Opinion

On 2 December 2005 a bell tolled 25 times in Melbourne while a young man was hanged in Singapore’s Changi Prison. He was a convicted drug trafficker, caught carrying 400g of heroin. The pictures on the television were heart wrenching: a mother embracing her son following his brother’s execution. Capital punishment has been the subject of much debate over many ...

During my time as a Senator there were two contradictory questions/comments frequently asked by Christians. One was, “What is a nice clergyman like you doing in a place like that?” and “I am glad you are in politics. We need more Christians in Parliament.” Both of these well-intentioned statements reveal a lack of knowledge of political processes and of the ...

At the precise moment Journey phoned me about writing this, I was reading The meaning of Jesus – Two Visions by Marcus J. Borg and N. T. Wright and had just read Marcus Borg’s section What was Jesus up to: Social Prophet in which he talks of the domination system that prevailed and had prevailed on and off since the ...

The recent controversy, and accompanying violence, sparked by the publication in many newspapers around the world of cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad, raises some pertinent questions for reflection by Christians. It is my personal view (and I accept that there are differing opinions) that the media in general could act with a much greater degree of responsibility in such matters. ...

Mark CornfordIf I had been asked this question ten years ago I would have answered with something like “the Uniting Church is no better or worse than any other church”. I had a general agreement with most of the theology of the Uniting Church, historically it was where I had grown up, and I had a vague sense that this ...

It may not be the most important thing that will happen in the Uniting Church in Queensland in 2006, but the 11th Assembly to be held in Brisbane 5th-11th July will certainly dominate the attention of the popular media and probably the energy of many of our leaders and members. There have been many anxiously waiting since the 10th Assembly ...

Over the New Year I’ve been reading Jim Wallis’s book, God’s Politics. It’s a confronting book, as you might expect from the founder of Sojourners, but a very important and timely publication. While the book’s primary focus is on the developing relationship of contemporary religion and politics in the USA, most of the issues he addresses, and all of the ...

Advent, Christmas and Epiphany are closely related. The first seasons of the new church year. A prophet, a few Bethlehem shepherds, and three astrologers from northern Iraq contribute to God’s revelation of himself. More precisely, each points to the universality of Jesus Christ. The signs in the heavens, heralding a King’s birth, was not missed by sheep minders and eastern ...

I had thought that this was the first Christmas I would be spending in hospital. But on reflection, it will be my second. The first was as a mum of a rather sick little girl who we rushed to Royal Children’s Hospital at 5am. We spent the day being looked after by a wonderful number of nurses, doctors and Santas. ...

I have worked for Blue Care at Yeppoon Respite Centre for the last three years caring for others. But it is what I get in return that makes it really worthwhile. With family overseas and interstate, the clients are like family to me and I treat them all accordingly. I am always trying to find ways to make the clients’ ...