eloquent community song written by parish priest and musician Father Kevin Bates SM that begins with a sacred invitation: “Come and sit at my table. Though you have no money, come! Come and sit at my table and make yourself at home.” It goes on to ask, “Are you lonely or fearful? Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. We owe the dead and grieving insight and action as well as unlimited sorrow
The first response of most to the catastrophic tragedy in Christchurch is unlimited sorrow for all those directly and indirectly affected, but most especially for those whose lives have been ended or shattered. “Noor” means light in Arabic. Most of those slaughtered were at al-Noor, the “Mosque of the Light”. Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. The LNP have far more than a “women problem”
The “broad church” messaging from the Liberal Party is self-evidently in disarray. The Member for Cook’s eagerness to spend a little shy of $7m on a re-enactment of the Captain Cook circumnavigation-that-never-was may be his major gaffe this past week. Or that dubious prize may go to his choice of newly-hatched Liberal, ex Labor President, Continue reading »
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STEPHANIE DOWRICK. The Best of 2018: Issues of Integrity, Not Sex.
The story of a middle-aged husband and father talking up the “failure” of his marriage to justify his relationship with a much younger and previously childless woman is too clichéd to have much drama. The effect of this on the abandoned wife and, in this case, four daughters, would of course make for a story Continue reading »
