Religion and Faith
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The ‘Haredisation’ of Israel and its demographic future: Is there a case for ringing alarm bells?
“Haredim, not Arabs or Iran, are the biggest threat to Israel’, Dan Perry, 2021 Continue reading »
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In a wheel chair to the peripheries
Eighty-seven-year-old Pope Francis’ trip to Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore shows he’s not slowing up. Continue reading »
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Pope takes refugee concerns on the road
Pope Francis’ milestone tour from 2-13 September includes Papua New Guinea, the nation that has long hosted the largest number of refugees in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Indonesia, the country from which those asylum seekers fled. Continue reading »
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Mixed opinions about unproven Synod on Synodality
The Second Session of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality is now just weeks away. Opinions differ markedly among reformers about its trajectory so far. Some are deeply disillusioned and fearful. Others see evidence of real progress even if change is slow and incremental. Continue reading »
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A dream: of world leaders meeting to make peace
“Everything begins with a dream” – Rumi Continue reading »
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Parliamentary prayers: are they legal?
The ritual reading of prayers at the start of every sitting day is offensive to many, and may even be a breach of the Constitution. Continue reading »
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Finding hope, giving hope, by remembering our roots
On Wednesday 31 July we listened to two people who were speaking to us from near Hebron, where Abraham and Sarah are buried. Continue reading »
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Donald Trump and God: not a match made in Heaven
One of the more noteworthy features of the recent Republican National Convention was the reverential reception of Donald Trump. Even before Trump’s brush with death, eighty per cent of evangelical Christians supported him. What does this say about their beliefs and motives? Continue reading »
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Awakening: Stories of grace and inner peace
“Another world is not only possible, she’s on her way… On a quiet day, if I listen carefully, I can hear her breathing” – Arundhati Roy. Continue reading »
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Religion and the census – seeking accuracy and truth
Based on the response to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) proposed change to the religion question for the 2026 census, religious groups are singing from the same misprinted hymn sheet. Continue reading »
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A road to nowhere: faith-based political parties
In recent weeks there has been talk of the prospect of a Muslim party being formed to contest the next federal election. The prime minister has responded by saying he did not want Australia to go down the road of faith-based political parties. Continue reading »
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Primates are human: Archbishop Gough
“Why did GOUGH GO OFF like that?” the satirical OZ magazine asked in June 1966 after the Rt Rev. Hugh Rowland Gough had resigned as Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia. The official statement had mentioned ill health. Continue reading »
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Australian Libertarians and Theocrats unite in Albury
The Triple Conference took place in Albury in March. Conspiracists and hustlers appeared alongside the well-meaning and self-important to inform a small audience of largely white-haired elders about the North Korean conditions overtaking Australia. We are dark in politics and spirit. Continue reading »
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The elephant in the Zionist classroom
What is it about the Australian Jewish community, Australian Jewish ‘faith’ schools and Israel? Continue reading »
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Religion and the census
The Census is important because it tells us so much about ourselves. But the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is complicating the data we collect on religion. Continue reading »
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A Catholic church responsive to the human needs of our fellow citizens
Analysing contemporary Catholicism requires a bit more knowledge than merely quoting a couple of reactionary Catholics – as does a recent New Statesman article. Continue reading »
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Resisting radical evil
Ruling institutions — the state, the press, the church, the courts, universities — mouth the language of morality, but they serve the structures of power, no matter how venal, which provide them with money, status and authority. Continue reading »
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Gaza and victimhood
The regimes in Israel and Palestine both claim to be victims in the violence that engulfs them. Interpreting the situation through “victimhood” assists in understanding the human forces that arise from age-old conflicts and that continue to cause so much horrific suffering. Continue reading »
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The song in our hearts and of our hearts
In the end as at the beginning all that really matters is how we treat one another. Continue reading »
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Pope fires warning shot to Church leaders who would defy Vatican II
The neo-traditionalists have been sent a clear message by Pope Francis that their dismissal of synodality, and their disruptive behaviour do violence to the very nature of the Church itself and thereby damage the Reign of God. Continue reading »
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Why does Australia want to be so suicidal?
Australian leadership is no longer an embarrassment at UNFCCC COPs. Nonetheless, Australia’s participation in the fossil fuel industry, including through new projects, is not putting us on the fastest path to net zero. Will we miss our “brief and rapidly closing window” to secure a liveable future? Continue reading »
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Pope Francis has abandoned transgender Catholics
In a recent official Declaration on Human Dignity, Dignitas Infinita, the Pope has endorsed a document that effectively outlaws sex change for transgender Catholics. The Declaration is both harsh and unrelenting in its tone, dismissive of new science and judgemental of those Catholics who in good faith make life choices contrary to the edicts of Continue reading »
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Ok, Allah, we passed your test
There are five major and hundreds of minor religions in the world. But don’t worry – yours is the right one. – Anon Continue reading »
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Peacemakers for our wounded humanity
Has there ever been a more important time for peacemaking with a universal consciousness? Continue reading »
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Lights on or lights out?
In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it. Continue reading »
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Imitation accelerates
The whole world is experiencing an “escalation to extremes” because we imitate each other to a profound degree. We should choose our models more carefully. Continue reading »
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Stan Grant on Good Friday, Easter, and God’s absence in our suffering world
I never thought I’d see an inspiring Easter reflection in the usually secular, The Saturday Paper. But last Saturday (March 23) there was Stan Grant, writing on the Christian feast. Continue reading »
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The Cross: What do we bring to the Cross this Holy Week 2024?
The Cross speaks to us of how we find God in places where compassion is needed. Continue reading »
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We now need, it seems, a Voice for bigots
The best argument against having an explicit legislated or constitutional right of freedom of religion in Australia comes right out of the playbook of the No campaign during the referendum on a constitutional Voice for Indigenous Australians. There’s no particular problem of giving expression to one’s beliefs in this country, and almost any attempt to Continue reading »
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‘The credibility of the Gospel is at stake’: Pax Christi calls on faith leaders to speak out on behalf of Gaza
Faith leaders should stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and should call on the Australian government to condemn all violence that threatens a just future for the people of Palestine, Israel and the Middle East. Continue reading »
