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Section: Religion

  • RELIGION

    The real enemy is war

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 23 November 2023

    Those who declare that the real enemy is war and who advocate for peace are usually criticised for being naively optimistic. But it is possible to recognise war to be the real enemy, while simultaneously recognising the complex challenges involved in avoiding war and encouraging peace.

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  • RELIGION

    Revisiting an ancient call to uphold justice for the vulnerable

    • Constant Mews
    • 21 November 2023
    1 Comment

    From the eyes of history, the current cycle of violence, sharpened by each side claiming that it had suffered the greater injustice, is itself the product of a much older cycle. In our own, multi-religious society we must all recognise the need to implement justice for all the vulnerable in society. Violence does not work. Justice must prevail.

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  • RELIGION

    Theology goes out with the tide

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 16 November 2023
    10 Comments

    In a recent letter, Pope Francis articulated a controversial vision for an active theology in the Catholic Church, which should be open, outgoing, working at the frontiers of church, rather than self-referential and inward-turning. Naturally, this has raised important questions around the proper place and role of theology.

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  • RELIGION

    The doubts of the five cardinals

    • Bill Uren
    • 16 November 2023
    3 Comments

    Just two days before the opening of the recently concluded Synod on Synodality, five senior Cardinals — German Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, United States Cardinal Raymond Burke, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen and Mexican Cardinal Juan Sandoval Ìñiguez — brought to public notice the five ‘Dubia’ (Doubts).

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  • RELIGION

    Religion and politics Sydney-style

    • John Warhurst
    • 14 November 2023
    9 Comments

    Religion and politics are frequent bedfellows. Despite many clerics and bishops holding strong political views, and many lay Catholics being active within political parties, the successful embrace of synodality depends upon finding middle ground, and leaders who respect a diversity of views.

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  • RELIGION

    Between war and peace: Pope Francis' Ukraine conundrum

    • Bruce Duncan
    • 01 November 2023
    3 Comments

    Pope Francis' cautious remarks on the Ukraine war have stirred a complex blend of admiration, confusion, and criticism as he finds himself straddling the line between moral authority and geopolitical pragmatism. The challenge for Francis is how to uphold ethical standards while effectively engaging in the nuanced world of global diplomacy.

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  • RELIGION

    What connects the Voice and the Synod of Bishops?

    • John Warhurst
    • 18 October 2023
    9 Comments

    This month we navigate the dual milestones of a failed constitutional referendum and the First Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Seemingly disparate, these events converge in debates over tradition, leadership, and discourse. Their outcomes promise to shape the nation's spiritual and secular contours for generations.

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  • RELIGION

    Catholicism's transgender debate

    • Bill Uren
    • 15 September 2023
    3 Comments

    As society grapples with evolving concepts of gender, and as the Catholic Church has maintained a stance in conflict with modern gender theory, recent statements by American bishops spotlight the chasm between doctrine and contemporary gender theories. Can these differences be resolved?

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  • RELIGION

    In the chorus of Yes, why aren't the bishops joining in?

    • John Warhurst
    • 14 September 2023
    46 Comments

    As the Voice Referendum campaign intensifies, many Catholic groups rally behind the Voice. But Australia's church leaders remain above the fray, maintaining neutral positions. As the lines between faith, politics, and indigenous rights blur, should the bishops be more prescriptive on how to vote?

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  • RELIGION

    The last conclave?

    • Miles Pattenden
    • 06 September 2023
    4 Comments

    In a recent interview, Professor of Church History and conclave expert Alberto Melloni passionately argued that the current conclave system, shrouded in secrecy and absent of clear criteria, might be outdated. With the Catholic Church facing unprecedented scrutiny, and in light of reforms initiated by Pope Francis, is it time for the Vatican to reconsider how its supreme pontiff is chosen?

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  • RELIGION

    Fire on earth: A centenary of Teilhard de Chardin's essay 'The Mass on the World'

    • Michael McGirr
    • 21 August 2023
    13 Comments

    In the realm of intellectual giants, Einstein's acclaim often overshadows luminaries like Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. A century after the publication of 'The Mass on the World', this Jesuit priest's reflections remain challenging, spotlighting his quest for a singular reality binding all existence.

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  • RELIGION

    The Empty Honour Board: In Conversation with Martin Flanagan

    • Michele Gierck
    • 18 August 2023
    5 Comments

    In his latest book, The Empty Honour Board: A School Memoir, Martin Flanagan reckons with the legacy of abuse in the Catholic Church by looking back at his experiences at boarding school in Tasmania. In an interview with Michele Gierck for Eureka Street, Martin talks about the process of uncovering what happened all those years ago. 

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