Many would say that the odd word is the last one- religion. But how can an all-pervasive fixation like religion be totally forgotten when we discuss our worst problems- be they on politics, economics, medicine or sport?

Religion hardly enters into any important discussion on issues that form the very foundation of our social life. Simply ask why religion is a nonissue in any important discussion on the most serious problems in life - you will only make them horrified by your naivety. Read more

According to him, the ceremony was essentially a two-hour televised church service that emphasised the teachings of the Gospel and paid great respect to the Bible.

Comfort is giving away 500,000 hard copies of his book "Defender of the Faith" to individuals residing in the United States of America. Read more

The growth of these secular congregations hasn't kept up the pace in the USA. After a promising start, attendance declined, and nearly half the chapters have fizzled out. Read more

"This is not impossible. Australia and Canada have both altered words within their official anthem, and in 1971 the Chancellor of the Exchequer reminded the British Parliament that Britain's anthem, God Save the Queen, actually has never had any official words." Continue reading

Patrick D Nunn is Professor of Geography at the Australian Centre for Pacific Island Research and Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast.

He says that well intentioned outside agencies, including those of Australia and the European Union who are trying to help the people of the region adapt to the effects of climate change have not taken into account the overwhelming influence of "spirituality on the way people live in the Pacific"

"Over some 30 years, most such interventions have failed, proving neither effective nor sustainable. The answer to the question "why" may in part lie in the sidelining of God."

"My research suggests that one reason for the failure of external interventions for climate change adaptation in Pacific Island communities is the wholly secular nature of their messages."

"Among spiritually engaged communities, these secular messages can be met with indifference or even hostility if they clash with the community's spiritual agenda."

Nunn points out that after the Moana Declaration was issued by the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) in 2009 the PCC set up a climate change unit and drove initiatives to put climate change into Sabbath sermons.

"But more needs to be done. My ongoing research, including projects with the PCC and the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, suggests that this lack of effective engagement with the religious community is still a key failing," he says.

In 2016 the Executive Committee of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania, meeting in Noumea, expressed concern about climate change saying:

Of particular concern to us are rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and unusual rainfall patterns. These are affecting many of our communities in a harmful way. In some cases, entire regions and nations are under threat from the indisputable fact of rising sea levels.

Source

• theconversation.com
• social-spirituality.net
• Image: commonwealthyouthcouncil.files.wordpress.com

It was a move that made world-wide headlines and it was not received well by all.

It even merited a comment from the prime minister of New Zealand, Bill English, "It is hard to understand that one guy has to behave differently than the rest," he said.

Williams said his objection to wearing clothing that markets banks is central to his religious beliefs.

In many cultures it is not unusual to see people in the public eye giving some expression to their religious conviction. Players can be seen making the sign of the cross, or pointing up to heaven after they have scored.

Teams gather for prematch prayer sessions and even attend church services together.

But in New Zealand such displays of religious conviction are rare. New Zealanders of European decent tend to be more circumspect.

"Religion is normally considered a private matter in New Zealand. We don't expect politicians, celebrities or sports stars to make heartfelt public declarations of their beliefs as they do in the United States, " writes Philip Matthews.

Matthews goes on to say that there is an exception to the rule:

" If we have an unofficial national faith, it is a tolerant and pragmatic agnosticism. Except if the religion is Islam, when it is assumed we all need to know."

"Recent scandals involving sex, drugs and alcohol have prompted another round of soul-searching," says Matthews.

" By comparison, the strong moral position taken by Williams, clearly based on personal faith, can only be considered a good news story for rugby."

"And no matter which side you are on, or who you worship, Williams' decision to replace the BNZ logo with Plunket was a public relations masterstroke."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: resources.stuff.co.nz

He said this is happening across all ethnicities.

Dunn said that while it was affecting all parishes, many were not aware it was happening, because the churches were still full.

New New Zealanders are replacing are those drifting away.

Census data showed the Catholic religion was the largest Christian denomination in 2013.

Almost half a million (492,105) people identified as Catholic.

That figure was down by 16,332 (about 3.3 percent) from 2006.

Almost one third the total number were born overseas, predominantly in the Philippines, England and Samoa.

Dunn is calling this trend "kiwi drift"

He said religion was no longer seen as a fundamental part of New Zealand culture.

He thinks 1960s propelled the separation from religion.

There was a change in society driven by television, student revolt, the sexual revolution and drugs.

Dunn says the trend is affecting every 'European' first-world country.

"I don't know what they'd call it in the USA, but there seems to be a developing disconnect in these cultures between Christianity and the mainstream culture."

Over the past 30 years, the number of New Zealand-born people attending church had been declining says Peter Lineham

He is a professor of history at Massey University.

"There's been dramatic declines in participation and involvement and adherence to all churches."

"It was slower to take effect in the Catholic Church."

Lineham agrees with Dunn that the trend is being masked by the new New Zealanders.

Migrants, he says tend to have a greater need for religion than those who have lived here for a long time.

He said there was no simple answer to the decline.

"The fact is that Kiwis in general dislike organisations, opt out of voluntary bodies, see relatively little use in organised religion."

"It's not that they've probably had any change in their level of believing in God, but they've certainly had a big change in their willingness to accept any organisational answer to those questions."

