Opinion

 It’s the journey, not the passport. Saying’ Jesus is Lord’ is more than a passport, it is a journey. The notion that ‘Christians are better than…’ or those songs that go ‘You made me whole…’ seem to miss the point of our humanity. Weare a work in progress. Jesus tells of the worker that had been working all day and ...

I guess subtle thinking is not much in vogue at present. Quick grabs and slogans are the order of the day. At worst, we resort to stereotyping or labelling those we disagree with, or those we presume may be in a different faction. Sometimes, we even misuse Scripture as a weapon. I think Christ’s church deserves better. I hope that ...

Now that the Queensland Synod has passed resolutions asking the Assembly to consider amending how matters of vital importance are brought before the whole church and to clarify how we determine doctrinal matters, it seems appropriate to address some important matters raised in the debate about the nature of the church and how the church should work and to get ...

I have to “fess up” that I have racist tendencies. Well, if not racist then at least a xenophobic predisposition. I think deep down, many of us do. It’s not something we are proud of or even like to admit but there is a comfort in the familiar and a discomfort with the stranger. Recently however, I have been increasingly ...

I come from a Taiwanese family and when I was a teenager, my family decided to immigrate to Australia. I was excited when we arrived as everything was new: new country, new neighbours, new houses, new friends… and new schools. I started attending a high school near home hoping to make more new friends but things do not always go ...

"Offering"’ means to most Christians, "the collection". Gifts of money during public worship. These vary between a tithe and a tip. The amount isn’t a true measure. A widow at the Temple giving all, and Dives, the rich man in hell, are part of the reckoning. Suburban churches have changed. Sunday morning choir and Sunday evening worship – these have ...

As an Aboriginal child growing up in Western Queensland we were never taught what racism was but I remember occasions. When I was 9 or 10 some of the kids in our school used to call us names and I would get angry and chase them. I didn’t know what was happening except that it was offensive because we didn’t ...

I was born into a non-Christian family in Sudan but my father taught me during my childhood that there is only one God in heaven. He told me, “Don’t believe anything on the earth except ‘God in heaven'(kuoth nhual inNuer).” It has been a privilege to experience racism because, as a devoted Christian, it has strengthened my own daily life ...

Introduction Contentious issues arising from Assembly Resolution 84 are not confined to biblical, theological and ethical domains. The UCA publication – Sexuality and Leadership in the Uniting Church – contains a range of thoughtful searching material which should not be minimized or downplayed. However, I am aware of a dimension to the debate which, so far as I can tell, ...

Fakatapu moe talamalu ‘oe Fonua mo Ha’a – Taki Lotu kau hūfanga atu ai. ‘Ihe tau 1999 neu ausia ai ha Ūi pea fai mai leva ‘e fononga ‘ihe ngaahi founga ‘oku tu’utu’uni ke fou ai ‘e kau ‘Ako-Faifekau kotoa pe ‘ihe UCA aia ‘oku ui koe Period of Discernment ‘ihe tau ‘e taha – koe tefito’i fakakaukau ke fakapapau’i ...