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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
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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Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (19 October 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 First Reading: Close encounters of the divine kind 3 Second Reading: Paul to the Thessalonians 3.1 New Testament letters 3.2 1 Thessalonians 4 Gospel: Whose head on the coin 5 Jesus Database 6 Liturgies and Prayers 6.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 33:12-23 & Psalm 99 [Isaiah 45:1-7 & Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13)]…
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Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (12 October 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Kissing calves 3 Gospel: The Feast 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 32:1-14 & Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 (Isaiah 25:1-9 & Psalm 23) Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 22:1-14 Kissing calves The episode of the “golden calf” is an archetypal symbol for apostasy, and it has an interesting…
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Jesus and the divine presence
Notes for a presentation to a symposium on the ‘Divine Presence’ at the Worship Centre, Murdoch University, Perth on Thursday, 2 October 2014 with Harold Ellens, Gregory C. Jenks, Alex Jensen, and Suzanne Boorer It is good to be back in Perth as a guest of the WA Progressive Network, and I am especially pleased to…
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Personal reflections on safety by a frequent visitor to Israel
It is natural — and very understandable — that people would have some concerns about travel to the Middle East, including Israel, at this time. As a general comment, I remind people that Israel is actually a very safe destination for travel. While not entirely reassuring, I often observe that the most dangerous thing about…
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Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (5 October 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 First Reading: The Decalogue 2.1 Five + Five 2.2 The heart of torah 3 Gospel: The Tenants & the Rejected Stone 3.1 The Tenants 3.2 The Rejected Stone 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 & Psalm 19 (or Isaiah 5:1-7 & Psalm…
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Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (28 September 2014)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Gospel: The two sons 2.1 Textual questions 3 Traditional Jewish wisdom or distinctive Jesus traditions 4 An orphan saying? 5 Jesus Database 6 Liturgies and Prayers 6.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Exodus 17:1-7 & Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 [Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 & Psalm 25:1-9] Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 Gospel: The two sons This…
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