The Imam and the Pastor in Person
The Centre for Muslim States and Societies at University of Western Australia and Initiatives of Change invite you to hear from The Imam and the Pastor in person.
At a time when many in the world are wondering whether friendly relations are possible between those of Muslim and Christian background, Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye are living proof that they are.
In recent years, Nigeria has been rocked by ethnic and religious conflicts, with tens of thousands killed and whole communities devastated. In the 1990s, the two men led opposing, armed militias, dedicated to defending their respective communities. In pitched battles, Pastor James lost his hand, and Imam Ashafa’s spiritual mentor and two close relatives were killed.
Now the two men are co-directors of the Muslim-Christian Interfaith Mediation Centre in their city of Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, leading task-forces to resolve conflicts across the country. The story of how they made this remarkable transition is told in the award-winning documentary The Imam and the Pastor (available on DVD).
They have wowed audiences at the United Nations in New York, across North America and Europe. now they are coming to Australia for the first time to share their experiences through a series of interactive meetings… Come and be inspired.
When: Saturday, October 25
Time: 7.30pm
Where: Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, University of Western Australia
For more information: contact Lindsay Cartwright (tel. 9448 8542) or Zarlasht Sarwari (tel 6488 4554; email. cmss@uwa.edu.au)
A Greener Faith and the Future of Planet Earth
Progressive Christian Network – WA
Eco Theology Workshop
A Greener Faith and the Future of Planet Earth
When: Saturday October 11
Time: 8.30am-3pm
Cost: $25 (including Lunch)
Where: Floreat Uniting Church, 50 Berkeley Crescent, Floreat
Two guest speakers and a video address:
Dr Lucy Larkin who has studied this topic for over 20 years with a M Phil and a PhD in Eco-theology (Birmingham) including a Georgia Harkness Visiting Scholarship at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A. A mother of three young children, Lucy is training for the Anglican Ministry in South Australia.
Lucy will be preaching at Floreat UC at 9.30am on Sunday 12th October.
Professor Peter Newman is Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University. He has been closely associated with the redevelopment of Perth’s rail system since 1979, now a model for how car dependent cities can change towards sustainable transport. Peter has been an advisor to the WA State Government and from 2001-2003 was Diirector of Sustainability Policy writing the State Sustainability Strategy: the first in the world at a province level. In 2004-2005 he was the New South Wales Sustainability Commissioner and in 2006-2007 a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Virginia. Peter is an active Anglican.
A replay will be screened of a recent address given at Yale University by Professor Sallie McFague who holds a BA (magna cum laude) from Smith College, a BD (magna cum laude) from Yale Divinity School, an MA and PhD from Yale University and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Smith College. She has retired as Carpenter Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt Divinity school. A prolific author, her books include: Metaphorical Theology, Models of God, The Body of God, and Super, Natural Christians. Life Abundand: Rethinking Theology an Economy for a Planet in Peril. Dr McFague’s most recent book is A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming.
Contacts:
Mary Yuncken 9385 8537, Richard Smith 9384 3308, Theo Mackaay 9325 5766 Email: clc@westnet.com.au
Program and Enrolment form at www.floreat.unitingchurch.org.au
Events for the Heart and Mind – 24 September
In this edition:
Discovering Balance – An international conference on prison reform, restorative justice, and human rights; Beyond Occupation? Examining the New Reality in Israel and Palestine; Anti Poverty Week; Christ & Culture; The Law of the Land. Continue reading ‘Events for the Heart and Mind – 24 September’
Anti-Poverty Week Ecumenical Service
To highlight our uniting call of solidarity against poverty.
“Australia: Rich Young Nation”
Keynote address: Bishop Donald Sproxton, Catholic Auxilliary Bishop of Perth.
Please join us at St Brigid’s Catholic Church, cnr Fitzgerald and Aberdeen Sts Northbridge.
Tuesday 14th October at 12.15pm followed by refreshments in the church hall. Continue reading ‘Anti-Poverty Week Ecumenical Service’
Think:Fast
Be hungry for change for the world’s poorest people.
