Conversations E-Journal: Latest Issue

The April 2009 issue of Conversations, includes the following articles:

Faith with Understanding

These papers, on different aspects of Christian life, were part of a series of talks given at Mark the Evangelist, UCA, North Melbourne.

• John Smith in the ‘Language of Faith’ asks us to consider the problem of the language we use within the church, and the barrier that that can cause. ‘It is like saying our files are in rich text, and sometimes they are encrypted, so we have to open them in a special way’.

• Christiaan Mostert explores the elements of words and symbols in ‘Living Sacramentally’ and offers the possibility that we could enter into the experience of sacramental worship with greater understanding than we have at present.

• ‘Living Baptismally’ is considered by Christiaan Mostert as not merely the first step of our life in Christ; but both the content and form to every subsequent step.

• In ‘Living Eucharistically’, John Smith outlines the origins of the Eucharist and the changes that have taken place, particularly in the early church.

• In ‘Living Prayerfully’, Katharine Massam offers the idea that prayer is about increased self-understanding and it can change us so that we conform more closely with God.

Book Review – Noel Schultz

Burning to Read: English Fundamentalism and its Reformation Opponents, James Simpson

Book Launch – Tom Elick

Uniting in Thanksgiving: the Great Prayers of Thanksgiving of the Uniting Church in Australia, Robert Gribben

What Future - Our Church?! – Randall Prior

Two papers presented to at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church Aotearoa New Zealand, Wellington, October 2008, in which Randall Prior explores where the Church is today and its possible future. - Part 1 - Part 2

Contributors

• Tom Elich is a Roman Catholic priest serving in the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul, Bulimba, QLD. He is also Director of the Liturgical Commission in the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

• Katharine Massam is Professor of Church History at the Center for Theology and Ministry

• Christiaan Mostert is Professor of Systematic Theology at the Center for Theology and Ministry

• Randall Prior is Principal of the Uniting Church Theological College and Professor of Ministry and Missiology at the Center for Theology and Ministry

• Noel Schultz is a retired Uniting Church Minister

• John Smith is Minister of the UCA Congregation of Mark the Evangelist, North Melbourne.