An overwhelming 86 per cent of Australians believe multiculturalism has been good for the nation, according to the latest Mapping Social Cohesion survey from The Scanlon Foundation. Australians are accepting of cultural diversity and immigration, but concerned about changes impacting on social justice.
News
Vatican Official Tells Religions for Peace Assembly: No True Religious Leader Can Preach Violence
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sent a message to participants in the Religions for Peace European Assembly, currently gathered in Castel Gandolfo to discuss the theme “Welcoming Each Other in Europe: from Fear to Trust.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer – Godfather of Interfaith Theology?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) is regarded widely as a Christian martyr and Protestant saint. He was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who spoke out early against Hitler’s sinister plans for Germany and the world and especially his pretensions to be fulfilling some godly plan for restoring German greatness.
Catholic bishops condemn victimisation of women in detention
Australia’s Catholic Bishops have condemned victimisation of women in detention and offered the Church’s support to help Somali refugee Abyan who was said to be a victim of rape and sexual assault.
Interfaith Conference on Tantra
The Mela Interfaith Association in conjunction with the Janssen Spirituality Centre in Boronia, Victoria will hold the First Interfaith Conference on Tantra In Australia on 14-15 November this year. The theme of the Conference is: ‘Classical Tantra in the World’s Religions: The bliss that arises from the union of opposites.’
Countering Violent Extremism Requires a Whole-of-Community Approach
Countering violent extremism in Australia is a difficult task, fraught with political, cultural and religious sensitivities, exacerbated by social tensions and lack of understanding across various communities. One unintended consequence of the desire to secure our nation has been to heighten these tensions and divisions in many communities across Australia.
Muslim Radicalisation: Where Does the Responsibility Rest?
The problem of Muslim radicalisation is exaggerated and overrepresented in political, media and public discourses. In this article, Halim Raine says that the problem of Muslim radicalisation has clearly grown over the past several years and the contributing factors need to be considered.
Pastoral Care and the Complexity of Mental Illness in Pentecostal and Evangelical Churches
In April 2013, 27-year-old Matthew Warren tragically took his own life, after a lifelong struggle with mental illness. While such incidences may seem unremarkable due to their sad frequency, Warren was the much-loved son of Rick and Kay Warren, the pastors of Saddleback Church in California. In the light of Mental Health Week just passed, important questions must be asked. How does the church best support those who live with mental illness?
World Bank Changes Extreme Poverty Definition
The World Bank updated the international poverty line to US$1.90 a day, from US$1.25 a day. The poverty line was revised to incorporate new information on differences in the cost of living across countries. The World Bank also announced that, using the new line (as well as new country-level data on living standards), global poverty has fallen from 902 million people (12.8% of the global population) in 2012, to 702 million people (9.6% of the global population) in 2015.
Interfaith Pilgrimage to India: MELA Interfaith Association
The MELA Interfaith Association is organizing a multifaith pilgrimage to India from Saturday 6 February to Friday 19 February 2016. The group will consist of a maximum of fifteen people. The focus is pilgrimage not tourism.
Parliament of Religions: Live Streaming available
The 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions begins on Thursday, October 15th with the full-day Inaugural Women’s Assembly beginning at 9:00 a.m. The Opening Plenary Ceremony and Procession will be held at 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration for live streaming of the Parliament in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, is avaialble.
Social Good: What kind of World do I want to live in by 2030?
The Sixth Social Good Summit met on the sidelines of the UN Sustainable Development Summit under the theme ‘#2030NOW’ and asked participants to answer the question “What type of world do I want to live in by the year 2030?” Summit partners are the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Foundation, Mashable and the 92nd Street Y.