Anglicans around the world are called to mark the days betwen 20th and 27th September 2008 as days of prayer and fasting, around the meeting of leaders of the world at the UN 25 September in at the UN Special Assembly to consider the Millennium Development Goals. Continue reading ‘Think:Fast’
act for peace and the Millenium Development Goals
“I didn’t know it was so good to be able to read and write. Now I am learning. My teacher says I am a good writer, but sometimes is hard! Someday I will write my story and maybe more people would help us.” Amina Ishaq is a teenager leaving in an Internally Displaced People camp in Sudan; one of those camps supported by act for peace. Continue reading ‘act for peace and the Millenium Development Goals’
Like oil and water? Religion and Human Rights in Australia
The Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tom Calma, called for as many Australians as possible to become involved in a discussion about the current state of freedom of religion and belief in Australia when he launched the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Freedom of religion and belief in the 21st century Discussion Paper in Canberra today.
“The fundamental human right of freedom of religion and belief is protected by a number of international treaties and declarations,” said Commissioner Calma. “It encompasses freedom of thought on all matters and the freedom to demonstrate and express our religion and belief individually, with others, in private or in public.” Continue reading ‘Like oil and water? Religion and Human Rights in Australia’
Sustainable September
Sustainable September is an annual campaign in Western Australia that highlights the many different threads that are necessary to weave a sustainable future. Sustainable September demonstrates and celebrates sustainability in action. Continue reading ‘Sustainable September’
On the way to Christian Unity
Biblical Meditation: an Orthodox perspective
Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus… (Philippians 2, 2-5)
Though the content of the text from Philippians does not refer directly to the nature of the unity of the Church we seek, it refers to the process, or rather to the attitude one may adopt during the process of common search for Christian unity.
1. The key words which are coming out from this text is so familiar to both Orthodox theology and spirituality: humility, love, service and care for others.
Though the search for unity remains a commitment for all those involved in ecumenical encounters and dialogue, the difficulties persist as different parties understand and approach it differently. For some, the dialogue is accepted as long as the different identities, as they are understood and lived in their historical developments, are not threatened. There is a fear of loosing one’s particularity; there is a fear that in the process of searching for unity, some may gain some may loose. And no one wants to be a loser.
There is, at times, a power struggle of offering one’s “truth” over against the “truths” of the others. For the people with such thinking, attitudes and approaches, the dialogue is accepted and promoted as long as it leads to and remains to the level of “cooperation” , but does not imply any notion of change or transformation.
The problem is that some of us behave, at times, as the two disciples from the Gospel text of the day. They asked to be put of the right and left hand of Jesus when He will come in His Kingdom. However, some of us involved in the ecumenical dialogues and in search for Christian unity behave as being already placed at the right and left hand of Jesus. And from there we speak arrogantly to the others.
2. Christian truth is not an ideology; it is not a system of thought, a collection of right formulations in conflict or competition with other ideological systems. The Christian truth is to be found in the person of Christ who offered Himself as being the truth, the way and the life. The Christian witness refers to the witness of the fullness of Christ. Through Christ, we have relation to the Father and are partakers of the koinonia of the Holy Spirit. The formulations of the early ecumenical councils were not innovations or additions or further doctrinal developments of the apostolic Kerygma, but affirmations and articulations about the fullness of Christ when it was challenged or disputed. Even then, it was not the intent of clearly putting in antagonism the bad and the good verbal formulations. The main reason for such formulations was related to the issue of salvation, which was very much dependent on the fullness of life in Christ. [read more...]
Events for the Heart and Mind – 10th September
Featured in this edition:
Vacancies at the Australian Student Christian Ministries and Murchoch Human Research Ethics Committee; Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development applications now open; Rev. Keith Dowding’s Memorial Service; Gender Analysis Workshop; Protests about Welfare Quarantining and an Arms Exhibition in Adelaide; and lots more! Continue reading ‘Events for the Heart and Mind – 10th September’
