Speech by Rod Benson, Palm Sunday Rally and March, Belmore Park, Sydney, 2026 Friends, we gather at a moment in history when the language of power dominates our public life. Politicians speak platitudes. Governments speak of security. Nations attempt to dominate and eliminate enemies real and imagined. Genuine peace initiatives rarely even make it on to the …
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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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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Why I do not support Hamas
It beggars belief that I need to spell out the reasons why I do not support a terrorist organisation whose aim is to annihilate the State of Israel, but here we are. Almost every time I speak up in defence of the human rights of Palestinians, or criticise Israeli state violence against Palestinians and other …
Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron
No. 21 of 47. First published 8 Dec 2007. From the Al Ibrahimi Mosque our delegation walked through narrow lanes filled with small shops selling snacks, produce, clothing and crafts to the office of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron. This was in an "H2" area of Hebron, a district that has seen a high level of …
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