Autumn Reflections on Climate Change
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; … Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy…
The Book of Created Nature
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…
Working With Others to Care for Creation
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 in New Zealand
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…
Option for the Poor
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…
Ask the Beasts
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 Magic of Beauty
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…
Coming to Completion
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…
Beginnings and Endings
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…
Inside Silence
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,…