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Why have millions of Christians across two millennia been convinced that Jesus of Nazareth is the divinely anointed Christ? The answer is that 'evidence' for it is reinforced with every Sunday reading of the gospels. Each canonical gospel claims to tell the story of Jesus the Messiah, or Christ. Even if startling differences between the gospels are acknowledged, this has not destroyed belief that they are divinely inspired. In this book Lorraine Parkinson sets out compelling reasons why the gospels may be found to have been 'made on earth'. She builds a strong argument that each gospel was written to make a distinct case for Jesus as the Christ. She presents detailed evidence that the Christ of the gospels is the creation of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, plus later editors. The sub-text of this book contends that by including teachings of Jesus alongside claims for him as Christ, gospel writers bequeathed to Christianity two contradictory gospels - the gospel of Jesus and the gospel about Jesus. There is both detailed and courageous biblical scholarship in Made on Earth. Parkinson is not afraid to challenge the tradition in open and honest ways. What any scholar worth their salt should always do, but especially those in theological colleges who should be free to 'teach' rather than to 'store up'! It is no longer good enough to 'fiddle' the orthodoxy tune from the pulpit while the minds of thinking people move on, vacating nearly every pew in the country. For that 'poke' Parkinson deserves our heartfelt thanks and gratitude. I know I will be referring regularly to Made on Earth.Rev Rex A E Hunt, Founding Director, The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought, Canberra. Immediate Past Chair, Common Dreams Conference of Religious Progressives, Australia/New ZealandAt last! A book that helps its readers to see and understand how the Way of Jesus with its emphasis on this world, was wrong-footed into fixation on "the Christ" and the next world. There is no bigger challenge to Christianity today than to rid itself of this fixation and from creedal adherence to the worldview that shaped it. In this book Lorraine Parkinson provides us with the perfect follow-up to her previous work, The World According to Jesus: his blueprint for the best possible world. The Gospel writers clearly decided another blueprint was more important than what Jesus taught and was ready to die for.Michael Morwood, resident theologian, Kirkridge Retreat Center, Bangor, Pennsylvania, USA. Author of In Memory of JesusLorraine Parkinson is an ordained minister, teacher and writer, whose doctoral research was conducted at the École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem. She leads seminars on progressive biblical thinking around Australia and in New Zealand. Her emphasis in seminars and in writing is on Jesus and his teaching about the kingdom of God on earth: the best possible world. Lorraine and her husband Dr John Bodycomb live in Melbourne, Australia.

'Arguing that the church has lost its way ... Dr Lorraine Parkinson pushes away centuries of doctrinal overlay in order to take with absolute seriousness the teachings of the Jewish man Jesus, as recorded in Matthew's Gospel. This marvellously accessible book, full of down to earth practicality and refreshing wisdom, is a must for any discussion group or individual committed to a genuine, progressive vision of an enlightened humanity without borders that divide.'Dr Val Webb Australian theologian and author of Stepping Out with the Sacred: human attempts to engage the divine.Through her intriguing explanation of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, Parkinson sets out compelling reasons why a real commitment to following the vision of Jesus of Nazareth can bring to reality the best possible world. In another age the author of this book would have been convicted of heresy at the very least. Her case for a 21st century new Reformation of the church is a must for all who have doubted or rejected the old Christianity and are looking for the way forward.

Christopher Geraghty was a Roman Catholic Priest, ordained in 1962 and attached to the Sydney Archdiocese for fifteen years. This is the fascinating story of his struggle to live his life as a priest, and his difficult journey out of the priesthood. Most revealingly, it is an insider's account that describes with uncompromising honesty the secret life of the clergy behind the altar curtain, the tensions, the hypocrisy and contradictions, and the major conflicts within the Catholic Church. Throughout his time as a member of the clergy Christopher faced many challenges that made him constantly question the life he had chosen. While a Professor at St. Colomba's College, a student confessed to him that one of Christopher's seminary colleagues had been preying on him since he was a child. Christopher did not report it to the rector or the police as it seemed dishonesty to avoid scandal was the unspoken reaction to such matters. In another incident an Archbishop offered a promising young priest who had a fallen in love the opportunity to live a double life. With the partner looked after but kept secret and hidden from view. Forced to confront these contradictions, the paedophilia and other sexually deviant clergy ?misdemeanours?, all the while battling with extreme loneliness, the temptations created through the absence of human contact, the confusion and the price extracted for celibacy, Christopher increasingly found this too high a price to pay for membership into the clerical club Finally he escaped to Paris and Germany to study where he met his future wife. Making the decision to jump ship and leave the priesthood, he then had to confront the question as to whether to seek a Vatican dispensation, while searching for employment, and adjusting to an entirely new life. Interspersed with tales both humorous and shocking of cardinals, bishops and senior clergy, Dancing with the Devil is the story of one man who passed through the Roman system and came out the other side to become a husband, a father and a Judge of the District Court of NSW. ABOUT CHRISTOPHER GERAGHTY: Christopher Geraghty is married with two sons, and a retired judge of the District Court of NSW. Prior to this he spent approximately ten years as a judge of the Compensation Court of NSW. Before commencing his career in law, Christopher was a Roman Catholic priest, ordained in July 1962. He has a doctoral degree in theology from Sydney and a master's degree from Paris where he lived for two years. He spent some years in parishes in Sydney; however his principal work as a priest was to lecture in theology to students for the priesthood in the Theological Institute of Sydney. Christopher began his legal studies in early 1977 at the age of thirty-nine and at the same time, worked as a public relations officer for the Health Commission of NSW (as it then was), and later as the legal reporter on Channel 10 Newshour.

