The importance of Saint Augustine (354-430) for Western civilisation in general, and Christianity in particular, can hardly be under-estimated. Many women, particularly those committed to empowering women unhappy about their…
In the 1850s, settlers from the United Kingdom thought it would be a good idea to introduce Australian possums to New Zealand. What a disaster that has been. (They also…
ANZAC Day Commemoration I am writing this on April 25, a public holiday as New Zealanders remember those 2779 New Zealand soldiers who died at Gallipoli in the senseless assault…
A Theology of Liberation In 1973, Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez’s ground-breaking A Theology of Liberation was published in English. This wonderfully erudite yet readable publication invited disciples of Jesus to…
In 2014, American theologian Elizabeth Johnson wrote a wonderful book that included in its title Ask the Beasts. Job 12:17 continues, “ask the beasts and they will teach you.” We…
The new season of Spring has arrived in New Zealand and life is singing in all her splendour. It is such a wonderful time to just wander in the beauty…
Many apostolic congregations of religious women in the West find themselves having conversations about “coming to completion,” that is, about declining membership, a rising median age, and lack of interested…
I have recently been to two Catholic funerals for dear friends and was once again struck by the older theologies that so often underpin such events. We were back in…
A few weeks ago a friend and I set out to go to Ashburton to buy a new budgie, a companion for my other budgie, Sunshine. The day was glorious,…
This reflection is a continuation from Susan’s June 26 article of the same title. Here the expression, “Cosmic Christ” can be helpful as it points to Christ’s care of, and…