Queensland Synod News

Members of Canada’s largest Protestant denomination are going to drink tap water at meetings in future and not the bottled variety that has become institutionalised at gatherings, if church leaders have their way. United Church of Canada leaders say this stems from decisions taken at the general council of the church between 13 and 19 August when the denomination’s main ...

Uniting Church President, the Reverend Gregor Henderson, today issued a challenge to all Australians to take practical steps to encourage peace building on the United Nations International Day of Peace, Thursday 21st September. “Every Australian hopes for a world without violence, but living as we do in stable country, it has sometimes been difficult to grasp the extent and impact ...

Pope Benedict XVI is facing continuing calls for an unequivocal apology for remarks in a lecture linking Islam to violence, but such a step would be tantamount to "intellectual surrender" says a Protestant theologian in Germany. "Of course, an apology would be the quickest way for the Catholic Church to get back to normal," said the Rev. Martin Schuck of ...

Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered on 12 September at the University of Regensburg, where he was a professor and vice rector from 1969 to 1971. Faith, Reason and the University: Memories and Reflections It is a moving experience for me to be back again in the university and to be able once again to ...

Pope Benedict XVI has apologised for the furore caused by a lecture he made in Germany where he quoted a 14th century Christian emperor who had referred to the "evil and inhuman" aspects of Islam, an address that stirred ire from some Muslims, but also triggered debate about free speech. "I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries ...

Winner of the 2006 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award is Sheridan Voysey’s Unseen Footprints: encountering the divine along the journey of life. Published by Scripture Union this book uses movies, social trends, pain, yearning, personal conversations and natural wonders, coax Australians into the complex search for meaning. Voysey provides excellent examples from contemporary culture to provide a fresh ...

A meeting of bishops from the US Episcopal (Anglican) Church has failed to resolve a stalemate over issues such as the ordination of homosexuals and church authority that threatens to divide the US denomination into separate camps. "We had honest and frank conversations that confronted the depth of the conflicts that we face," noted 11 bishops in a statement following ...

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has been installed as the Vatican’s new secretary of state, the number two position that makes him the closest colleague of Pope Benedict XVI. The appointment comes during media speculation that the Pope is to embark on a major overhaul of the Vatican. Bertone, until now archbishop of Genoa, will succeed Cardinal Angelo Sodano in dealing with ...

Every year millions of young people around the world spend time at Christian camps, festivals and conferences, taking part in a range of activities from extreme sports to bible studies, small group discussions to Christian rock concerts. But what happens to those young people when they return to their homes and the euphoria of a week spent in close-knit Christian ...

In an open letter to church leaders the Chairpersons of the Reforming Alliance (RA) and Evangelical Members of the Uniting Church (EMU) associations have expressed disappointment at the tone and content of the letters released to the church by the Assembly General Secretary Rev Terence Corkin HERE and the Associate General Secretary Rev Glenda Blakefield HERE. Rev Dr Max Champion ...