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Keywords: Ritual

  • AUSTRALIA

    The gates to the secret house of death

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 30 October 2024

      The traditions of All Saints Day and All Souls Day invite a rare reflection on death — a topic largely sidelined in contemporary Australia. Amid global events and various cultural spectacles, these days offer a quiet reminder to consider how we honour the dead and what that reveals about our values.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Yom Kippur: A time for grieving

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 09 October 2024

    War breeds division far beyond the battlefield, fueling hatred and resentment across societies, and the conflict in Gaza has reignited long-standing animosities. As Yom Kippur approaches, its themes of repentance and forgiveness urge us to recognize the humanity in both the victims and perpetrators of conflict.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    The Taliban's war on women

    • Warwick McFadyen
    • 17 September 2024

    How do you try to turn a human into something less than human? You take away their voice. The Taliban in Afghanistan have recently introduced new laws that ban women’s voices and faces in public, continuing the extreme subjugation of half the Afghan population.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Olympic ceremonies as liturgies

    • Juliette Hughes
    • 07 August 2024

    You have to admit, the French have form for mocking religion. But with their peculiar take on the Lord's Supper with all its Dionysian excess, the colourfully irreverent opening ceremony left many asking: has Paris 2024 turned the Olympics into a ritual of performative ethics? 

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  • ARTS AND CULTURE

    Stephanie Alexander and the family table

    • Claire Heaney
    • 02 August 2024

    When Stephanie Alexander released the immensely popular The Cook’s Companion in 1996, she became a literal household name. The reason for her success lies perhaps in the knowledge that the true essence of cooking lies not in perfection, but in the act of coming together.

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  • RELIGION

    Old rituals, new revelations

    • Geraldine Doogue
    • 02 April 2024
    5 Comments

    Each year, the Stations of the Cross liturgy affects me more than I had planned. Annually, I am left wondering: why does this ritual work? Well, it has much to offer: a narrative with exposition, climax and denouement; characters big and small; blood, gore, politics, virtue, cowardice and a pointer towards mystery.

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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

    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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  • ECONOMICS

    Our greatest threat isn't climate change or AI. It's Moloch

    • Daniel Simons
    • 14 September 2023

    In a world increasingly governed by algorithms and AI, the ancient deity Moloch emerges as a haunting metaphor for our tech-driven sacrifices. Drawing parallels from historic rituals to present-day digital dynamics, ancient fears offer insight into today's most pressing existential challenges. 

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  • RELIGION

    What do we want our relationships to be?

    • Michael McVeigh
    • 07 August 2023
    5 Comments

    Ten years after Pope Francis asked, 'Who am I to judge?' the question lingers in the Church's relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. By exploring one young man's spiritual journey, we consider the universal quandary of love, acceptance, and the balance between embracing others and maintaining tradition.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Hidrellez: The green saint who straddles faiths and cultures

    • William Gourlay
    • 11 May 2023
    2 Comments

    The celebration of Hıdrellez in Turkey unites secular, urbanized communities to honor the arrival of spring on 6 May. Marked by rituals rooted in diverse traditions, the mythical figure of Hıdrellez blends Islamic and Old Testament influences fusing cultures, religions, and customs in yearly observance.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    ‘A spiritual notion’: The Voice and the yearnings of our hearts

    • Michael McVeigh
    • 05 May 2023
    1 Comment

    Recent books Statements from the Soul and An Indigenous Voice to Parliament explore different perspectives on the Uluru Statement, including the relationship between the land and Indigenous people and the legal impact of the proposed constitutional change, while demonstrating the need to appeal to hearts and minds in rallying support for an Indigenous Voice.

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