Tag Archives: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Sermon: Counting our blessings
I do encourage you to follow Bonhoeffer’s example in lockdown and be grateful for the little things, including being allowed outside and able to observe the coming of Spring. I am, as your minister, encouraging you to count your blessings. Continue reading
Sermon: The powerlessness and ugliness of God in Jesus
If we ignore the crucifixion’s horror we lose that solidarity between God and suffering humanity. If we make Jesus too attractive and powerful, we might think that ugly, suffering human beings are not part of the world that God so loves. Continue reading
Reflection: When the things of God and the Emperor conflict
As Christians, we too need to refuse to give our obedience and loyalty to ‘the emperor’ if the emperor is defacing the image of God by mistreating human beings. In such cases it is only by resisting the emperor that we can give to God the things that are God’s. Continue reading
Reflection: Comfort during Covid19
Contrary to the theology of the wackier fringe churches we do not believe that our faith will keep us safe from the Covid19 dangers faced by others, any more than their faith in God protected Jesus or Paul from execution by the Romans. Continue reading
Sermon: Following in the footsteps of the Apostle Peter and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Sermon for Camberwell Uniting Church 26th of January, 2020 Matthew 4:12-24 Isaiah 9:1-4 These weeks that we have between Christmas and Lent are dedicated to the nature of vocation or call. We’ve seen Jesus’ call to begin his public ministry … Continue reading
Sermon: The foolishness of the wise
The magi may be ‘wise men from the East’ but apparently they lack all common sense. Continue reading
Sermon: A psalm of hate
Another gift of the Psalter is the permission it gives us to share everything with God, even those emotions of which we are ashamed. The psalms show us that there is nothing that human beings can think, feel, say, or do, that we need to hide from God. Continue reading
Reflection: Carrying the Cross
What we are seeing with the federal Religious Discrimination Bill is a last, desperate, attempt by Australian churches to hold on to the privilege and possessions that Australian Christians used to be able to take for granted: respect from the community, and a place at the tables of politicians. Continue reading
Sermon: A higher loyalty
Our electoral system is something to be celebrated. Despite this, we as Christians have an even higher loyalty than our loyalty to our democracy. Continue reading
Sermon: How is Jesus like a bronze serpent?
The cross turns our ways of seeing the world upside down. God becomes powerless to defeat death; human suffering is taken up into the life of God. Continue reading
