Tag Archives: asylum seekers

The subject of migration is never too far from the news headlines in Australia, Europe and North America but with the recent release of two books—Migrant, Refugee, Smuggler, Saviour and The Refugee Crisis and Religion—issues around people smuggling and Islam are getting more attention. Nick Mattiske reviews. We are living in a new age of migration with over 60 million ...

Tom Wright’s book God in Public explores the dynamics of power in the contemporary public sphere and where Christianity fits alongside politicians, the media and the general public. Nick Mattiske reviews. Tom Wright is fond of repeating that God “is” putting the world to rights—not just “has” or “will” but “is”. Anyone familiar with his writings will understand his concept ...

Right before Australia hit the polls on 2 July, Ashley Thompson asked under 30s at Newlife Uniting Church’s Heartbeat Conference what policy decisions they would champion given the chance. Let them stay The plight of refugees and asylum seekers is a contentious issue in the Australian political arena but in the eyes of Grace (13) and Iram (12) it’s simple: ...

Chasing Asylum exposes the barbarity and secrecy surrounding the Australian Government’s asylum seeker policies, Sue Hutchinson gives her take on the controversial documentary which is destined to become one of the year’s most talked about films. The federal government has demanded absolute secrecy around the offshore detention of so-called boat people, so Australians have had very little idea of what really ...

Here in Queensland to promote his new book, Disturbing Much, Disturbing Many: Theology provoked by the Basis of Union, Rev Dr Geoff Thompson sat down with Journey to delve deeper into issues of faith, society and the Uniting Church in Australia’s foundational document, the Basis of Union. Journey: If there’s one takeaway from the book, what is it? Geoff: The ...

Churches across the country grabbed headlines around the world last month by offering sanctuary to 267 asylum seekers threatened with deportation to Nauru. What does it mean, and why did they do it? Rohan Salmond reports. Baby Asha had no idea the problem she was causing the Australian government. Asha was a healthy one-year-old baby—fully recovered from burns accidentally sustained ...

Former South Sudanese refugee Maria (Nyaluit) Phalpang belongs to the Uniting Church Nuer faith community in Brisbane. She tells her story to Dianne Jensen. Maria (Nyaluit) Phalpang has travelled a long way from her childhood home of Bentiu in Unity, a predominantly Christian state in war-torn South Sudan. Faith, family and a passion for education have sustained her on the ...

Sometimes life really is a picnic. Dianne Jensen finds out why Redlands for Refugees is bringing asylum seekers and ordinary Aussies together over sausages, salad and plenty of cake. It’s hard to imagine a better place to escape the city than Moreton Bay. And among those enjoying a Sunday afternoon of food and conversation are locals from Redlands for Refugees, ...

Deciphering the 60+ Assembly proposals and reports before the meeting is a challenge even for the Assembly’s members. Check out some of the highlights and get the jump on the meeting. Anglican–Uniting Church dialogue Assembly Standing Committee commends the adoption of the Weaving a New Cloth document, which advocates local cooperation between Anglican and Uniting churches throughout Australia. The Royal ...

They say memory may not be housed just in our brains. I remember that some of my training talked about “anchoring”, that a memory, idea, thought, theme or plan, can be physically anchored in another part of our bodies—just as a noise, song or smell takes us back to a memory of life, so also one of these may be ...