The Paradox of Power

The Paradox of Power by Brendan Caulfield-James | 6 Dec, 2020 Brendan Caulfield-James, Victoria Regional Meeting The greatest achievement of humanity is not its works of art, science or technology, but the recognition of its own dysfunction, its own madness.  A New...

Book review: Can Religion Speak Truth?

The 2018 Quaker Lecture (Aotearoa/New Zealand) – Can Religion Speak Truth? – was written and delivered by Elizabeth Duke. Elizabeth has a distinguished ecumenical and Quaker heritage.  She was born into an Anglican family but joined the Religious Society of Friends in...

Book review: In the Shelter – Finding a home in the world

When I heard Rachel Kohn’s interview with Pádraig Ó Tuama on the ABC, I was impressed by his gentle humour and his compassion, so I ordered his book. I was not disappointed. The title comes from an Irish saying “It is in the shelter of each other that...
Book review: A Little History of Religion

Book review: A Little History of Religion

What is religion? And where does it come from? Religion comes from the mind of the human animal, so it comes from us. An opening like this might be expected to herald an attack on orthodox religion.  On the contrary, Richard Holloway – formerly Primus (senior...

Is Quakerism a ‘Religion For Atheists’.

Review of  Alain De Botton (2012) Religion for Atheists. London: Hamish Hamilton. Ian Hughes, New South Wales Regional Meeting. I have heard interviews on radio and watched interviews on television. I’ve also read reviews in newspapers, and now wonder if Quakerism...