Dangerously alive: summer, sharks and a ritual encounter with danger
A beach swim, a shark warning and a familiar summer ritual open up bigger questions about safety, fear, and what it means to feel alive.
Recent articles in Religion
13 January 2026
Best of 2025 - Muted response to Trump's appropriation of Christianity
“…and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert…” (Acts 20:29–31).
13 January 2026
Best of 2025 - The Pope, the media and the 'normalisation' of Trump
As world media and leaders normalise US President Donald Trump’s erratic behaviour, Pope Leo XIV must resist and keep his distance.
12 January 2026
Best of 2025 - Shameful distortion that lies at the heart of US conservative politics
The news of ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza is cause for great rejoicing and for giving credit where it is due. But the big questions remain: where to from here, and how did the world allow this to happen in the first place?
22 December 2025
Vulnerability at the heart of Christmas
Christmas begins with fragility rather than power. The story of Jesus’ birth places vulnerability, dependence and shared humanity at its centre.
21 December 2025
Holding on to hope – a Christmas reflection
In the shadow of the Bondi massacre, Christmas and Hanukkah sit side by side this year. Acts of courage and faith remind us how light is kept alive in dark times.
30 November 2025
Faith that costs something: the Pope's challenge to comfortable Christianity
A new Vatican document challenges wealthy Catholics to move beyond charity toward justice, solidarity and real encounters with the poor.
31 October 2025
Leo XIV: 'Apostle of nonviolence'
Pope Leo isn't just condemning wars, but also insisting that we must reject the paradigm of war” itself and prepare institutions of peace.
28 October 2025
Raise the double standard high
There is a famous quote with many attributions but no firm source – “Sincerity is the most important thing in politics: once you can fake that, you’ve got it made!”
23 October 2025
Muted response to Trump's appropriation of Christianity
“…and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert…” (Acts 20:29–31).
23 October 2025
Islamophobia in Australian schools: What the Special Envoy’s report means for education
Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, recently released his landmark report: A National Response to Islamophobia: A Strategic Framework for Inclusion, Safety and Prosperity.
19 October 2025
Was the gospel preached at Charlie Kirk's memorial service?
It is now more than a month since Charlie Kirk’s murder (10 September) and memorial service (21 September).
