Date: 2009-12-21 19:51:47
The Parliament of the World’s Religions is over, Copenhagen will be over in a day or two, and it’s almost Christmas.
Copenhagen tells us why the light of God sliced through this world in Jesus: to turn us back to the source, twist us in the wind of the Spirit forcing us to let go of our strangle-hold on God’s world and let it be.
Copenhagen is not yet over as I write this, but it looks as if we will all walk into Christmas feeling more of the shadow than the light. When I look out at the plants and trees struggling to survive, and the comforting summer rains refuse to come, I feel anger at the short-term-ism of political decision-making. Leaders of many faiths represented at the Parliament of the World’s Religions stressed the need to think in the long-term. Prophecy does. Promise does.
Jesus comes - helpless, dependent and full of promise. I pray that the light of Christ will slice through our lives, carving away all that is extraneous and needlessly short-term, and that the Spirit will lift us out of the cosy niches we have carved for ourselves to plonk us in the place of hard edges, making us into prophets and filling us with the light of promise.
QCT News will now take a break for a few weeks. When we return, perhaps you would like to share a few thoughts, however brief, on a Christmas learning or realization, or some aspect of promise in the New Year. We can publish them with or without names, as you wish. Send me an email: gensec@qct.org.au .
Peace be with you.
Glenine Hamlyn
Read the Christmas messages of leaders of the churches that make up the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA): "Grasping the message of hope, joy and peace."
As heads of state meet in Copenhagen and a cyclone sweeps over Fiji, the Pacific Conference of Churches urges the world to listen to the small island states, whose existence is threatened by climate change.
"We have only one world, this world, if we destroy it, we have nothing else." Desmond Tutu, Rowan Williams and others started bells ringing across the globe when the climate conference began in Copenhagen.
Was it just a “Disneyland of the faiths”, as one participant put it – or did the Parliament of the World’s Religions really make a “world of difference”?
In the new Kairos Document launched in the presence of international faith leaders, Palestinian Christians commit to resisting injustice but strongly affirm the humanity of all parties in the conflict.
Church leaders, both ordained and lay, are invited to take part in an ecumenical programme in 2010 on the Spirituality and Practice of Nonviolent Leadership.
Nungalinya College in Darwin is seeking a Training Manager for Vocational and Educational Training of Indigenous adults in literacy and theology.
26 January: Benarrawa Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Solidarity Group invites all to a short early morning ceremony of local acknowledgement of "Invasion Day".
The Queensland Government will hold a Multi-Faith Ceremony on Australia Day 2010. Members of the general public are invited to join in the celebrations and experience a vibrant and diverse gathering of religious groups from across Queensland.
During the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne from 3-9 December, thousands will be praying and advocating for action on climate change.
The Swiss have voted to ban the construction of minarets on mosques. Religious and moderate political leaders warn of threats to social harmony.
In a brave move the Salvation Army is raising awareness on human trafficking via a stall at a Melbourne sex and pornographic trade fair exhibition.
... to tell us about any ecumenical Advent services or other activities in your area!
