Category Archives: News

News: Lloyd Geering celebrates 106 years

Yesterday Lloyd Geering turned 106. We reflect on his life as an influencer of critical thinking about traditional Christian teaching, beginning with a clip from this conversation at his 100th birthday.

‘I have a great deal of optimism’ – famous Kiwi atheist Sir Lloyd Geering celebrates 100th birthday – Bing video

Sir Lloyd George Geering ONZ GNZM CBE (born 26 February 1918) is a New Zealand theologian who faced charges of heresy in 1967 for teaching that the Bible’s record of Jesus’ death and resurrection is not true. He considers Christian and Muslim fundamentalism to be “social evils”. Geering is emeritus professor of religious studies at Victoria University of Wellington. In 2007, he was appointed a Member of the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand’s highest civilian honour, limited to 20 living people. Geering turned 100 in February 2018.

Early life and family

Geering was born in Rangiora on 26 February 1918, the son of Alice (née Johnston) and George Frederick Thomas Geering.[1][2] The family spent four years in Australia from 1927 to 1930, where Geering was dux of Warrnambool Elementary School, before returning to Dunedin.[3][4] He was educated at Otago Boys’ High School between 1931 and 1935, where he was dux in his final year and vice-captain of the hockey 1st XI.[3][4]

In 1936, Geering went on to study mathematics at the University of Otago, graduating Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours in 1940.[3][5] While at Otago, he continued playing hockey and was a member of the university’s first-grade team. He was also active in university dramatic productions, debating and the Otago Student Christian Movement, being elected president of the latter in 1939.[4] In 1939, Geering was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship by the University of Otago.[4]

Geering “embraced” the Christian tradition in 1937.[6] After completing his BA(Hons), he entered Knox College as a theological student in 1940, and was exempted from military service in World War II.[3] He later said:[3]

I was a pacifist anyway by this stage. I took my Christian convictions so seriously that I couldn’t reconcile them with being a soldier.

On 22 May 1943, Geering married Nancy Marie McKenzie at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Timaru.[7] The couple had two children before Nancy Geering died from tuberculosis in Dunedin on 4 October 1949.[3][8] On 20 November 1951, Geering married Elaine Morrison Parker, a speech therapist, and they went on to have one child. Elaine Geering died in 2001.[1][9][10] Geering married Shirley Evelyn Adams in 2004. She died at the age of 95 in 2021.[11][12]

Career

Geering was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) in 1943 and practised as a minister in Kurow; Opoho, Dunedin (1945-1950); and St James, Wellington (1950-1956) before turning to theological teaching. He was the honorary associate minister of St John’s Church in Wellington from 1971 to 1983. He was named honorary assistant at St Andrew’s in Wellington in 1989. Geering remains on the register (Fasti) of New Zealand Presbyterian ministers.[13]

Geering has held the positions of professor of Old Testament studies at Presbyterian Church Hall, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (1956-1960), professor of Old Testament studies at Theological Hall, Dunedin (1960-1963), and principal of Theological Hall, Dunedin (1963-1971). In 1971, Geering became the foundation professor of religious studies at Victoria University of Wellington and held this position until his retirement in 1984 when he was appointed professor emeritus. In 1983, he became a lecturer at the St Andrew’s Trust for the Study of Religion and Society.[13]

Geering is a member of the Jesus Seminar and a participant in the Living the Questions programme, an alternative to the evangelical Alpha course, which he calls “dangerous indoctrination” growing among mainstream churches.[citation needed] He is also a member of the Sea of Faith Network (New Zealand), and St Andrew’s On The Terrace, as well as principal lecturer at St Andrew’s Trust for the Study of Religion and Society.

Heresy charges

In 1967, Geering gained a high-profile when he was charged with “doctrinal error” and “disturbing the peace and unity of the (Presbyterian) church”.[14] The case was brought before the 1967 General Assembly of the PCANZ, and dismissed without being much discussed.[15] The charges were brought by a group of conservative laymen and a conservative minister. During his church trial, he claimed that the remains of Jesus lay somewhere in Palestine and that the resurrection had been wrongfully interpreted by churches as a resuscitation of the body of Jesus. He also rejects the belief held by all monotheistic faiths that God is a supernatural being who created and continues to look over the world.[16]

Later life

Geering’s second wife, Elaine, died in Cromwell on 19 August 2001.[10] In 2004, Geering married Shirley Evelyn White (née Adams).[17]

