A history of ecumenism in Papua New Guinea

The oldest existing structure in Lae, Papua New Guines is the St Andrewโ€™s Lutheran Church in the suburb of Ampo, erected in 1933. Photo: Malum Nalu, 2021. Papua New Guinea (PNG) presents one of the world's most remarkable contexts for Christian ecumenism. Home to more than 800 living languages and immense cultural diversity, it is …

Artistic freedom, religious freedom, and the sacred

Recent controversy surrounding Sydneyโ€™s Divine Playhouse has reopened an enduring and vexed question within liberal democracies: Should artistic freedom extend to the deliberate parody of religious symbols held sacred by millions of believers? Responding to performances and promotional material that appropriated Catholic imageryโ€”including references to the Eucharist and the sacrament of confessionโ€”Archbishop Anthony Fisher argued …

G H Morling and pastoral theology (Part 2)

PART 2 Prayer occupied a central place in Morlingโ€™s pastoral theology because it was the natural expression of this communion with Christ. He regarded prayer not merely as one pastoral responsibility among many but as the atmosphere in which all Christian life and ministry are sustained. Drawing upon the practice of the apostolic Church, he …

G H Morling and pastoral theology (Part 1)

PART 1 George Henry Morling (1891โ€“1974) was one of the most influential Baptist leaders in twentieth-century Australia. Serving as Principal of the Baptist Theological College of New South Wales from 1922 to 1960, he shaped generations of ministers through his teaching, preaching, pastoral care, and personal example. Although he published comparatively little, his influence extended …

Reflections for the World Day against Trafficking in Persons

Shocking as it may sound, one of the worldโ€™s great moral crises remains hidden in plain sight. Iโ€™m talking about slavery, the commodification of human beings, the theft of freedom through the coercion and exploitation of vulnerable people. This coming Thursday, July 30, is the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, reminding us that behind ordinary streets, workplaces, farms, …