religion
The Secular State and Anarchism
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007Recent reads include:
The Godless Constitution: A Moral Defense of the Secular State
Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide (Oneworld Beginners’ Guides)
Anarchism is an average introduction to the ideology of anarchism. It main strength is also its main weakness – the weaving together of contemporary thinkers with the fathers of Anarchism. I was thankful for some leads for my [...]
A Christian View of the Parliamentary Prayer
Friday, June 1st, 2007The prayer used at the start of sessions of New Zealand’s parliament is back in the news. The timing has played perfectly into the hands of the Destiny Church, who the day before protested an interfaith gathering at Waitangi. The first media release on the issue (this time around) has come from Destiny (Leave [...]
The Creation Museum Opens
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007May 28 saw the opening of The Creation Museum in Kentucky, USA. This is just down the road from Dayton, OH, where I was a few months ago. Sadly it wasn’t open then, but next time I’ll be sure to pop in. It cost $27million to build and it claims to bring the pages [...]
PCANZ to leave CASI
Friday, May 11th, 2007The PCANZ report that they will leave The Churches’ Agency on Social Issues. I hope the motivation isn’t money savings alone. Having worked for CASI and its predecessor (the Joint Methodist Presbyterian Public Questions Committee) for several years (1996 to 2001) I have plenty of thoughts and feelings about the move of my Church. It’s [...]
Lay Theologians
Friday, May 11th, 2007Last night I went to the first Presbyterian Research Network meeting. Rev Dr Susan Jones gave a talk about theological training in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. She discussed the idea that theological training in the university is disjointed from personal formation for ministry. The alternative, of having theological training solely in seminaries, [...]
Jim’s Politics
Thursday, May 10th, 2007Last night I finished reading God’s Politics: Why the American Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It by Jim Wallis. The book didn’t really engage me. I read the Australian edition (which inserts the name ‘American’ into the title just in case the reader doesn’t get it) but the book is still [...]
For God and Country
Tuesday, May 8th, 2007I saw this ad on a Christian site and I was a little taken aback at the slogan “FOR GOD AND COUNTRY”. It is saying that the army exists for God and Country? I’d think that God and country are opposing commitments and that patriotism is anti-Christ, as Tolstoy did in Christianity and Patriotism.
Also see [...]
More on Easter Trading
Friday, May 4th, 2007News today that Caritas Welcomes Defeat Of Easter Trading Bill. No surprises there, but their media release is curious for a couple of reasons. First is their criticism of the devolution of the law to local government. I would have thought that this was in line with the Catholic social teaching of Subsidiarity.
Secondly there is [...]
Theocons
Monday, April 30th, 2007I have just finished reading The Theocons: Secular American Under Seige by Damon Linker. While an interesting read, with valuable insights into the thinking of some theocons (especially Neuhaus), it didn’t really live up to it’s name. Secular America is not under seige – the theocons do not want to get rid of democracy or [...]
Easter Trading and the Church
Tuesday, April 10th, 2007Once again this Eastertide there have been the inevitable questions about the inconsistencies of New Zealand’s Easter trading laws. It happens every year. Shop keepers and right wing politicians complain about the laws keeping some shops closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Unions and church “leaders” seek to protect workers and the their holy [...]