Paul Ham’s book, The Soul, A History of the Human Mind, is a stimulating challenge to our human ingenuity, which we must value in the face of soulless artificial intelligence systems and their narcissistic champions. (more…)
Category: Religion
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Resisting Trump’s extreme religiosity
Trump’s extreme Christian nationalism poses a dual threat. By dragging the US and the West further toward the ideological right, he is both fuelling civilisational tensions and deepening fractures within the Christian faith. Christians should join Islamic and Confucian proponents of the ‘middle pathway’ to resist such extreme religiosity. (more…)
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A just war: Pope Leo and President Trump
Pope Leo XIV has spoken on several occasions about the urgent need to seek peace and not war. President Trump and other American politicians have essentially told him to mind his own business and to stick to issues of religious teaching and belief. But Pope Leo is sticking to his essential business of providing ethical and moral leadership. (more…)
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What do we anti-Zionist Jews talk about when we talk about Zionism?
Non-Zionist Jews lament the conflation of all Jewish life with a creed of bigotry, insularity and belligerence. They must call out Israel’s crimes against humanity and call for the dissolution of the Zionist state. Otherwise, antisemitic voices will continue to equate Judaism with Zionism. (more…)
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Virtue, not values, defines who we are
In debates over repatriation, protest and politics, the real test is not what we say we value, but the virtues we are willing to uphold as a society.
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The Trump–pope clash echoes a centuries-old struggle
Conflicts between political leaders and religious authority have shaped Western history for centuries – and continue to define debates over power and legitimacy today. (more…)
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Albanese and Anwar align behind Pope’s call for peace
Australia and Malaysia have signalled support for a diplomatic path through escalating global tensions, backing Pope Leo’s call for peace and restraint.
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Trump has turned the pope into an adversary – and exposed himself
By targeting Pope Leo XIV, Donald Trump has exposed the limits of political power when confronted with a moral authority it cannot silence or absorb. (more…)
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Trump deletes image of himself as Jesus-like saviour after backlash
Donald Trump is facing criticism from church leaders, conservatives and political figures after posting an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure and attacking Pope Leo XIV.
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Pope Leo reframes the moral language of war
Leo may help break a trend that has dominated American Catholicism – less religion as national glue, more faith as a critique of power. (more…)
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Pentagon threatened Pope after he condemned Trump’s military attacks
Reports that US officials warned the Vatican to align with Washington highlight growing tensions between military power and moral authority as the Pope continues to speak out against war.
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Identity, influence and division – Australia’s Jewish community in a time of tension
Amid rising tensions and a national inquiry into antisemitism, understanding the complexity of Australia’s Jewish community is essential to any serious conversation about social cohesion. (more…)
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Pope 1, Trump 0 – Message from the Editor
You think things can’t get any worse and then they do! (more…)
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Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade
Clashes between church leaders and Trump highlight tensions over religion, power and the justification of war. (more…)
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Living with hope in a time of evil and uncertainty
In a time marked by conflict and uncertainty, the call is not to eliminate evil but to respond with sincerity, truth and hope – beginning with ourselves, writes Frank Brennan.
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Easter’s message in a time of war
As global conflicts intensify, Easter offers a counterpoint – a call to reject violence and embrace light, mercy and transformation. (more…)
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What Good Friday and the Book of Job reveal about a world in crisis
Modern society assumes suffering can be solved through policy, technology and progress. But this belief leaves us unprepared for the reality that tragedy is an enduring part of human life. (more…)
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Catholics lag behind as the first woman appointed to lead the Anglican church
The installation of a female Archbishop of Canterbury highlights the Catholic Church’s continued hesitation on women’s leadership and the need to listen more closely to women’s voices.
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Hegseth rebuked for bloodthirsty prayer asking God to bless Iran War
Trump’s Secretary of Defence invoking divine violence against Iran has intensified concerns about the fusion of religion, politics and war in US leadership.
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Free speech and antisemitism: drawing the line
In this extract from his submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion Gareth Evans argues that it is crucial that protest language claimed to be inherently antisemitic be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account context and intent. (more…)
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From hubris to holy war – the dangerous logic behind the Iran conflict
The language and beliefs driving the US–Israel war on Iran point to escalation, not restraint – with global consequences. (more…)
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Frank Brennan on the fog of war
As conflict spreads across the Middle East, the moral test of war returns to first principles – legality, justification and the danger of acting in blindness. (more…)
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Armageddon politics and the danger of religious war rhetoric
Reports that US commanders have framed the war on Iran as part of a divine plan highlight the dangerous intersection of religious prophecy and modern military power.
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A mosque, a meal and the strength of Australian community
A shared Ramadan meal in Canberra shows how everyday encounters and neighbourly goodwill quietly build social cohesion in multicultural Australia.
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Salt, light and the visit of Isaac Herzog
As controversy surrounds the visit of Israel’s president, Frank Brennan reflects on how Australians might respond with moral seriousness, legal clarity and a commitment to justice for all. (more…)
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Fairness, not just growth, is the key to productivity
As the federal government sharpens its focus on productivity, the question is not whether growth matters, but who it is for, and at what cost to justice, dignity and social cohesion.
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Artificial intelligence as seen by two popes
As artificial intelligence reshapes work, culture and decision-making, two pontificates converge on a deeper concern – not technological progress itself, but the risk of reducing human life to efficiency, calculation and control. (more…)
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Dangerously alive: summer, sharks and a ritual encounter with danger
A beach swim, a shark warning and a familiar summer ritual open up bigger questions about safety, fear, and what it means to feel alive.
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Best of 2025 – Muted response to Trump’s appropriation of Christianity
“…and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert…” (Acts 20:29–31). (more…)
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Best of 2025 – The Pope, the media and the ‘normalisation’ of Trump
As world media and leaders normalise US President Donald Trump’s erratic behaviour, Pope Leo XIV must resist and keep his distance. (more…)