12 Simon Smart speaking at Narwee Baptist
19 John Dickson at CCC Lane Cove
24 10th Anniversary Smith Lecture by Professor Edwin Judge
“Death creates an economy that makes life precious. One of the ways of naming that preciousness is friendship.”
Stanley Hauerwas
Stanley Hauerwas
CPX News
The Twilight Phenomenon
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Dr Justine Toh offers a Christian reflection on the popular Twilight book and film series. |
The Complexity of 'The Christian Vote'
Mark Stephens questions the idea that there is a simple formula for winning the 'Christian Vote'.
Good Christians and Anne Rice
Greg Clarke and John Dickson consider how the behaviour of Christians affects how people perceive Christianity.
Birds of a feather don't necessarily flock together
John Dickson writes in the Sydney Morning Herald about the 'Christian Vote' and suggests that concern for others should guide our political choices.
Do Christians need a Christian Prime Minister
Greg Clarke writes on ABC Unleashed, arguing that Christians too often approach politics with an Old Testament mindset.
Professor Eleonore Stump
| Professor Eleonore Stump is The Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University. She received a Ph.D. in medieval studies and medieval philosophy from Cornell University in 1975. In this interview we talk with her about the problem of suffering for those who believe in an all-powerful, good God. We also address the question of the violence of the Old Testament. |  |
Voices for Justice
| Micah Challenge's Voices for Justice saw delegates from around the country lobbying politicians to ensure that Australia play its role in the Millennium Development Goals to halve extreme poverty by 2015. Simon Smart interviewed Carlyn Chen from Tear Australia at the event. |  |
To Kevin from Dietrich, a few words of solace - The Australian
| Riding high on a swell of popularity, only to be unceremoniously dumped. From shooting star to first-term fizzer. Whatever else Kevin Rudd's demise means, it must be a crushing personal disappointment to the former prime minister. It's hard not to feel sorry for him. Where can Rudd turn for consolation? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, of course. Read the rest of CPX fellow, Brian Rosner's article. |
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Make it Count 2010 webcast
Ahead of the Australian Federal Election, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition leader Tony Abbott spoke to Christian leaders at the Make it Count 2010 webcast. Simon Smart and Allan Dowthwaite from CPX were there and they give their thoughts on the event.
Time to seek the lost?
| A survey out last week suggests that nearly two-thirds of Australian voters would be happy with a return to the previous government’s policy of processing asylum seekers who arrive by boat. In other words, a return to a policy that, according to the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), does obvious harm to vulnerable children, women and men fleeing persecution. Greg Clarke and Simon Smart consider theological principles that could guide a wealthy nation's attitude towards desperate people. |
Religion in Education
In New South Wales debates about scripture and ethics classes have raised the broader issue of the place of religion in education. In light of this CPX invited Jane Caro, author, TV personality, and advocate of public education into the studio alongside Dr Timothy Wright, Headmaster of Sydney’s Shore School. In this interview, discussion focused on the state of public education, the place of religion in schools and where religious instruction fits into the task of education.
The Brothers Hitchens
Simon Smart writes in the Sydney Morning Herald about atheist Christopher Hitchens and his Christian brother, Peter.You can read an extended version of the article here.