On 26 February 2018, Geering celebrated his 100th birthday, emulating his father who also reached 100 years of age.[18]

Shirley, Lady Geering, died in Petone on 1 October 2021.[19]

In 2021, Geering joined the group Intergenerational Climate Ambassadors, established in 2020 by scientist Jim Salinger and Sophie Handford, a K?piti Coast district councillor.[20] At the time, Geering said:

“Fundamentalist Christianity would regard things to be in the hands of a God who controls. That idea of God has just vanished really. We now know that we are in the hands of natural forces in the world, and because of what humans have done to the earth, they have produced a situation where the temperature’s going up all the time – and it will reach a limit which we can’t survive.”[20]

Honours and awards[edit]

In 1976, Geering was conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the University of Otago.[3]

In the 1988 New Year Honours, Geering was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire,[21] and in the 2001 New Year Honours he was made a Principal Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to religious studies.[22] In the 2007 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of New Zealand. In 2009, he accepted redesignation as a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, following the restoration of titular honours by the New Zealand government.[23]

Geering is a patron of the Coalition for Open Government.

Selected publications

  • Portholes to the Past: Reflections on the early 20th century (2016). Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand: Steele Roberts, ISBN 978-0-94749333-2
  • On Me Bike: Cycling round New Zealand 80 years ago (2015). Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand: Steele Roberts, ISBN 978-1-927242-93-3
  • Reimagining God: The Faith Journey of a Modern Heretic (2014). Salem, OR: Polebridge PressISBN 978-1-59815-156-5
  • From the Big Bang to God: Our Awe-Inspiring Journey of Evolution (2013). Aotearoa, NZ: Steele Roberts, Salem, OR: Polebridge Press, ISBN 978-1-59815-139-8. Ebook ISBN 978-1-59815-140-4
  • Such Is Life!: A Close Encounter With Ecclesiastes (2010). Aotearoa, NZ: Steele Roberts, ISBN 1-59815-023-5
  • Coming Back to Earth: From gods to God to Gaia (2009). Salem, OR: Polebridge Press, ISBN 1-59815-016-2
  • In Praise of the Secular (2007). St Andrews, ISBN 0-9582880-0-3
  • Is Christianity Going Anywhere? (2004). St Andrews, ISBN 0-9583645-8-3
  • Wrestling with God: The Story of My Life (2006). ISBN 1-877242-36-5
  • The Greening of Christianity (2005) ISBN 0-9583645-9-1
  • Christianity without God (2002). Salem, OR: Polebridge Press, ISBN 0-944344-92-5
  • Christian Faith at the Crossroads (revised 2001). Salem, OR: Polebridge Press, ISBN 0-944344-83-6
  • The World to Come: From Christian Past to Global Future (1999). Salem, OR: Polebridge Press, ISBN 0-944344-76-3
  • Tomorrow’s God: How We Create our Worlds (1996). Salem, OR: Polebridge Press reprint 2000, ISBN 0-944344-81-X
  • In the World Today (1988)
  • The World of Relation: An Introduction to Martin Buber‘s I and Thou (1983)
  • Faith’s New Age: A Perspective on Contemporary Religious Change (1980)
  • Resurrection – A Symbol of Hope (1971)
  • God in the New World (1968)

oOo

News: Vale – William (Bill) Wallace

Loss of Progressive Hymn Writer

Colleagues,

I have just received out of New Zealand, a notice from Michael Wallace that his father, William (Bill) Wallace died this evening, aged 90. A long-time ‘progressive’ I have known Bill for many years and am saddened by this news.

Rev Rex A E Hunt, MSc(Hons)

Progressive hymns – from our own Bill Wallace

An amazing collection of Bill Wallace’s progressive hymns (words, music scores and mp3 files), available for free download from  Progressive Christianity, and the Methodist Church of New Zealand Te Haahi Weteriana Aotearoa. Collections include Boundless Life (35 hymns), The Mystery Telling (48 cosmic hymns), Aotearoa (21 hymns), Sing Young Sing Joyfully (40 hymns for children), Festive Worship ( 17 hymns for festivals of the Christian year), and Seasoned Celebration (5 hymns for nature’s seasons).

 

William Livingstone Wallace (Bill), a retired New Zealand Methodist Minister and long-time member of Durham Street Methodist Church, is one of the most prolific contributors to Progressive Christianity, where on that website alone he has over 200 hymns and 260 pages of other worship material. His hymns have also appeared in 13 different denominational hymn books and 17 other hymn collections.

