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This paper makes the case that Christians have strong faithbased reasons for urgent changes in their practice towards animals, particularly with respect to the ways they are now raised for food. It begins by arguing that animal ethics is worth our time both because it is urgent and because it intersects with other areas of ethical concern. It next provides an outline of where animals feature in Christian understandings of creation, reconciliation and redemption. The third section of the article provides a brief survey of how animals are currently being raised for food. It then considers the complex linkages between systems of animal agriculture, environmental racism, the climate crisis and the limited options of farmers. The paper concludes that Christians have reason to reduce consumption of animal products and source any remaining products from higher welfare sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, our world is facing increasing levels of mental illness and mental health disorders. In this paper I explore what both psychology and Christian spirituality have to contribute towards alleviating mental distress and fostering human flourishing. I start by drawing upon both lived experience and the literature to examine the notion of the soul in psychology and Christianity. I argue that both mainstream psychology and modern forms of Christianity have largely neglected the soul and -- by consequence -- lack the tools necessary to foster genuinely holistic human flourishing. Adopting an integrative and dialogical methodological approach, I suggest that a conversation between psychology and Christianity is necessary in order to revive the centrality of the soul and deepen our understanding of the whole human person as a spiritual creature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a Christian attitude to the animal creation by dialoguing with the views of Peter Singer, a well-known animal ethicist. It argues that a helpful way forward is to trace what the Bible says about animals using a biblical theology framework. The Bible consistently values animals as part of creation and views humans as both like and unlike the animals. In the end, it talks about human responsibility to care for all parts of the creation, but insists that there is something distinctive about humans. Humans cannot be regarded as simply another group of animals. Singer's views do contribute to the debate by reminding us of the interests of the animal world, but his overriding of the moral significance of humans as a species leads to some unfortunate consequences. While Christians need to review their understanding of the animal creation, Singer's proposals do not provide the best way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's experiences in Camperdown Cemetery, particularly reflecting on a monument honoring Indigenous Australians, and explores a Christian perspective on the Uluru Statement from the Heart (USH). Topics include the spiritual significance of land, the generosity and hopefulness expressed in the USH, and the confidence in the power of speech as a tool for reconciliation and justice.

The article explores and unpacks the significance of the Statement from the Heart, signed at Uluru in 2017, emphasizing its role as a justice and heart-healing tool. Topics discussed include the statement's focus on justice, personal healing, constitutional sovereignty, and dispelling misconceptions, such as its association with reconciliation, nation-building, and the notion of "the oldest living culture."

The article examines the benefits of exploring what the Bible says about human flourishing, as understanding of wellbeing in the Global North, particularly in affluent middle-class Australia, is said to be far removed from a biblical view. It discusses a passage in Deuteronomy suggesting that human flourishing is a consequence of obeying the commandments of God. It also outlines how the idols of self and power shape mainstream human wellbeing in middle-class Australian culture.

The article describes an integrated lens with an epistemological base in social work, sociology and theology that facilitates multidimensional, multidisciplinary analysis of the strengths and challenging aspects of society and their impacts. It describes the steps of the integrated approach to analysis and its development due to gaps in knowledge about rurality, particularly the rural Anglican church's engagement with different groups. It discusses examples showing the efficacy of the lens.

The 2022 US Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roev Wade (1973) resulted in a flood of commentary, much of it extremely polarised. This article does not address the morality of abortion as such, but the way the arguments about it are conducted in public discourse. I explore the question of what arguments might be persuasive by examining two articles about abortion by Christians: 'The Bible says nothing about abortion. So being antichoice is a cultural and political decision, not a biblical one', by Sean Winter, and 'No Sean Winter, you are wrong about the Bible and abortion', by Murray Campbell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of dying reflects changes in how we live. The isolation of the dying, the marginalisation of mourning in public life and the denial of death in medical culture have been widely documented in the twentieth century. The reluctance to discuss death in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen as an extension of an already existing reality. However, benefits are to be found in facing death, and Christians have been given the community and spiritual resources required to do it successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on reinterpreting the biblical narrative of Jonah through Pasifika storytelling traditions, particularly talanoa and fāgogo. It emphasizes a decolonial approach, challenging traditional androcentric interpretations. It explores the significance of the Great Fish in the Jonah story, drawing parallels with Pasifika fāgogo, and addresses environmental and colonial issues through the lens of boundary-crossing and the consequences of human actions on nature.

The article explores the fear of death and the desire to escape the limitations of the human body through cosmetic medicine and human enhancement. It discusses the normalization of cosmetic procedures and the pursuit of enhancing human capabilities, highlighting the underlying fear and loathing of mortality; and argues that accepting the givenness of the human condition and living with gratitude and love can provide a meaningful response to the fear of death.

In theological discourse about voluntary assisted dying, two of the most contested areas are those that relate broadly to matters of individualism, autonomy and rights, and those that are concerned with interpretations around the sanctity of human life given by God. These two areas represent unavoidably difficult theological spaces, with profound implications for Christian theology, especially for theological anthropology and for theologies of death. Drawing upon a range of sources mostly from Christian traditions, this essay locates these two concerns in a broader milieu and engages in some critical discussion around their theological complexities. It argues that fidelity to competing theological commitments is a form of resistance to the temptation to make the terrain of relevant moral judgements absolute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]