Thoughts on faith, culture, and public life.
The Uniting Church, ethical discernment and a practical reform framework | Article 2 of 2 By Rod Benson The hardest conscientious-objection case is not necessarily that of a prospective conscript who declines to enlist. It may be that of an experienced service member whose beliefs change, who wants to act honestly without abandoning colleagues or disregarding …
Continue reading "Christian conscience and the case for ADF reform"
William White being arrested and dragged from his home for conscientious objection to military conscription in 1966. Courtesy of the Search Foundation. Enlistment, statutory exemptions and the serving volunteer | Article 1 of 2 By Rod Benson Australian law accepts that deeply held conscience may justify exemption from compulsory military service. Yet a member who …
Continue reading "Conscientious objection and Australian military law"
Christological authority, biblical interpretation and the vocation of the Church By Rod Benson Does the New Testament enjoin Christians principally to defend the authority of the Bible or to bear witness to the good news it announces? Distinguishing the authority of Christ, the normative function of Scripture and the fallible authority of ecclesial interpretation, I suggest …
Continue reading "Defending the Bible or bearing witness to truth?"
By Rod Benson The question of happiness—what it is, how it is attained, and whether it endures—has long occupied the intersection of philosophy and theology. In contemporary discourse, happiness is often reduced to subjective well-being or emotional satisfaction. Yet within the great religious traditions, and especially within Christianity, happiness is a far richer and more …
Invocation + In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his faithful love endures for ever (Ps 106:1). Pause for reflection Good morning, heavenly Father.We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe. Good morning, Lord Jesus.We worship …
Continue reading "Morning prayer for Wednesday 11 November 2026"
