Post Archives

Is it the most iconic moment of the 20th century? I don’t know. But the Moon landing and walk-ing on the Moon certainly has got to be up there on any list that defines or describes the last century. (Having said that, I am also partial to the Apollo 8 mission and the first circumnavigation of […]

My father was one of thousands of Polish soldiers interned in Switzerland during World War 2 and who stayed there after the war (choosing not to return home because Communism ruled there). Our family knows little about this decade of his life and my sister who has done our family history wanted to follow up […]

I like the beach. I am not so much a ‘bobber’ or a ‘baker’ – bobbing in the water or (sun)baking on the sand are not high on my list of fun things to do – but I like swimming and body surfing (and maybe one day I’ll even learn how to get up on […]

Who determines who I am? Me or you (with you being you or society or events or circumstances)? The rising awareness of identity politics would suggest that I say who I am. The rising conflicts in some quarters would suggest that not everyone is agreeing! Of course there’s always going to be tensions here – […]

I suppose I get to see a synodical convention from a rather different perspective than most folk. Together with ELCE Chairman Pastor Jon Ehlers, I sat at the table looking out at all the faces – delegates, other ELCE folk in attendance, visitors – church and civic, and the host congregation (many of whom were […]

They come and go. Usually they are only noticed by the participants. Sometimes they are noticed from further afield. Sound bytes of news often are about elections and if there’s anything controversial. More often they are thought of as largely bureaucratic – reports and figures – something necessary because administration is necessary but not at […]

I have mentioned before that I am intrigued and fascinated and occasionally I find myself with a rather mischievous frame of mind when I hear science complaining about the nonsense that passes for rigorous scientific research and conclusions. I recently listened to a podcast ‘Facts, fear, fake news and Facebook’ (ABC Ockham’s Razor 9/9/18) which […]

In 1917 the then new Mexican Constitution almost outlawed the Roman Catholic Church from public life (no teaching by the Church, church property was now at the disposal of the State, religious orders outlawed, and priests were targeted in many ways eg. it was illegal for priests to wear clerical clothes in public ‘outside’ (they […]

My week had three encounters with that part of life that is probably still the biggest taboo of all – death. (And I didn’t go to hospital or visit a grieving family or conduct a funeral.) No, these encounters were more the ‘walk by’ ones – ones where I could easily stop, ‘turn around’ and […]