Religious beliefs among Māori have shifted significantly over the past two decades. The number of Māori identifying as having “no religion” in the census between 2006 and 2018 increased from 36.5% to 53.5%. Māori affiliation with Christianity has fallen from 46.2% to 29.9%. Are Māori simply rejecting Christianity? Or are they rejecting all supernatural phenomena, Read more
I’ve just turned 70! Thursday 26th October 2023 to be exact. As if in a state of disbelief, I told everyone of this milestone stopping short in asking for a gift – as someone suggested! I have a broken handled mug by the kitchen landline that holds biro’s, pencils etc that reads: – life begins Read more
Last week, Pope Francis issued a short Apostolic Letter revising the scope of a Vatican Institute. It seemed hardly newsworthy. The Pontifical Institute of Theology was founded in 1718 for the theological formation of priests, and later for bringing theologians together to discuss theological topics. More recently it has held an occasional conference, mainly with Read more
Adult churchgoers in the United States infrequently switch churches. But if they make a congregational change, it’s likely they made a residential change first. And those who switch have high expectations for their new congregation. Data from a recent Lifeway Research study of American Protestant adults who attend church at least twice a month and Read more
It has taken just over a month for this new coalition Government to render Māori an almost nullity. The last time that occurred was in 1877 when the then Chief Justice James Prendergast proclaimed the Treaty was “worthless” because it had been signed “between a civilised nation and a group of savages” who were incapable Read more
The world’s vegetation has a remarkable ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and store it as biomass. In doing so, plants slow down climate change since the CO₂ they take up does not contribute to global warming. But what will happen under more advanced climate change? How will vegetation respond to projected Read more
Over the last weeks the war between Israel and Hamas has come to Australia. In our local park each junction of the path is marked by a stenciled message demanding a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Large, mainly peaceful, demonstrations in favour of the people of Gaza and of Israel have been Read more
The first assembly of the Synod on Synodality saw a number of world firsts, perhaps none more surprising than the inclusion of 54 women as voters in what had, until now, been a synod exclusively of bishops. One of them was Sydney’s Professor Renée Köhler-Ryan, National Head of the School of Philosophy and Theology at Read more
The giant Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro sparked chatter last week when it was fitted with a projected image of a Taylor Swift T-shirt, who launched the Brazil leg of her Eras Tour on Nov. 17. The 124-foot statue of Jesus, with outstretched arms that span 92 feet, can be seen from Read more
In the wake of recent events in Christchurch involving the fringe group “Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer” and their alleged exorcisms, a critical examination of the Church’s stance on pre-Vatican II Latin Mass rites is both timely and necessary. This group’s actions have them being accused of operating as a law unto themselves, disrespecting Read more