Grace and Vivisection
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Patrick White didn’t win the ‘Lost’ Man Booker Prize (given to a novel published in 1970) when it was announced recently, but his novel, The Vivisector, is certainly worth celebrating. Greg Clarke gives his thoughts on why it is one of the unsung works of genius on the relationship between art and spirituality. |
The Re-Trial of Galileo
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The Galileo Affair has become, to use the words of ABCTV’s Compass host
Geraldine Doogue, “a defining moment in the stormy relationship between
religion and science.” Was he convicted justly? Or is this well-worn story a gross distortion? This is what a cast of churchmen, scientists, historians, lawyers and philosophers set out to determine originally performed at the University of New South Wales
and broadcast
on Australia’s ABC as “The Trials of Galileo”. CPX fellow Dr Larissa Aldridge provides her thoughts on the performance and whether it sheds new light on the relationship between Galileo and the Church. |
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God Science Interview - Professor Michael Drinkwater
| Dr Michael Drinkwater is based at the University of Queensland where his research interests include Dwarf Galaxy Formation, Star Formation in Galaxies, The Nature of Red Quasars and the International Virtual Observatory.CPX interviewed him about astronomy, the big bang, the age of the universe and whether he finds it difficult to reconcile his Christian beliefs with his scientific work. |  |
The Life and Faith of Patrick White
| Patrick White was one of the the most celebrated Australian authors of the last century and a winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. He was recently nominated for the Lost Man Booker Prize.Twenty years ago, David Marr wrote the definitive biography on White. In this interview at CPX, Marr reflects on important aspects of White’s life and work. |  |
Stanley Hauerwas Interview
| Stanley Hauerwas is a Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School in North Carolina. In 2001, Time Magazine called him “America’s Best Theologian”. CPX interviewed him about the connections between religion and violence, the place of Christianity in the modern university, death, friendship and community. |  |
Happiness & its causes
| Simon Smart attended the 2010 Happiness Conference in Sydney last week. Speakers included Naomi Wolf, Edward de Bono, Hugh Mackay and many others. Read his thoughts on what the experts are telling us are the key ingredients to a fulfilling life? |
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Having Eyes to See
| A disturbing story out of New York involving a man who came to the aid of a woman who was being attacked, has commentators asking questions about the state of society. Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax lay bleeding to death after being stabbed on a Queens sidewalk. Around twenty people walked by the stricken Guatemalan immigrant, and no-one raised the alarm or came to his assistance. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan might have some relevance in this instance. What is it that causes some people to act with compassion in circumstances such as this, and others to merely pass by? |
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Scripture, ethics and biblical literacy
| Currently in NSW there is heated debate about a trial to teach ethics classes in school alongside Scripture classes. Writing for The Punch, Greg Clarke argues that we should actually be teaching more Scripture in our schools. CPX has always seen the importance of good biblical literacy. Scott Monk has written for Quadrant Magazine on the same topic where he also points to the work being done by the US Bible Literacy Project. |
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Close encounters that make all the difference
| French Director Philippe Lioret's new film Welcome is an examination of an unlikely friendship that springs up between a Frenchman and a young Kurdish refugee who is planning to swim the English Channel. Simon Smart found the film is more than a political statement but rather a beautifully rendered story of courage, love and self-sacrifice. |  |
A Philosopher without God
Louise Antony is a professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is the editor of the book, Philosophers without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life. Simon Smart interviewed her about her loss of belief and the shape of a life without God.
Response to Global Atheism
| Greg Clarke writes a series of seven articles in response to the global Atheism movement, engaging with some of the key arguments being used by New Atheists against God and religion. Is it rational to believe in God? If God exists, why is he not observable? What about the claim that 'God is not Great'? Is faith just a leap in the dark? What are the personal implications of belief or non-belief? |  |
CPX in the media
It has been a busy Easter for the CPX team. John examines why we believe the things we believe, for ABC Unleashed. In light of the forthcoming Philip Pullman novel about Jesus, Greg Clarke considers why authors create fictional portraits of Jesus. In SMH online, CPX fellow Murray Smith responds to Dick Gross' claim that the Gospels present a biased portrayal of Pontius Pilate. Greg was also on Open House discussing Nick Cave, Bono and Jesus.
Can we trust the Easter story?
| At Easter time we recall an historical event that, if it occurred as
the gospels claim it did, was a cosmos-altering moment that demands our
attention and wonder. The crucifixion and resurrection of the man from
Galilee either changes world history forever, or merely represents an
eccentric phenomenon of interest to historians and sociologists, but
few others. Which is it? We have gathered together material that focuses on the Easter events and asks, ‘What are we to make of a 2000-year-old story that many believe holds the key to all hope, meaning and understanding?’ |
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Pornography and the Sexualisation of Girls
The two related issues here are fast becoming a concern well beyond the walls of religious institutions. People from many different parts of our society are recognising that pornography and issues related to the sexualisation of children are a worrying sign of a culture that needs to assess where it is headed. Could it be that the psychological, physical and spiritual health of a generation is at stake?
