Category Archives: Reflections

For whom the bell tolls

Posted on July 29, 2019 by

Almost 400 years ago, John Donne penned the words which became a modern proverb, and have proved with the passing of time to be prophetic as well: No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece … Continue reading →

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The Fourth R

Posted on May 14, 2019 by

For years now educators have reminded us of the need to address the “three R’s”: Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic. At the same time, Religion scholars and especially those of us engaged critical biblical studies have been warning people not to … Continue reading →

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Sarcasm as a ​rhetorical​ tool

Posted on May 7, 2019 by

The axiom, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence”, is usually attributed to Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet and playwright who lived in the second half of the 1800s. That attribution may not be … Continue reading →

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Religion is no cloak for hate speech

Posted on April 22, 2019 by

The media has recently been awash with stories about the hateful comments made online by Australian Rugby Union star, Israel Folau, about various classes of people being destined for hell unless they repent and conform to a set of beliefs … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Theology | 3 Comments

Compassionate Grafton

Posted on March 19, 2019 by

These past few days the people of Grafton and the wider Clarence Valley have reeled in shock as we heard about the massacre in two Christchurch mosques and then learned that the assailant was one of our own, a young … Continue reading →

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Mindful worshippers

Posted on March 6, 2019 by

Prayerful Practices A checklist for mindful worshippers   A checklist for prayerful practices to help us become more mindful as we engage intentionally with the spirit-work God that calls us to undertake during these 40 days of Lent, and at all … Continue reading →

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Intentional discipleship

Posted on February 2, 2019 by

This essay was published in the February 2019 issue of North Coast Anglican which will be available in churches across the Diocese of Grafton this morning.   In the liturgical afterglow of Advent and Christmas with all those special services … Continue reading →

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Reflections on stuffing envelopes

Posted on November 28, 2018 by

As a child of active church people in the 1960s and then a young church leader in the 1970s, I have filled a lot of envelopes in my time and applied a vast number of address labels. Yesterday I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Grafton Cathedral, Reflections | 3 Comments

Easter—day #50

Posted on May 17, 2018 by

Reflections for Pentecost Sunday’s bulletin … Today we are observing Pentecost Sunday. This is a holy day with ancient roots that run deep into the spiritual soil of our religion, while offering us a fresh vision for what life and … Continue reading →

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The stories that define us

Posted on February 13, 2018 by

In his daily meditation for this past Sunday, Richard Rohr correctly invites us to embrace the concept of original blessing and eschew meta-narratives of violence, since these are stories that shape us. I have immense respect for Rohr and his … Continue reading →

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