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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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A bountiful harvest
Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton Second Sunday after Pentecost 14 June 2020 [ video ] It is so hard to pass by the iconic story from Genesis 18, when Abraham and Sarah offered hospitality to three strangers only to discover—with hindsight, as always—that it had been God who was at their table all the time.…
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The eighth day of creation
Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton Pentecost. Sunday 31 May 2020 [ video ] Everything begins in chaos Darkness Tohu vabohu, writes the ancient Hebrew poet Formless Empty Immense swirling oceans (the Deep) No light at all from any source Then something happens: ruach elohim Christians like to translate that phrase: ‘Spirit of God’ Jews…
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Creating a Network not forming a Crowd
Palm Sunday Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton 5 April 2020 [ video ] It is Palm Sunday, a day for crowds. There were crowds in Jerusalem at Passover time 2,000 years ago … There are crowds in Jerusalem for Palm Sunday every year, except 2020 … There are good numbers at people at churches on…
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Faith community compassion generosity
Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year A) Grafton Cathedral 22 March 2020 [ video ] The gospel set for today is strangely apt and yet it strikes a chord that spells fear, not hope. Jesus is in Jerusalem and he encounters a man who has been blind since birth. Note the very different attitudes of the key…
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Clean hands and open hearts
This opinion piece appeared in The Daily Examiner on Thursday, 12 March 2020 “Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.” With these seven simple words, Dr Abdu Sharkawy, concluded a recent Facebook post about the coronavirus. Dr Sarkawy is a Canadian medical doctor and an infectious diseases specialist. His post went viral, which is an…
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Solidarity in blessings
First Sunday of Lent (Year A) Christchurch Cathedral Grafton 1 March 2020 [ video ] Perhaps not surprisingly on this first Sunday in Lent, the Bible readings chosen for today tends to focus on temptation and sin. For sure there will be sermons in churches all around Grafton and all over the nation about sin…
