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During Professor Peter Phan's recent lecture-tour of the antipodes as guest of Australian Catholic University and Forum of Australian Catholic Institutes of Theology, the advertising slogan in one Australian city posed the question: "Christianity: Which Way Now?" The question of the Christian future is addressed directly by a number of contributors and forms the backdrop to this, the second edition of Theology@McAuley. Professor Phan's own presentation on "Proclamation of the Reign of God as Mission of the Church for the Twenty-First Century" demonstrates the profound directional shift in missionary theory and praxis. This theme is developed by other contributors with respect to Islamisation in Malaysia (Maria Kana), Christian/Catholic education (Brian Kelty, Wayne Tinsey), religious pluralism (Brian Gleeson, Gerard Hall, Paul Mulqueen), Australian indigenous issues (Teree Spencer) and feminism (Vanessa Hall). Christianity is not only facing new questions. It is undergoing a paradigm change the likes of which have not been experienced since the Reformation. Other contributions impacting on the Church's mission for the third millennium range from reflections on the ministry of priesthood (Robert Gray, Peter Carlsson) to essays on Christian ethics (Tony Kelly, John Flanagan, Michelle Kearney). The life-stories of Abbé Pierre (Alan Moss) and Thérèse of Lisieux (Tom Ryan, Michael Whelan) demonstrate that ministry and ethics will both founder without a deeply human and spiritual vision. Indeed, what is most at stake in the question of the Christian future is a transformative vision arising from the contemporary experience of Spirit in the liberating God of Jesus. This requires engagement with the Scriptures (John Thornhill, Sue George, Michael G. Michael) as well as dialogue with the secular and scientific insights of modernity (Matthew Ogilvie, Matthew Del Nevo, Henry Pang). Finally and importantly, the revitalisation of the Christian imagination requires attention to poetry, art, symbols, images and metaphors that speak of the sacred within ordinary human experience (Damien Casey, Joe Airo-Farrila, Bronwen Neil, Greg Smith). The E-Journal format especially lends itself to the visual medium in which the truth-power of artworks, such as Lindsay Farrell's "Earth-Fire-Water," communicate grace and wisdom through beauty as well as word. Christianity: Which Way Now? There are no simple answers. The task of today's theologian is less one of providing answers than raising new questions, stretching the imagination, facing crises in Church and society with humanity, faith and vision. This second edition of Theology@McAuley aims to be but one voice in this important and ongoing conversation. Readers of the first edition may be surprised to find contributions from the University of Notre Dame Australia (Perth), The Aquinas Academy and Centre for Spirituality (Sydney), Yarra Theological Union (Melbourne) as well as staff, students and guest lecturers of Australian Catholic University in and beyond McAuley campus (Brisbane). Respondents to the first edition requested this change in editorial policy. Consequently, we now invite readers to submit contributions for our next edition due for launching in February 2003 from McAuley's new home at Banyo. The conversation will already be enhanced through our sharing facilities with Banyo's original theological inhabitants, now known as St Paul's Theological College, a member institute of the ecumenical Brisbane College of Theology. Perhaps the title of the E-Journal needs to reflect our change in editorial policy. Between now and the next edition our aim is to produce a more developed editorial and publishing policy which will be publicised through this web-site when available. Meanwhile, particular thanks to Yuri Koszarycz whose technological skills are evident on every site of the E-Journal. As one professor responded following our first edition: "Your E-Journal blows my mind!" We think this was a compliment especially when viewed alongside others' comments such as "brilliant," "innovative" and "at the forefront of theology today." Thank you to the contributors whose vote of confidence in the E-Journal and its discerning readership is appreciated. Finally, thanks to you, the readers, who have responded with enthusiasm to our first edition. I trust you will find much in the second edition to feed the theological mind and Christian imagination. Further comments or ideas should be sent electronically to Yuri Koszarycz or Gerard Hall. Dr Gerard
Hall
s.m. Australian Catholic University. 22nd August 2002 |
