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Keywords: Secular

  • RELIGION

    Can ashes find a voice?

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 13 February 2024
    5 Comments

    In a world grappling with war, inequality, and environmental devastation, can a celebration of sacrifice offer hope? For a secular Australia, the relevance of Lent may lie in bridging the gap between a seemingly dehumanizing act and the profound belief in the preciousness of human life. Can this paradoxical notion inspire action to heal the wounds of our world?

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  • RELIGION

    What is the purpose of the RE classroom in a secular world?

    • Ann Rennie, Bernadette Mercieca
    • 09 February 2024
    5 Comments

    Today, the claims of Christianity are no longer common knowledge among a Catholic student cohort that comes from many faith traditions and none, but the Catholic school has a place for them all. Has the classroom become the ecclesial face of the Catholic Church in the 21st Century?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Can debate ever do harm?

    • Holly Lawford-Smith
    • 02 February 2024
    1 Comment

    How can we make progress on the question of whether debate can do harm, and if it can, whether that’s a sufficient reason to suppress particular debates? Or should we adopt a ‘no debate!’ approach to particular topics ourselves?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    After Christianity, what is Australia's civil religion?

    • Michael Jensen
    • 19 January 2024
    4 Comments

    In contrast to the United States, we in Australia ‘don’t do God’, and we rarely acknowledge the religious dimension of our national identity. In an age of declining adherence to the Christian faith, has Australia found a new civil religion? And will it serve us well? 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Best of 2023: Discerning the call to choose sides

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 04 January 2024
    2 Comments

    In the war between Israel and Hamas it's essential to look beyond the simplistic dichotomies of good versus evil, exploring how historical, cultural, and political nuances shape the landscape of this enduring conflict. In a world quick to take sides, there's a need for deep understanding, underscoring the importance of balanced perspectives in seeking lasting peace and justice in a region torn by decades of strife.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Tidings of joy in an ebb tide

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 19 December 2023
    4 Comments

    While a time of joy and celebration for many, Christmas amplifies hardships like loneliness and poverty for others. This year, the festive season is overshadowed by global issues such as war, climate change, and ongoing conflicts, reminding us of its origins in a period of oppression and uncertainty. 

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  • RELIGION

    Theology goes out with the tide

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 16 November 2023
    10 Comments

    In a recent letter, Pope Francis articulated a controversial vision for an active theology in the Catholic Church, which should be open, outgoing, working at the frontiers of church, rather than self-referential and inward-turning. Naturally, this has raised important questions around the proper place and role of theology.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Discerning the call to choose sides

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 02 November 2023
    13 Comments

    In the war between Israel and Hamas it's essential to look beyond the simplistic dichotomies of good versus evil, exploring how historical, cultural, and political nuances shape the landscape of this enduring conflict. In a world quick to take sides, there's a need for deep understanding, underscoring the importance of balanced perspectives in seeking lasting peace and justice in a region torn by decades of strife.

    READ MORE
  • INTERNATIONAL

    The weight of shared history

    • Erica Cervini
    • 26 October 2023
    11 Comments

    A large part of my feelings of connectedness to Jews in Israel and around the world can be explained by my link to Jewish history. There is the cultural and broader history and my own family history. So many of the Jewish festivals commemorate Jews escaping persecution.

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  • RELIGION

    What connects the Voice and the Synod of Bishops?

    • John Warhurst
    • 18 October 2023
    9 Comments

    This month we navigate the dual milestones of a failed constitutional referendum and the First Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Seemingly disparate, these events converge in debates over tradition, leadership, and discourse. Their outcomes promise to shape the nation's spiritual and secular contours for generations.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Pope Francis' lesson for a polarised world: Focus on the process, not the outcome

    • Julian Butler
    • 11 October 2023

    Amidst a backdrop of polarized decisions and rising populism, at the Synod on Synodality in Rome, Pope Francis emphasises collaborative listening. As he explores decision-making in religious contexts, could prioritising process over outcome reshape our own current political landscape?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Can spirituality help assuage the youth mental health crisis?

    • Adrian Rosenfeldt
    • 29 September 2023
    12 Comments

    Amid the rise of 'no religion' among young Australians, there is a nuanced narrative of spirituality with demonstrated potential to alleviate some mental health concerns. With a prominent strain of individualism pervading today's culture, might revisiting spiritual connectedness provide young people with a needed respite?

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