Category Archives: Political Activism
Resolution on non-violent anti-genocide action
At the eighteenth meeting of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Rev. Alex Sangster and I presented a proposal condemning antisemitic acts in Australia, while pointing out that protesting genocide is not antisemitic and encouraging members of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania to do so. The proposal was passed without amendment. This is the text of that proposal, the rationale for it, and the words of the speech I made presenting it. Continue reading
Sermon: Give Gazans their necessary bread!
It has been hard to think about daily necessary bread this week, while seeing the images of skeletal children starving in Gaza. I will not show them to you, because they are simply too graphic for church. Charities have been warning the world of this impending human-created disaster for months; now Palestinians are dying daily of hunger. More than a thousand Palestinians have been killed trying to access the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, whose name is bitterly ironic. Continue reading
“First they came …” the progressive Australian version
Now, as so many times before, they are coming for Palestinians, and when we speak up, we’re told that we’re antisemites who only pretend to care about genocide because we hate Jews.
To which we say, “Huh? Have you even met us?” Continue reading
Sermon: Building Jerusalem in Australia’s dry and dusty land
We live as citizens of the New Jerusalem when we work to make the world a better place. Knowing God’s ultimate intentions, we do not accept injustice, war, and poverty as just ‘the way things are.’ Knowing God’s universalism, we do not limit our compassion to our families, friends, and those like us, those of the same race, faith, or nationality. We are not afraid of speaking out, standing up, or even sitting down and refusing to be moved when those things are called of us. We know that even if we die, God wins. Continue reading
Opposing Christian Nationalism: Embracing Jesus’ Reign
The reflection emphasizes the significance of Christ’s reign amidst modern authoritarianism, drawing from biblical teachings to stress that Jesus’ kingship is rooted in love, compassion, and humility rather than power or violence. It calls Christians to embody this kingdom spirit, rejecting coercion and embracing inclusivity, as they navigate contemporary challenges. Continue reading
Sermon: Ash ‘Wednesday’
One of the reasons I went on the pilgrimage was in the hope that it would purge me of the incandescent rage I feel at the people who have murdered, or allowed the murder of, thousands of children. I was not purged of my anger, but I was reminded that the murderers are my fellow, sinful, human beings and that all of us need God’s grace. Continue reading
Sermon: No longer hiding
Since we are imperfect beings, and churches are imperfect institutions, this means that we will be accused of hypocrisy. How can our community service agencies ask the government to increase welfare benefits when churches receive tax exemptions? How can churches say we support constitutional recognition for First Nations when we played such a central part in colonisation, the destruction of Indigenous cultures, and housed the children stolen from their families? Continue reading
Why I stand with transgender, gender diverse, and non-binary people
Sadly, Christianity has often promoted ideologies driven by supposed superiority and hatred. It has absolutely never gone well. Churches have had to apologise for being involved in slavery and settler colonialism and Nazism and apartheid. Christianity only truly follows Jesus when everyone is both welcomed and able to welcome others, and when Christians both are the oppressed, and those who stand on the side of the oppressed. Continue reading
Sermon: The Uniting Church ‘radicals in politics’
We are involved in these apparently political issues because we believe that this is what the Gospel demands of us. Today we ordain women, we marry gay people, we are in covenant with the First Nations of this land, we celebrate our cultural and linguistic diversity, and we do all this because we are seeking to abide in Jesus and bear fruit. Continue reading
Rev Doc Geek 