Bill says that his work springs from communicating with the fire in his gut and his observation of both the internal and external aspects of the Cosmos. Since an early age he has been both sympathetic to and critical of the church.  At varsity he found an intellectual home in the ecumenism and radicalism of the Student Christian Movement and at theological college was frustrated to discover that neither these nor liturgy were regarded as major elements in the curriculum. In parish life he found that writing hymns was a more acceptable way of presenting radical thoughts than sermons. They allowed these thoughts to slide into the mind on the back of music.

His radicalism sprang from his experiences as a labourer and his exposure to great inequality in the Philippines. It was these that led him to abandon the idea that wealth is a gift from God and with it the belief in an intervening deity. Bill found his true spiritual home when he was introduced to the Christian mystics, especially Hildegard of Bingen and Meister Eckhart. This explains why he has sometimes been called a prophetic mystic.

He holds a B.A. in philosophy and a Dip.Ed. and is the author of seven published collections of his hymns as well as the material on this website. His aim is to help people be empowered by the divine within them and the Cosmos and to work to overthrow the forces of personal and institutional greed which destroy both the ecosystem and human society.

oOo

 

Event and News: St Lucia (Q)

St Lucia Spirituality Group
Newsletter February 2024

Greetings

Our last meeting of the Butterfly series was held on 6 February. Twenty spiritual seekers attended our zoom meeting and discussed the topic “Death and Rebirth”. Some participants shared personal experiences of life transitions that were major changes, emotionally distressing and processed over a long timeframe. Comments were made about the importance of proper endings to occur, without which new beginnings are difficult or stillborn. Discussion also centred on the period of liminal space (or neutral zone) which can be characterised by indecision, anxiety, disharmony, and uncertainty.

It was stressed that moving from endings to new beginnings is not like a simple step through a door. An analogy was made between the experiences in liminal space and St John of the Cross’ agony in his Dark Night of The Soul. Reference was also made to the relationship between the transitions model and the Easter Trilogy, with Good Friday representing endings, Easter Saturday representing the distressing neutral zone and Easter Sunday representing new beginnings. Our discussions, and indeed the briefing paper, focused on transitions during one’s life. Some participants were disappointed that we did not discuss permanent death and the afterlife. Perhaps this points to a future topic!

Butterfly Series – Next Meeting

The next episode of the Butterfly series will draw attention to the phenomenon of a Victim Mentality, explain it and encourage the reader to reflect on its occurrence in their own life, the lives of friends and relatives, groups, or entire cultures. The daily news broadcasts serve up a cocktail of stories about suffering through car crashes, domestic violence, fires, earthquakes, wars, and the like. Victims are often interviewed, and their suffering is red raw. When that suffering takes over one’s life, is not worked through and overcome, does not give way to forgiveness, then the victim develops a victim mentality that —like a drug—makes them feel good for a while, but then sucks the life out of them.

The briefing paper reproduces an article on this subject, entitled “Beware the Dangers of a Victim Mentality”, written by Akos Balogh, a Hungarian born Australian. Thank you to Brendan O’Sullivan for suggesting the topic and bringing the article to our attention.

This paper is available upon request or on our Facebook page. Our Episode 27 meeting will be held on Zoom at 6:00pm AEST on Tuesday 5 March 2024. Come early to meet the others there. Use this link to join the meeting. The zoom meeting will open at 5:45pm.

To register your attendance, please email John at jscoble@hradvantage.com.au. CAUTION: If you are on Daylight Saving Time, be careful about the time.

Also, if you intend to join the meeting, please store this email in a safe place so that you can easily retrieve it and so ensure that you are able to join us.

Topics for 2024

We are looking for potential topics for 2024. Are there any issues on which you would like to hear the group’s opinions? Is there something that has been particularly concerning you in your spiritual journey? We’d like to hear about it, particularly if you are prepared to work with us on preparing a discussion paper. If so, let us know.

Discussion groups

Our objective for this group is to promote the discussion of ideas, building a community of seekers. This is more likely to happen in small, intimate groups. Is there anyone in your local area you could meet for coffee or breakfast as part of your journey? John and Robert meet with a few others for breakfast each month, but their group started with the two of them meeting for coffee and chatting. Who could you invite?

