• Nazareth Then and Now

    Nazareth Then and Now

    Ancient Nazareth lacked the critical advantages for its development as a significant settlement: abundant water supply, an elevated site for defensive purposes, and strategic location adjacent to a major highway. The most comprehensive recent study of the archeology of ancient Nazareth and its local region was completed by Ken Dark over several seasons between 2004…

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  • The oldest hatred

    The oldest hatred

    Presentation to a panel discussion sponsored by the Jewish Council of Australia at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane on Monday, 29 September 2025. The topic of the event was: Should anti-Semitism be exceptionalised or should we combat all forms of racism together? Co-hosts for the event included: Doykeit (a local Jewish group in Brisbane), St John’s…

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  • Love with its sleeves rolled up

    Australia Day 2020 Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton 26 January 2020   [video]   For almost five months, fires have raged across large tracts of our ancient and dry continent. Who could have imagined it? And February is not yet here. Yet, after an apocalyptic summer we are on the verge of normality. Well, some of…

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  • Gifts exotic and rare

    Feast of the Epiphany Grafton Cathedral 5 January 2020 [ video ] Here we are—almost—at the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Tomorrow (January 6) we complete the great celebration of Jesus’ birth within the Western tradition, and then tomorrow evening the Orthodox faithful will begin their Christmas celebrations. This double celebration in western and eastern parts…

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  • Celebrating the birth of Jesus

    Celebrating the birth of Jesus

    The Christ Mass 24 & 25 December 2019 Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton [ Let Mum rest | Video ]   Around the world today millions of people will engage in various rituals to mark the birth of Jesus more than 2,000 years ago. Millions of Orthodox Christians will keep the same feast on January 6 &…

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  • Son of David

    Son of David

    Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year A) 22 December 2019 [ video ] What a difference one week can make … Saturday last weekend we were lined up in the beautifully restored Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, waiting—along with hundreds of other people—to visit the ancient cave below the altar of…

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  • Good news for some

    Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton Twentieth Sunday after Pentecosts (C) 27 October 2019 [ video ] That gospel reading has two episodes, and in each of them people are coming to Jesus with hopes of finding some spiritual blessing; either for their children or some piece of wisdom for themselves as adults. In neither case do things…

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  • Two people walked into Grafton Cathedral

    Two people walked into Grafton Cathedral

    Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton Pentecost 19(C) 20 October 2019   [ video ] Today’s Gospel presents two views of religion. It is a great little story by Jesus because it captures the big story in just a few words. Let’s tell it again in local terms …   Two people head into Grafton Cathedral. They…

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