Challenges and opportunities facing Australian voters

Ethicist and Public Theologian, Tinsley Institute, Morling College, Sydney Christian Democratic Party National Convention Merroo, NSW, 9.30am Saturday 11 August 2012 Rev the Hon. Fred Nile MLC and other political leaders, my fellow ministers of religion, ladies and gentlemen: We live in interesting times, whether our outlook is political, economic, moral or scientific.  Following the announcement …

Away from the manger (sermon)

Sermon by Rod Benson, 16 Dec 2001. Proverbs 11:28; 30:8b-9 Here are ten rules that might govern a small child’s view of the world: 1.  If I like it, it’s mine. 2.  If it’s in my hands, it’s mine. 3.  If I can take it from you, it’s mine. 4.  If I had it a …

Joy to the mall (sermon)

Sermon by Rod Benson, 9 Dec 2001. Proverbs 10:3; 15:16-17 In 1992 Mark Buchannan, a pastor in British Columbia, Canada, found himself in a small town called Wairacka in Uganda.  Every Sunday evening, about 100 Christians from the neighbouring area gathered to worship.  They met under a tin roof lean-to set at the edge of …

Land of the spree (sermon)

Sermon by Rod Benson, 2 Dec 2001. Proverbs 18:10-11; 28:6 There are only 23 days to Christmas.  Yesterday, in one of our annual rituals, our family installed our Christmas tree, weighing down its branches with tinsel, balls, beads and other decorations.  As he has done every Christmas, when all is ready, Michael is lifted aloft …

Would you stop to help?

A lot of the news we hear is bad news – I suppose that’s just an indication of the kind of world we live in today. But one story I heard recently really troubled me, and got me thinking about our diminished capacity for compassion in the individualistic, narcissistic, social-media soaked world we inhabit. In …