We are aware of some members looking for groups to join in places like Noosa, Kenmore (Brisbane), and Sydney. Do you have one? Please let us know. If you would like to be notified if we are aware of others seeking to form a group, please let us know your suburb/town/postcode. Please understand that if you give us this information, you are also giving us permission to share it.

We believe the future of our churches lies in these small groups.

Website – HELP PLEASE!!!

As our community continues to grow, it is time to design and launch a web site. Our Facebook page offers only limited access but has an increasing amount of material that could be accessed more widely. We are seeking to identify a person with professional web site design experience (or a highly skilled amateur) who would be willing to assist us for a reasonable fee. If you know such a person, could you please provide their contact details to us slsg4067@gmail.com?

Our Newsletters & Facebook Page

  • Do you know anyone who might like to receive these newsletters too? They can easily subscribe for our newsletters and other news by clicking on this link.
  • We invite you to find our Facebook group by clicking on this link, it will take you to our page where you will be able to apply to join.
  • Our Facebook page has all past newsletters and discussion papers available under “Files” for viewing and download.
  • You can also contact us by email slsg4067@gmail.com.

Go well…

John Scoble & Robert van Mourik

oOo

News and Event: St Lucia Spirituality Group

The Explorers at St Lucia have issued the following newsletter:

St Lucia Spirituality Group
Newsletter January 2024
Greetings

Butterfly Series – Next Meeting

Our next meeting will explore the spiritual dimensions of death and rebirth for individuals, groups, and organisations. Death and rebirth are intrinsic to life on earth. They are built into creation by the Great Spirit. The stars in the universe, animals, humans, relationships, and organisations are born into existence, thrive and then begin to decay, until concluding with death and, in many cases, re-birth. This cycle is repeated day in and day out and has been occurring for almost 14 billion years.

We will examine a simple model of endings, neutral zone and new beginnings as it applies to various transitions in one’s life. Some of these transitions include leaving home, moving cities, marriage, having a child, divorce, retrenchment, death of parents and so on. We will also examine the repercussions of this reality spiritually. How does the model apply to one’s belief system as one matures? What happens when one’s God paradigm shifts? How does the model apply to worshipping communities as they wax and wane over time. How have transitions in Christianity unfolded throughout history?

These and other questions form the basis of a briefing paper which is available upon request or on our Facebook page.

Our Episode 26 meeting will be held on Zoom at 6:00pm AEST on Tuesday 6 February 2024. Come early to meet the others there. Use this link to join the meeting. The zoom meeting will open at 5:45pm.

To register your attendance, please email John at jscoble@hradvantage.com.au.

Topics for 2024

We are looking for potential topics for 2024. Are there any issues on which you would like to hear the group’s opinions? Is there something that has been particularly concerning you in your spiritual journey? We’d like to hear about it, particularly if you are prepared to work with us on preparing a discussion paper. If so, let us know.

Discussion groups

Our objective for this group is to promote the discussion of ideas, building a community of seekers. This is more likely to happen in small, intimate groups. Is there anyone in your local area you could meet for coffee or breakfast as part of your journey? John and Robert meet with a few others for breakfast each month, but their group started with the two of them meeting for coffee and chatting. Who could you invite?

We are aware of some members looking for groups to join in places like Noosa, Kenmore (Brisbane), and Sydney. Do you have one? Please let us know. We believe the future of our churches lies in these small groups.

Website

As our community continues to grow, it is time to design and launch a web site. Our Facebook page offers only limited access but has an increasing amount of material that could be accessed more widely. We are seeking to identify a person with professional web site design experience (or a highly skilled amateur) who would be willing to assist us for a reasonable fee. If you know such a person, could you please provide their contact details to us slsg4067@gmail.com?

Our Newsletters & Facebook Page

  • Do you know anyone who might like to receive these newsletters too? They can easily subscribe for our newsletters and other news by clicking on this link.
  • We invite you to find our Facebook group by clicking on this link, it will take you to our page where you will be able to apply to join.
  • Our Facebook page has all past newsletters and discussion papers available under “Files” for viewing and download.
  • You can also contact us by email slsg4067@gmail.com.

Go well…

John Scoble & Robert van Mourik

oOo

News: The Future of Morning Star Publishers

Advice from Rev Rex Hunt

PROGRESSIVE RELIGIOUS BOOKS

Recently Morning Star Publishing (in Australia) announced they were ceasing to publish religious books other than the Bible. (Some time ago they were bought out by the Bible Society). This would mean many Australian and New Zealand progressive authors’ books would no longer be available unless they got another publisher. Coventry Books is only accepting new manuscripts. Spectrum Publications is yet to be approached.

