Turning the World Upside Down, Down Under | Christianity Today

Source: Turning the World Upside Down, Down Under | Christianity Today

Australian Biblical scholar Michael Bird writes on the defetist so-called ‘Benedict Option’ vs the (active resistance) ‘Thessalonian Strategy’, as a way of engaging the militant anti-Christian atmosphere in Australia.

If I had to chose between the two, I would certainly opt for Bird’s suggestion. Dreher’s (falsely) monastic soluton was tried by the fundamentalists in the tweentieth centurry and it utterly failed).

Yet, I would like to offer and extra suggestion, based on the same first century that gave birth to the Thessalonian approach and on my experience as a persecuted Christian for 35 years beehind the Iron Courtain.

What about a ‘Calvary Strategy’, one based on happily carrying the cross and willfully accepting persecution as a normal part of the faitful walk with Christ?

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Tim Costello – All we should be saying, is give peace a chancea chance

All we should be saying, is give peace a chance.

Rev. Tim Costell, CEO of World Vision Australia believes that his country has to use wisely its role in world affairs, by giving peace a chance in Syria. I could not agree more.

Australia – Aboriginal Petition to the Queen

Uncle Boydie signing the petition, Rabbi Feldman, Abe Schwarz, Prof James
Haire, Barbara Miller and Glen Sebasio

Press Release – 29 May 2013

“Who would ever have thought that the grandson of Aboriginal rights campaigner William Cooper who tried to send a petition to King George V in 1938 would now be sending it to the King’s granddaughter Queen Elizabeth 11 in 2013, 75 years later. But that is exactly what Alf Turner (also known as Uncle Boydie) is doing” said Barbara Miller, part of a team helping him do it.

“Bipartisan support for the petition is rising” said Miller “with Opposition leader Tony Abbott signing it on the same day that the Journey to Recognition was launched at Federation Square in Melbourne. Education Minister Peter Garrett has also signed it as has Jeannette Powell, Victorian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and former Australian Democrats Senator Aden Ridgeway. There are currently over 80 signatures on it.”

“The reason the original petition, initiated in 1933, was not sent in 1938 is that Aboriginal people were British subjects but not Australian citizens, having lost their citizenship of their own nation in 1901 at federation” she said. “Also the federal government only had jurisdiction over the Northern Territory when it came to Aborigines. This is what started the campaign for the 1967 referendum so that Aborigines were counted in the census and the Commonwealth would be able to make laws for all Australian Aborigines.”

Jarrod McKenna – What Do You Stand For?

I thank Scot McKnight for this link. I was glad to see that Scot knows Jarrod too.

A Flight Over the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Australia

My first ride ever with a helicopter. It was fabulous. I was there also with my colleague and friend Fr. Mihai Pavel. Thanks, again, to our friend Rob Kilpatrick, for this great surprise.

You may find HERE and HERE some details about this famous rock formation on the southern coast of Australia.

O parte dintre anglicanii australieni vor sa treaca la catolicism

19.02.2010, Sydney (Catholica) – Cu unanimitate de voturi, în cadrul unei întâlniri speciale, un grup anglican din Australia şi-a exprimat recunoştinţa pentru gestul Papei Benedict al XVI-lea de a le facilita întoarcerea în sânul catolicismului, ceea ce şi urmează să facă în perioada următoare. Ramura australiană a grupării tradiţionaliste “Forward in Faith” (Înainte prin credinţă), a luat această decizie luni, afirmându-şi disponibilitatea şi dorinţa pentru transformarea lor într-un ordinariat în Biserica Catolică.

Ordinariatele pentru anglicani au fost stabilite de constituţia apostolică “Anglicanorum Coetibus”, la 4 noiembrie 2009, ca fiind forma în care anglicanii pot să revină în grup la comuniunea deplină cu Biserica Catolică, având dreptul de a-şi conserva elementele specifice spiritualităţii anglicane şi patrimoniului lor liturgic. “La acest prim pas vă spunem `mulţumesc` şi vom continua să mergem în această direcţie, deoarece uşa ne-a fost închisă de către Biserica Anglicană din Australia de o lungă perioadă de timp”, a afirmat Episcopul David Robarts, preşedintele grupării “Forward in Faith”. “Nu mai suntem doriţi (în Comuniunea Anglicană), iar conştiinţa noastră nu mai este respectată.”

Kevin Rudd and the islamofobs

Kevin Rudd is my favourite international politician these days (as you may easily guess, I have no favourite among Romanian politicians). Here are a few reasons for my sympathy;

Kevin Rudd – un om politic remarcabil

Urmărind imaginile zguduitoare ale catastrofalelor incendii din Australia, am fost uimit din nou de imaginea plină de naturaleţe şi de căldură umană a unuia dintre cei mai remarcabili oameni politici contemporani. Kevin Rudd, primul ministru al Australiei, a apărut de nenumărate ori în media în ultimele zile cu ochii în lacrimi sau încurajând cu genuină emoţie pe cei loviţi de acest teribil coşmar.