What's New

5th May, 2012

Also known as Buddha's Birthday, Vesak Day is celebrated by Buddhists of all traditions across the world. It marks the Birth, Enlightenment and the Great Passing Away of Gautama Buddha representing the Buddha and His universal message of peace, love and compassion.

21st April - 2nd May, 2012

Ridvan (pronounced REZ-wan) is a twelve day festival observed by adherents of the Baha'i faith. It is known as the "King of Festivals". It commemorates the announcement of his prophethood made by the founder of the faith, Baha'u'llah, in 1863. The festival begins, in fact, at sunset on 20th April.

We spend five minutes with the Rev. Seforosa Carroll

Karen Armstrong for her inspiration and work in the Charter for Compassion. Ros Bradley for her two books "Mosaic" and her second volume "A world of prayer: spiritual leaders, activists and humanitarians share their favourite prayers". I admire both these women for their determination and commitment to make a difference by nurturing an idea/vision to fruition.

Widening the circle of interfaith friendship. It has become customary that interfaith events are usually attended by the same people. I think what this demonstrates as was aptly put to me by a wise colleague- "is that interfaith relationships is still not mainstream" - and that it is the interest of the very few across the various religious traditions. What this also highlights is the need for continuing intra-faith dialogue which can sometimes be more difficult than interfaith dialogue.

7th - 14th April, 2012

Of all the Jewish festivals, Passover (or Pesach) is perhaps the most familiar to Christians, because its origins are told in the book of Exodus, with the name of the festival derived from the moment when God ‘passed over’ the Jewish homes when inflicting the tenth plague on the people of Egypt. Following the ten plagues, the Jews were freed from slavery.

Geoff Boyce, author of An Improbable Feast: The surprising dynamic of hospitality at the heart of multifaith chaplaincy

What are the challenges involved in providing pastoral care at a twenty-first century Australian university where international students make up nearly a quarter of the student population? Geoff Boyce, author of An Improbable Feast: The surprising dynamic of hospitality at the heart of multifaith chaplaincy, is well qualified to answer. He has been a chaplain at Flinders since 1997, following 25 years as a secondary school teacher with a keen interest in fostering the empowerment of others. He has been President of the Tertiary Campus Ministry Association, the professional association for university chaplains in Australia, and is a member of the Uniting Church’s national Relations with Other Faiths Working Group.