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September 2017

Flight Into Egypt Jesus Mafa Sml

Matthew in Slow Motion 21

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ (Matthew 2:14-15) Ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ

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East Frame Sml

Architecture Affects The Soul

The long-overdue plan is out for more than 120 new homes set to be built in Christchurch’s East Frame. This is inner-city living one block away from Cathedral Square. I am distressed and sorely disappointed. We may be about to create a future housing disaster in the centre of our city. Expressed most strongly: Fletcher

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Blessings same sex couples sml

Teaching Versus Practice

At our recent Christchurch diocesan synod, as well as (famously) deciding to reinstate the Cathedral in the Square, we discussed the interim report from the Motion 29 Working Group which suggests a structure within our Church which would “safeguard both theological convictions concerning the blessing of same gender relationships”. One might be forgiven for thinking

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Filioque Sml

And The Son Again

When New Zealand’s 1988 General Synod met to go through our NZ Anglican Prayer Book line by line, the Prayer Book Commission had inserted an International Consultation on English Texts (ICET) 1987 discussion draft version of the Nicene Creed. The Prayer Book Commission thought General Synod had voted it through as a place holder and

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Meditation Sml

Buddhism Blemished

This is a reflection from a recent conversation with a 20something young woman. It has much in common with many conversations I have. I need to preface this post by underlining that I don’t play the my-religion-is-better-than-your-religion game. I also need to highlight how much Buddhists and Buddhism have helped me on my own faith

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NZPB Sml

Collect Endings

General Synod Te Hinota Whanui (GSTHW) of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has passed a statute and sent it round the diocesan synods and hui amorangi for assent. If it passes a majority of these, it will return to GSTHW next year for confirmation and then become a formulary of our

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Religion Metaphor Sml

Beyond Literal Belief

Religion as Metaphor: Beyond Literal Belief by David Tacey I hope David Tacey’s book is another doorway into the realisation of the importance of metaphor. It rightly argues that the new atheism and fundamentalism are both misunderstanding the stories literalistically. I regularly encounter a fear that if someone questions the historicity (or validity) of a

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