Children's Daily Prayer Under the Southern Cross 2019Sr Margaret Smith sgs This is a book of daily prayer for students in Years 3 - 8 It combines the rhythms of the church's year with school terms and other calendars It takes inspiration from the church's rich liturgical traditions It contains: Daily classroom prayer for each school day of the year Rich background material for each liturgical season Reference to days of significance for Australia and New Zealand and to international observances Students will meet: Saints, old and new Prophets and peacemakers of our time Children's Daily Prayer Under the Southern Cross works by having ONE BOOK IN EACH CLASSROOM. It lasts for the whole year. Children's Daily Prayer Under the Southern Cross is like your new 2019 diary because: RIGHT THERE, on the RIGHT DATE and on the RIGHT PAGE is everything you will need for classroom prayer for every day of the 2019 school year. MARGARET SMITH is a Sister of the Good Samaritan and an experienced teacher. Her expertise in pastoral liturgy is widely recognised throughout Australia and beyond, through her teaching, workshops, seminars and writing. She has lectured in liturgical studies at both Catholic Theological College, East Melbourne and Yarra Theological Union, Box Hill. Both are member colleges of the University of Divinity.

Who would dare to challenge the tradition that Jesus appointed Peter to be the rock, the foundation of the Christian Church? Who would even explore the possibility that Peter did not found the Christian Church and become the first bishop? Who? Another Martin Luther? No, a contemporary critic called Robert Crotty! A brilliant critical analysis of a religious phenomenon called 'The Papacy, ' ...Norman Habel Professorial Fellow, Flinders University As in so many other times, the Church institution itself has to ask: who is 'Peter' today? The answer probably should be quite radical. It is not my place even to make suggestions as to a new structure - that is the role of the Church members. But it seems obvious that something must be done; the answer is not the Papacy as understood today. 'Peter' needs renewal. With the election of Pope Francis I, who shrugs off the trappings of high living and pompous ceremony there is a heightened interest in the Papacy, the line of Popes. This book claims to demonstrate that many statements are not at all historically valid and the seemingly logical conclusion must therefore be questioned. Here are some reasons for this position defended in the book: -Jesus of Nazareth was a Jewish teacher, proclaiming the Reign of God to a Galilean audience and he had nothing to do with the foundation of a separate Church, different to Judaism.-There is no historical evidence, as against the Synoptic gospels, that Jesus of Nazareth appointed Peter to any office or any succession.-Peter was never a universal Church leader, never a Roman leader or Bishop, possibly not even a house-church leader.-There was no monarchic Bishop of Rome until well into the second century-It was many centuries before the Pope in Rome even claimed to be the Head of the universal Church-The affirmation of a line of Popes as successors to 'Peter' belongs to the Church Story not to history.

This little book offers a realistic values/virtues approach to living that can be easily adopted as a whole school approach, within a church community, for families or individuals seeking to deepen their inner awareness of 'what our lives are really about'. The book explores a rediscovery of the fruit of the Spirit, as cited in Galatians 5:22 for our everyday lives. Understanding this gift may be life changing for the young and the not-so-young.

Denise Scott lives with her 2 children in Canberra in the A.C.T. She suffered antenatel and postnatal depression with her second child. Her work experience has included Nursing and family support work. Since graduating from the Australian Catholic University's Bachelor of Social Work in 1998, Denise has worked in Child Protection Services, Disability Services, and is currently working for Centacare providing individual, family and relationship counselling. Denise has been involved with the A.C.T Postnatal Depression Support Group in both commitee and telephone support roles. Her special interest is in counselling children and families. She hopes that this book, her first, will help other families come to terms with postnatal depression and provide comfort to children in the knowledge that their other will get well.

As the U. S. A. Provincial of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation shuffled the responses of the delegates at the General Chapter in Chicago on the desk before him, it dawned on him that one of the delegates was quite unlike the others, that he was in effect, a mystic and worse, a POET! That delegate, dear reader was none other me. See page 41-42 , IN THE LAND OF GOD to see what the fuss was about."

This collection includes a large number of previously unpublished poems, as well as poems published on my website and my two previous collections, In The Water Was The Fire and Souvenirs of Spirit. It also reprints a number of prayers and blessings related to Mercy, some of which were commissioned by Mercy International Centre, Dublin. These poems and prayers are essentially about encounter: encounter with the Divine, the natural world, the Celtic landscape and spirit, and those whose lives the poet has shared through journeys of birth and death, dementia and abuse.Exploration of the meaning of Mercy is at the heart of many of the works.

This book opens up a fresh dialogue about marrying and raising a family. To make clear the newness of his approach the author has used the verb "marrying" in the title for this book rather than the abstract noun "marriage".Don Burnard shifts the emphasis from defending marriage to exploring how a dynamic and committed partnering can become a psychologically rich life style. Because marrying is the most individualistic and personal behaviour a human being is capable of choosing, this book focuses on the skills needed for active ongoing engagement.Don Burnard directs our attention to the human qualities needed to connect with our fellow human being without surrendering our uniqueness. He challenges beliefs such as that there is only one right person. He argues that in marrying, people need the expertise of bridge builders.Marrying summarises and explains difficult matters in clear prose. While drawing on thinkers such as Victor Frankl, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow, Don Burnard relies above all on his years of experience and the insights he has gained from workshop participants.

With familiar candour and colour, John Bodycomb excoriates church leadership for evading, and layering over with platitudes, two huge questions:• What future for organised religion in Western societies? and (in light of this) • What future for the so-called 'religious professional'?Fifty years a sociologist of religion, specialising in the ups and downs of organised religion, Bodycomb is plain-spoken and provocative. Institutional Christianity as we have known it began to decline 600 years ago, and with it a model of religious professional. We are entering a new era, in which people must still make sense of existence with some kind of meaning system - but the old ones are obsolete.The defenders of tradition, theologians, institutional power brokers and thought police will hate 'Two Elephants', he predicts.