But now, as recent as yesterday, MSP has announced they will keep their web site alive until 31 March 2024 so authors and the public can purchase books. So we do have a ‘last chance’.

Individuals, groups, check out the books that are presently available (see attachment) and put your orders in so you can use them in 2024 and afterwards.

Some authors may take advantage of purchasing print-ready manuscripts from MSP which may help if another publisher is approached.

If people know of other publishers (especially if they have published with them already) who may be interested, please approach. In OZ. In NZ.

In the meantime, let’s keep our fingers crossed!

Rex A E Hunt

Empire Bay NSW 2257

Rex provides a good list of Progressive source literature at:

Resources — Rex A E Hunt (rexaehuntprogressivelgy.com)

oOo

News: Jeremy Greaves is to be the next Archbishop of Brisbane

We share the joy of the Brisbane Anglican Archdiocese as it announces the election of Bishop Jeremy Greaves to the joint positions of Archbishop of Brisbane and Metropolitan of the Province of Queensland. He will be installed at St John’s Cathedral on Saturday 16th December at 10.30am.

Jeremy chaired the Common Dreams committee that prepared the international conference of Progressives in Brisbane in 2016. As Deputy Chair I enjoyed working closely with him.

Paul Inglis.

News: The current newsletter of the PCNSA

From our progressive partners in South Australia

PCNet Newsletter July 2023 (1).pdf

Packed with great reading including:

CHRISTIAN POLITICS – THE RADICAL CENTRE? by Fergus McGinley

THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY
A presentation given by Jonathan Barker at a forum organised by the South Australian
Anthroposophical Society on 19th March 2023

Also – Book Reviews and August Seminars Information.

oOo

 

News: St Lucia group newsletter

St Lucia Spirituality Group
Newsletter June 2023 Greetings
Our June meeting on Zoom welcomed Rev. Suzanne Grimmett, Rector-in-Charge of the Anglican Parish of Indooroopilly, as our guest for a discussion on the Feminine in Christianity.
An unknown author was quoted as saying that “God made humanity in God’s image and humanity has been returning the favour ever since!” How sad that we constantly seek to portray God in human terms, how limiting a view. Nevertheless, it became very clear throughout the discussion that the traditional view of God as a patriarchal, old, white male has significantly adversely impacted women and other minorities. This has caused great damage in their being treated as second class citizens and is reflected in social disfunction such as domestic violence. The meeting served to enable our (male) eyes to appreciate the damage more fully being done to women and others. For example, reflected in the Catholic Church’s view that while women bring “other gifts” to ministry, they are nonetheless insufficient for celebrating the Mass. How absurd. A well-attended, stimulating, and thoughtful discussion.

Isn’t it interesting, perhaps frightening, to discover that we can hold deeply seated beliefs without ever questioning them? Our next meeting will examine the notion of Atonement Theory a belief, founded in the questionable doctrine of original sin, that Jesus died for our sins. This belief is deeply embedded in our literature, our hymns, our psyche, and our art. For example, highway billboards and street corner evangelists proclaim “Jesus died for our sins.” And this notion of sacrifice is embedded into our worship e.g., “the sacrifice of the Mass.” John Shelby Spong provides this assessment of Atonement Theory:

  • God is a vengeful monster requiring blood sacrifice
  • Jesus is a chronic, perpetual victim, and
  • Participating in our church services is a guilt trip, its primary message is that we are fallen sinners.
  • Together, a theology that denigrates our humanity.

If we have a theology that requires victims, then that also require victimisers, and history has demonstrated that errant theology has created many. If that is what God is, we do not need God in our lives, nor do we need a manipulative religion.

At our next meeting we shall examine the validity of this belief and the possibility of an alternative view that could be more life affirming.

Butterfly Series – Next Meeting

We shall consider a paper on the topic “Why did Jesus die?” This pre-meeting paper to read and reflect upon is available by email, and on our Facebook page, please allow yourself sufficient time before the meeting to prepare. The paper draws on these two videos of talks by John Shelby Spong: Why Atonement Theory will Kill Christianity  and The Cross as the Moment of Glory – He Did Not Die For your Sins. We recommend viewing them, however, if your time is limited watch the second.

