Populism is everywhere at the minute. It’s particularly pronounced in the rise of Trumpism and Hansonism, but is found on the left, the right and the centre whenever people seek to win over an audience with arguments that confirm the fears, biases and prejudices of that audience but fail to...
We Need a Reality Check on Energy Prices
Rising energy prices have become a cause of widespread complaint and are cited as a reason we need to cling coal-powered electricity. As far as I can tell all the anxiety around rising electricity prices is way out of proportion to reality. First, our electricity costs are only a small proportion...
Five Facts About Australia’s Immigration Program That Might Surprise You
The Productivity Commission recently completed a report on Australia’s migration program. It contained some surprising results. 1. Australia receives around 1,000,000 migrants each year Every year around a million visas are granted to allow migration into Australia. This consists of close to...
The problem with conservatism
I guess in the end, protecting what we cherish is why I am a conservative. The Left like to portray conservatives as doddery old fools opposed to modernity. But as its very heart, conservatism believes there are things in life, values and institutions, worth conserving. Conservatives don’t oppose...
Trumpaggeddon? America has always acted in its own interests
Amid all the gloomy predictions that Trumpaggeddon is upon us, I wonder if the Trump presidency has simply laid bare the reality of American power that usually hides behind the mask of the USA’s founding mythologies. The founding mythologies insist that America is grounded in righteousness and that...
I’ve Just Published A Book. This is What It’s About.
I released a short book today, A Beautiful World. Reframing our Relationship to Creation. It’s just four chapters and 70 pages long, plus a study guide at the back. The aim is for it to be short enough that a pastor could comfortably build a sermon around each chapter; that those who...
Challenges for the Church #3. Homosexuality
The week before Christmas I purchased Two Views On Homosexuality, The Bible And The Church (Zondervan, 2016), a book that brings together four authors who discuss the place of homosexuality in the church. The editor, Preston Sprinkle, notes that This book is the first of its kind to be published by...
Challenges for the Church #2. Living as a Minority in a Pluralist Society
One of the great achievements of Western society has been its embrace of religious and political pluralism as a way of enabling peaceful diversity. Throughout history diversity has commonly been met with violence, either the state enacting violence against dissidents, or conflict between groups. We...
Challenges for the Church #1. The Decline of God in Australia
We are witnessing a dramatic decline in belief in God in Australia. Since 1991 the number of Australians who believe in God has declined from 78% to 55%. When this is broken down on by age is evident that young people are growing up in a world that they experience as devoid of belief in God.
A Christmas without nativity scenes. Embracing my faith in a secular society
I am holidaying with my family on The Gold Coast. We are staying in an apartment with spectacular views over the ocean. We have swum in the surf, laid on golden beaches, screamed with a mixture of fear and thrill on roller coasters at Movieworld, laughed ourselves hoarse as we share meals. We have...