Melinda Tankard Reist is a Canberra author, speaker, commentator and advocate with a special interest in issues affecting women and girls. She is the author of several books including the newly released Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls (Spinifex Press, 2009). Melinda recently initiated a new grassroots campaigning movement, Collective Shout, to expose corporations, advertisers and marketers who objectify women and sexualise girls to sell products and services.
She spoke to CPX about the sexualisation of girls - how this is happening and what can be done about it.
Dr Robi Sonderegger is a renowned Clinical Psychologist. Sonderegger spent a number of years developing and validating evidence-based early intervention and effective treatment programs for behavioural and emotional disorders. Internationally, he is recognised as an expert consultant in trauma associated with war, exploitation, and natural disaster (with tens of thousands of refugees having graduated from his programs).
We spoke with him in Canberra about a subject he has serious concerns about - the dangerous effects of internet pornography.
God Science
| CPX is proud to announce the release of our DVD God Science - Creation, Darwin and the End of Faith. Can you believe in God in an age when science is arguably the dominant form of knowledge that people trust? Can you hold together a scientific worldview and one that includes belief in the supernatural? CPX has gathered a host of prominent scientists, historians, and philosophers to consider the place of faith in an age of science. Buy a copy at our online store. The DVD is an ideal discussion starter for teachers, academics and study groups. |  |
Creation, Darwin and the End of Faith
In late 2009, CPX Fellow Larissa Aldridge attended a symposium at St Paul's College, at the University of Sydney on 'Charles Darwin and the Church.' In a series of articles Larissa presents the key ideas of three of the papers given on the day. The first was by Professor John Gascoigne on Darwin and the British natural theology tradition. Secondly Professor Tom Frame explained the complex reaction in Australia to the publishing of origin of Species. Lastly Larissa outlines Rev Dr Stephen Ames' argument for a way of understanding Darwinian Evolution in a manner consistent with Christian Theology.
Global Atheist Convention
This weekend Melbourne hosts the first ever Global Atheist Convention. The atheist movement has been gaining momentum in recent years, making bold claims against religion generally and Christianity in particular. Much of the criticism focuses on perceived conflicts between faith and science, the reliability of the Bible, the role of religion in the violent history of humanity, as well as philosophical objections to the supernatural.
We have gathered video interviews, articles and audio here. We hope you will find the material helpful in assessing whether, as we at CPX believe, Christianity more than withstands these challenges to faith and belief.
Gays and Jesus: The Gospel According to Elton John
Elton John says that Jesus was a 'super-intelligent gay man'. CPX offers a Christian response, and a proposal that we recover the lost art of friendly disagreement.
David Bentley Hart Interview
Regarded as one of America's brightest theologians, David Bentley Hart speaks with authority on literature, philosophy, history, art and culture. In 2009 he weighed in to debates around the place of Christianity in Western culture with his book, Atheist Delusions - the Christian Revolution and its Fashionable Enemies. Watch our six-part interview with Hart conducted in a house in Baltimore, Maryland.
Garth Nix and the appeal of fantasy
Renowned fiction writer Garth Nix talks with Greg Clarke about why the fantasy genre is so popular today. What does this tell us about our society and its longings?
The Longest Walk
Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road has been made into a major film. It's a harrowing story that nonetheless has much to say about human nature and God. Read an article or listen to a podcast discussion about the book.
Avatar
Justine Toh examines the spiritual beliefs present in James Cameron's latest blockbusting film Avatar. Read or watch.
CPX Membership
The Centre for Public Christianity invites you to become a member and join our efforts to promote the public understanding of the Christian faith, using the best of scholarship and the best of media, in Australia and beyond.
CPX gets Deductible Gift Recipient status
June 2009
We are glad to announce that the Australian Tax Office has granted CPX tax deductibility status as a public library. Donations made to the work of CPX may now be included on tax returns as legitimate deductions. Contact us for more information.