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 …
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 …
Palm Sunday through the lens of the Magnificat
The portrayal of the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem (Lk 19:28-40) draws deeply on the theology and symbolism of Luke's earlier reference to Mary’s song, known to us as the “Magnificat” (Lk 1:46-55). Of the four Gospels, Luke’s account of the life and teachings of Jesus most clearly demonstrates an emphasis on radical social justice …
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Skills for radical hospitality
When first published, Miroslav Volf’s Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996) was quickly recognised as a significant work of contemporary political theology and theological ethics. A revised and expanded edition was released in 2019 by Abingdon Press, with a new preface, a 38-page epilogue reflecting on the work 25 years later, …
The long road to Indigenous reconciliation
Australia has a difficult journey ahead in securing reconciliation with First Nations people, but others have walked a similar path, writes Rod Benson. The defeat of the 2023 referendum proposing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament left many Australians unsettled. For some it represented relief that constitutional change had been avoided; for …
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