Category Archives: Books

The bishop and the atheist

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

I am not often moved by a book, not one of this genre. I am intrigued, challenged, educated, infuriated or bored, but rarely moved. Pitting the perspectives of atheism and religious faith against each other can be occasionally stimulating, often … Continue reading →

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John, me and Dorothy

Posted on May 9, 2013 by

I didn’t know until now, but apparently I have a John allergy. I must have. How else can I explain my aversion? By John, I mean the gospel. You know, Matthew, Mark, Luke and … that one. With four to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Spirituality | 3 Comments

Kitchen Table Memoirs

Posted on April 23, 2013 by

I’m not long back from a few days in Christchurch, New Zealand, with the wonderful communities that make up the church formally known as Spreydon, now Southwest. More of that later. On the way home I passed the transit hours … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Life at the table | 2 Comments

The Perfectionist

Posted on September 4, 2012 by

If you’re a fan of biography, especially from the kitchen, then Rudolph Chelminski’s The Perfectionist is a delectable read.  It’s a captivating and honest account of the rise and tragic fall of Bernard Loiseau, the irrepressible, larger than life and entirely … Continue reading →

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The miracle of words

Posted on August 30, 2012 by

To coincide with the Melbourne Writers Festival and our own season of films and books, we’ve invited the poet Cameron Semmens to be our writer-in-residence at Collins Street.  As part of his residency, Cameron has offered two writing workshops, one … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Writing | Leave a comment

Home: An Australian Dream?

Posted on August 27, 2012 by

I feel like a grump.  An urban grouch. Here I am sitting in my city apartment, listening to the happy sound of empty bottles being dumped into the industrial bins below my bedroom window and wondering why on earth people … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Life at home, Life in the city, Life in the neighbourhood | 6 Comments

Three cheers for theology?

Posted on August 21, 2012 by

Though I am no longer teaching theology as a full-time profession, I still do a bit here and there, most often in the field of what’s called practical theology. Though it’s an arena of learning I feel passionate about, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Theology | 1 Comment

Roadside Religion and Placards of Faith

Posted on August 14, 2012 by

Routinely here in the city there is a man who stands across from the Bourke Street Mall holding high a large placard proclaiming his religious faith.  In hand-painted words, sometimes misspelt, he declares God’s wrath, the reader’s depravity and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Life in the city, Theology | Leave a comment

This Time Tomorrow

Posted on August 9, 2012 by

We’ve begun a simple practice at Collins Street. Shamelessly poached from elsewhere, it’s called This Time Tomorrow. Just prior to our prayers of intercession, I invite two or three people to tell us in 100 words or less what they’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Church, Spirituality | 4 Comments

The wisdom within

Posted on August 8, 2012 by

As a totally biased reader of non-fiction, my own interest is not in imagined stories but in those that are lived. No need for the extraordinary or impressive, just for reality, honesty and self-awareness. I’ve always felt that our own … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Spirituality | 2 Comments