Lineham said as later generations of new migrants settled in New Zealand and became more westernised, they also might start attending church less.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

Two more former churches have recently gone on the market.

In Wellington the former St James Presbyterian Church in Newtown's Adelaide Rd, has been completely rebuilt to accommodate five new apartments.

Architect Simon Novak of Novak + Middleton Architects, the firm commissioned to design the rebuild, says the project has been nothing short of "sensational".

Novak says right from the outset the team worked closely with Heritage New Zealand, which gave the church a Category 2 listing in 1982.

The building is also listed with the Wellington City Council.

In Auckland a former Congregational Church in Swanson has sold under the hammer for $1.17 million.

The sale price was $400,000 greater than the CV of $770,000 - nearly 52 per cent more.

Four bidders competed for the heritage-listed property, which has been in private hands since 1976 when it was sold by the Methodist congregation.

When did regular church attendance peak in New Zealand?

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: realestate.co.nz

During the first-of-its-kind ceremony, the bride and groom discussed their marriage's terms and conditions in a comical list of demands and promises.

"If you grow it, I won't incinerate it," he said.

She agreed not to micro-manage his cooking and asked him to put aside his conservative English tastes and join her in exploring new gastronomical horizons.

The groom was then asked to take "this feisty wench" and the bride "this wayward scallywag" as their lawfully wedded best mate. Continue reading

Bennett gave a big thumbs up to Pope Francis, saying, "Whatever Pope 'Tubby' Francis has, we need to bottle it".

But he advises the Pope, and presumably religious people in general, to "ditch theology".

"Leave the scriptural dogma to the mad fanatics of the desert. The wealthy West already has," he says.

In his "reply" on behalf of the Vatican, Peters says "We at the Vatican don't usually read your columns, being tired of the hackneyed anti-religious, straw-man arguments, or as your guru, Dawkins, would say, "meme".

Peters deconstructs some of Bennett's straw men.

He goes on to say that Bennett's guru Richard Dawkins "is an insightful biologist."

But while "he has helped people understand Darwin's theory of evolution and its mechanisms," he "lacks qualifications to expound about philosophy or religion" and he "is clearly quickly out of his depth in those areas..."

Turning the tables Peters advises Bennett to "get ahead of your own game for once."

"Accept that your secular, New Age, post-modern goose is cooked and that if you want to be a serious player in life you must ditch the lot and just concentrate on the stuff that's true and good."

Bosco Peters has an "ecumenical website of resources and reflections on liturgy, spirituality, and worship for individuals and communities"

Source

• liturgy.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: d.justpo.st

Nedward "Ned" Flanders, is a character in the long running TV series The Simpsons.

He is the Simpson family's extremely religious next "diddly-door" neighbour.

He thoroughly worships God and strictly follows the Bible as literally as possible and is easily shocked when challenged on any point of dogma.

Using experiments involving fictitious online dating profiles, the researchers found that the more religious someone seemed the more likely a non-believer would be to assume they are not "open" to new ideas and the less attractive they found them.

"The stereotype may be false but does exist … and it is having a real impact on society," said Dr Jonathan Jong, of Oxford's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology.

"An assumption disseminated in popular culture—if not necessarily borne out by empirical research—is that religious individuals are typically closed-minded," he says.

"From Footloose's parochial Rev Shaw Moore, who despairs at the ‘‘proliferation ... of obscene rock and roll music with its gospel of easy sexuality and relaxed morality'' to The Simpsons's overly friendly but entirely dogmatic Ned Flanders, the pious are often portrayed as rigid, conventional, and intolerant."

Source

• Telegraph.co.uk
• Telegraph.co.uk
• Image: 40.media.tumblr.com

He is asking MPs for their feedback on the prayer which could replace the existing one adopted in 1962.

MPs have been told the choice is between the existing prayer, which is 70 words long, and the 82 word proposed alternative.

No amendments will be allowed. Read thre proposed prayer

He had refused to work on Saturdays because it was against his faith.

Mark Meulenbroek had worked since 2004 at an Invercargill company that installed TV and audio systems, and was considered a model employee.

In 2011, he rejoined the Seventh Day Adventist Church which he'd attended until he was 16, and wanted to have Saturday off so he could observe the Sabbath.

Meulenbroek's boss gave him some Saturdays off, but not all, and in September 2012 fired him when he refused to work on the Sabbath.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal found his employer had discriminated against Meulenbroek and had no appreciation of his obligations under the Human Rights Act.

Director of the Office of Human Rights Proceedings Robert Kee, who represented Meulenbroek, says the case is an important warning for small-to-medium businesses which - like Vision - might not be aware of their Human Rights Act obligations.

If someone believes they are discriminated against in their employment, they have the choice of taking proceedings before the Human Rights Review Tribunal or the Employment Relations Authority.

It is not unusual for people to claim discrimination on grounds of age or race. Proceedings based on religious belief are much less common.

Source

• Yahoo News
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Advicenow.com

"We're no longer evangelising the culture, we've been evangelised by it, and it's not good for the secular culture, and it's destroying us as a religious community," said veteran journalist Russell Shaw.

"You have to get your identity, values, and commitments right, or you're going to be in serious trouble," he said.

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