Date: 2009-11-11 17:43:39
Reflecting on Monday 9th November, and apart from giving thanks for the significant celebrations of the past week concerning a major theological agreement, we remember this day for two dates in history: the Reichskristallnacht (in 1938) and the day the wall began to crumble (in 1989). One was a day of intense hate and unbelievable pain. Too many Christians looked on and even nodded as Jewish places of worship were burned to the ground and Jewish businesses destroyed.
The other day in 1989 was ushered in, at least partly, by the prayers and non-violent resistance of Christians. The memory of hearing the news in the car on a cold Friday night still sends shivers down my spine.
The gospel is all about repentance and seeking forgiveness. It is about receiving the grace of God through no achievement of our own. The divisions created by our feelings of superiority, our conviction that we are right, have no place in the gospel.
It may seem like a paradox that we feel driven to humble silence at the same time as we feel the urge to engage in dialogue. May God in grace show us how to do both.
Glenine Hamlyn
The significance of the Joint Declaration on Justification, whose 10th anniversary was celebrated on 31 October, can hardly be emphasized enough.
It goes to the heart of our experience, telling us who God is and who we are: the doctrine of justification. Read about an ecumenical seminar in Brisbane.
As the Australian Government considers legislation on investments linked to cluster bomb manufacture, the Uniting Church points to the involvement of the ANZ Bank.
Dubbed the “green patriarch”, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I builds bridges between Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.
It happened so suddenly. When holes started to appear in the Berlin wall, it was clear to the churches that peaceful resistance and prayer had played some part in it.
29 November, Brisbane: A fun day for family, with workshops and entertainment. Hosted by ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation).
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the Islamic Council of Queensland invite youth (boys, 16-18) of all cultures and faiths to a camp focusing on team-building and negotiating skills across cultures and faiths. A chance for Christian youth to get to know some Muslim youth and vice versa. The various faith traditions will be respected and given space.
Coming up soon: One God, Many Voices. Don’t miss this popular evening of music from the Abrahamic faith traditions.
Dec
