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Should Protestants reframe purgatory as final sanctification?

A Protestant appreciation of what has traditionally been called “purgatory” requires careful theological framing. It must proceed with biblical reasoning, doctrinal clarity, and appropriate restraint. Properly understood, it need not entail an uncritical adoption of late medieval developments, nor compromise the Reformation’s central convictions regarding justification by grace alone through faith alone. Rather, it may …

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A prayer for Palm Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God,as we recall the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem,and our world groans with conflict and pain,we rejoice in the veiled genius of your kingdom:not established by violence or threatbut through humility, mercy, and love.You scatter the proudand lift up the lowly.Now plant within us the song of Mary,that we may celebrate your …

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What’s so good about the Uniting Church?

The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is distinctive among Australian Christian denominations because of a particular way of being church: it is intentionally ecumenical in origin, conciliar in structure, dialogical in decision-making, and diverse in practice. Formed in 1977 through the union of Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational traditions, it represents a culmination of ecumenical aspiration and an ongoing experiment …

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Review of Seven Stories by Anthony W. Bartlett 

Anthony W. Bartlett’s Seven Stories: How to Study and Teach the Nonviolent Bible (third edition; n.p.: Hopetime Press, 2026) offers a bold reinterpretation of Jewish and Christian Scripture, bringing together historical-critical scholarship, literary sensitivity, and the anthropological insights of French semiotician René Girard. Bartlett claims that the Bible is a progressive revelation that exposes the deep structures …

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The problem with patriotism

Since the dramatic election result in South Australia last weekend, readers of news media, not least the Murdoch press, will have noticed a renewed emphasis on “patriotism.” Former Liberal Party Opposition Leader Alexander Downer was even moved to write an opinion piece provocatively headlined, “Liberals have forgotten patriotism. Now One Nation owns it.”[1] What is …

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