One of the region’s most experienced Pacific journalists suggests that countries such as Australia and New Zealand should use more people of faith in their development programmes. Bruce Hill has for many years reported for RNZ and ABC on Pacific issues. He says current secularism in the more developed nations is not exactly looked on with Read more
Non-Christian New Zealanders feel that Christians could better represent Jesus by letting their actions speak louder than their words, and by living out the values that Jesus represents. This is just one of the many findings contained in the Faith and Belief in New Zealand report released last month. The 67-page report contains a massive Read more
An atheist is urging Christians to do more to keep Christmas alive in the South Waikato. Tokoroa Christmas Parade coordinator Tony Williams said he’s disappointed by the lack of Christians supporting the annual Carols in the Park event, which coincides with the parade as part of the Tokoroa Big Weekend in December. “I confess to Read more
The Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew, in expressing his personal view about the removal of a Christian reference in New Zealand’s parliamentary prayer, says that “ While we hope that there would always be a prayer acknowledging the importance of God in our lives, it is important in today’s society to be respectful of Read more
Shops should be allowed to be open whenever they like, says Retail New Zealand which has presented its case on trading laws for Easter Sunday. Retail NZ supported the “liberalisation” the bill provided. It should be up to businesses to decide for themselves whether they wanted to open on any day of the year, spokesman Greg Read more
The Government’s attempt to “pass the buck” over Easter trading hours has not gone down well with Wellington City Council. Parliament is currently considering legislation that would allow local councils to decide whether shops stay open on Easter Sunday within their boundaries or within smaller, specific areas. But at a meeting on Wednesday, many Wellington Read more
Grace Rasmussen has been included in the Silver Fern Squad for the Constellation Cup series beginning Oct 20. As recently as last year she wasn’t considered good enough to go to the Commonwealth Games. A nice player, and person, questions existed about whether the theology student was robust enough for international netball. Rasmussen says her Read more
Ron Hay, a retired Anglican minister, has written a book, Finding the Forgotten God, subtitled Credible faith for a secular age. He said he was conscious that New Zealand is a very secular country and often a Christian voice doesn’t get much of a hearing in the media. “People have a stereotypical picture that to have Read more
The challenges facing churches in New Zealand and the United States are similar says a visiting American professor of Christian ethics Reverend Doctor David Gushee. “That is pretty much what I found during two weeks of lectures and sermons across New Zealand.” Gushee identified 4 overlapping challenges to religion which he believes are common to both Read more
Religion in Papua New Guinea is being increasingly privatised and there is an increasing loss of Christian values in public life says Fr Boniface Holz. “A common sign of this secularization is the emergence of social, political, and economical spheres in which religious influence is declining.” Boniface says the Papua New Guinea constitution has two Read more