Our Episode 20 meeting will be held on Zoom at 6:00pm AEST on Tuesday 18 July 2023. Come early to meet the others there. Use this link to join the meeting. The zoom meeting will open at 5:45pm.

To register your attendance, please email John at jscoble@hradvantage.com.au.

Our Newsletters & Facebook Page

Do you know anyone who might like to receive these newsletters too? You can contact us by email slsg4067@gmail.com.

We invite you to find our Facebook group by clicking on this link, it will take you to our page where you will be able to apply to join.

Go well…

John Scoble & Robert van Mourik

oOo

News: Review of the discussion on original sin/blessing

St Lucia Spirituality Group
Newsletter April 2023

Greetings

Know that there is a power of infinite love within you and celebrate it!
Ilia Delio

Our April meeting on Zoom was our highest attendance yet, the conversation was wide ranging with diverse insights while everyone had an opportunity to contribute. Most of the conversation revolved around the original sin/blessing dichotomy and we did not have time to properly consider what the consequences of an emphasis on original blessing might be, as suggested in the discussion paper. Nevertheless, despite the church’s teaching on original sin, no one believed they were “wretches” as portrayed in the hymn Amazing Grace. Nor did Jesus. “You are the light of the world….seen like a city on a hilltop …. not hidden under a bushel,” he said. (Matt. 5:14-15).

One observation was that the concept of original sin made evangelisation difficult. Who could be attracted to a story about an angry, vengeful God, judging mankind harshly, sending his own Son to death on a cross as an atoning sacrifice? Reflecting a transactional relationship with God. Would you buy tickets to that show? We need a more credible narrative, consistent with Jesus’ core teaching of abundant love, around the Genesis story founded in original blessing, of God’s love and how we can grow and fulfill our human potential for the good of all.

The father of the prodigal son and the vineyard owner portrayed in the parables exemplify a God of unconditional love. Anthony de Mello, in one of his meditations, describes God’s love as being like a rose offering up its scent, a light illuminating the darkness or a tree offering shade – all without considering whether anyone might benefit. Love freely given.

In a recent webinar, Ilia Delio said “God is a name symbolic of divine mystery, incomprehensible. We don’t even know what the human person is; which has divine potential within.” How do we realise this potential? At his 1994 inauguration, Nelson Mandella quoted this poem by Marianne Williamson:

Let Our Own Light Shine

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

A positive view of ourselves, made in the image of God, should give us confidence to realise our fullest human potential, to be the best that we can be. At our May meeting we shall consider some insights into how we could accomplish this.

Butterfly Series – Next Meeting

We shall consider this 30-minute video of a talk given by Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox:

Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet

Matthew Fox is an internationally acclaimed spiritual theologian, formerly a Catholic Dominican priest and now an Episcopal priest, and activist. He holds a doctorate in History and Theology of Spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris and has devoted 45 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality. He has written 37 books that have been translated into other languages over 70 times, including Original Blessing (2000) and Creativity (2005).
There is also a short pre-meeting paper to read and reflect upon, available by email and on our Facebook page, please allow yourself sufficient time before the meeting to prepare.

Our Episode 18 meeting will be held on Zoom at 6:00pm AEST on Tuesday 16 May 2023. Come early to meet the others there. Use this link to join the meeting. The zoom meeting will open at 5:45pm.

To register your attendance, please email John at jscoble@hradvantage.com.au. If you are concerned about your ability to participate in these zoom meetings, we can accommodate you by simply allowing you to listen. Just let us know.

Doctrine of Discovery

Did you know that in 1455 Pope Nicholas V issued a proclamation “Romanus Pontifex” that provided legal authority to empower the Christian kings of Europe to enslave, plunder and slaughter in the name of discovery? Thus, the colonising authority of the invaders was established at the expense of the rights of the indigenous peoples.

This “doctrine of discovery” was formally repudiated by the Vatican on 30 March 2023. This doctrine has underpinned the suppression of indigenous peoples’ rights to this day and is the primary cause of the discontent we see. This abuse of their rights needs to be acknowledged and set right.

Our Newsletters & Facebook Page

Do you know anyone who might like to receive these newsletters too? You can contact us by email slsg4067@gmail.com.

We invite you to find our Facebook group by clicking on this link, it will take you to our page where you will be able to apply to join.

Go well…

John Scoble & Robert van Mourik

oOo