Churches
The Wayside Chapel in Sydney’s King Cross has always been something of an “edgy” place.
In the 1960s when Australia was very different, The Wayside Chapel was about the only place in Australia where a Protestant could easily marry a Catholic, Hindu or Atheist without much fuss or where you could get a cup of coffee at 3am.
It was a place you could wait for some poet to walk in the door and address a ready crowd with some words that reached beyond the confines of a high structured, fairly unimaginative world; and you never had to wait for long.
Continue reading "Big-hearted Church that’s crumbling around the edges" »
Writing on The Punch yesterday David Gazard bemoaned the left-winged over-righteousness of some parts of the Christian church, who get all hot under the collar about political stuff rather than sticking to the spiritual. This is, I suppose, a change from the attacks on the right-winged over-righteousness of the other parts of the Christian church.
Of course, problems emerge when God and the Church are captured by just one side of politics. The Church may be vulnerable to such temptations in the wildernesses of power, but any God worth his name surely isn’t. It’s a lesson the followers are still learning.
Continue reading "Heaven help us if churches don’t speak about politics" »
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Kevin says:
Phil you make me laugh with your so simple view of life, your the exact example the article relates to Dawkins being theologically sound. Your ‘superior’ attitude that you display indicates a complete bias and non understanding of anything outside your own little bubble. And yet you are evolving???? Interesting… Read more »
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Payton L. Inkletter says:
There is a compelling reason why religious establishments should keep out of politics in their own names, and rather focus exclusively on trying to be good at spiritually catalysing their members – who then as individuals can choose to morally and ethically enliven their families and the other people and… Read more »
I keep waiting for the traditional church to launch its campaign against the government’s treatment of boat people.
After all, boats carrying asylum seekers keep entering Australian waters in greater numbers, there are allegations that boats are left to drift and, worst of all, some have perished along the way.
I glance skyward in Melbourne, looking for the immense banner hanging from the spire St Paul’s Cathedral, like there was a few years ago. Instead of “Justice for David Hicks”, it will read “Justice for SIEV 624”.
Continue reading "Churches pray for terrorist and ignore a businessman" »
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Simon H says:
“And then, of course, the traditional church can’t even agree on its social agenda.” Gee, the church (really dozens of churches) being politically split and all over the place: that’s a massive change of pace from what’s been happening for most of the last 2000 years. And your point is?… Read more »
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Payton L. Inkletter says:
Institutionalised religions in general are still very poor performers at even what should be their core business – assisting voluntary members to make spiritual progress – and have no place at all in any political arena. We likely agree on this latter point, David. Spiritual progress is progress in becoming… Read more »
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