Israel Folau has attacked the Catholic Church because Catholics do not read the Bible. Folau is a rugby player who is fullback for the New South Wales Waratahs and Australia’s national team the Wallabies. Last Wednesday in an Instagram post, Folau suggested homosexuals and other groups – including drunks and atheists – were destined for Read more
The Archbishop of Wellington cardinal John Dew wants to go further than just combining parishes and reducing the number of church buildings. He is calling for a more mission-focused church. In an extended interview, posted on Stuff about two recent memos he has recently circulated, Dew said there should be “fewer conversations about ‘the colour Read more
All Blacks star Sonny Bill Willaims sat down with British Muslim convert John Fontain in the wake of the March 15th mosque attacks. He spoke about what the religion means to him, how he has struggled with acceptance in society, the toll the Christchurch attack has taken on his family and how special it was Read more
A new book published by Canterbury University Press brings to life a crucial period in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand when European settlers were mixing with Maori people and gives a compelling insight into Māori customs, values and beliefs of the time from a French perspective. A French Marist priest, Father Antoine Garin was Read more
The rate of teenage pregnancy in New Zealand has halved in the past decade, the Ministry of Health has revealed. The Report on Maternity found that in 2017 the teenage birth rate was 15 per 1000 females. In 2008 it was 33 per 1000. Read more
A study published earlier this month by two theologians resident in New Zealand suggests that Jesus himself was a victim of sexual abuse. Dr Rocio Figueroa Alvear is a Peruvian theologian currently lecturing in systematic theology at Good Shepherd College in Auckland and an external researcher at the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at Otago Read more
The study of religion has rapidly fallen into decline in New Zealand universities says Massey University’s Dr Wil Hoverd. “This follows a general trend occurring across the country, where religious diversity has been collapsed into broader discussions of biculturalism, ethnic diversity and superdiversity.” He says the result has been that “we lack the expertise to Read more
In his recent Newsletter, the Archbishop of Wellington drew attention to an article written by a priest from France, Jean-Pierre Roche, entitled “Stop calling me Father.” In his article, Roche says that priests may be able to make some small changes to overcome clericalism if they gave up expecting to be called “Father.” “In August last Read more
Muslim leaders are welcoming the chance to dispel myths about the faith, as more Kiwis reach out. They’re reporting a surge of interest in the religion in the wake of the Christchurch attacks. Ikhlaq Kashkari, president of the New Zealand Muslim Association, is delighted. He says everyday Kiwis are entering mosques for the first time Read more
Peter Thirkell, Secretary of the Care Alliance, has welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s statement that the End of Life Choice Bill “is not workable in its present state”. “Mr Seymour should withdraw his bill immediately. It is simply not feasible for MPs to try to ‘fix’ the bill during the Committee of the Whole House Read more