One thing I have learnt in the last few years is that Australians are terrible at addressing race. The USA having struggled through the Civil Rights Movement has a deeper discussion on race in the public square. But Australians don’t really know how to engage well. For example, instead of the “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination”, we have “Harmony Day”. This lack of racial literacy is a problem
Author Archives: meganpdt
Free to Have Good Guests: the WADR Approach to Interviews, by Megan Powell du Toit
This week Channel 9 terminated their contract with breakfast tv host Karl Stefanovic due to his podcast featuring a man often described as a far-right extremist, Tommy Robinson. Stefanovic has responded by stating he is wanting to champion a diversity of views. Of course, his lineup isn’t that diverse. He tends to feature guests from the harder right. He is indeed making decisions about who to get on and what kind of audience he wants.
The guests podcasters choose is revealing. Taken as a whole, the guest lineup reveals to us the aims and values of the podcast. Like Stefanovic, as podcasters we come from a different medium and style of speaking. For us, our most common platform is the pulpit. Moving then to a podcast, we have learnt about podcasting through experience, through reflecting together on what we wanted to achieve and what was important to us.
Why I Do Disability Theology, by Sam Wan
“What do you do research in?”
“Christian disability theology.”
“Oh, what’s that?”
“It’s broad, but it looks at what disability has to do with the Christian God and how we think about God from the experience of disability, impairment, and diversity. I focus on theology, faith, and spirituality for neurodivergence and profound intellectual disability.”
He is Risen! Amefufuka! by Tamie Davis
There is an ancient call and response that we say at Easter time. I say, “He is risen!” and the reply is, “He is risen indeed!” This is a saying that unites Christians throughout time and all over the world. In Tanzania, they say, “Amefufuka!” And the response is, “Kweli amefufuka.” I’m sure many of us here would know this phrase in other languages or cultures.
What on Earth just happened in South Australia!? By Chris Shaw
Photo: SA Parliament House with red overlay. Adapted from Wikimedia Commons. South Australians went to the polls on 21 March 2026, and gave us two very interesting stories. Peter Malinauskas’ Labor government has been re-elected in a landslide. But ironically, it is the race for second place that will be more consequential, not just forContinue reading “What on Earth just happened in South Australia!? By Chris Shaw”
My Foremothers Challenge Gender Nostalgia, by Megan Powell du Toit
On International Women’s Day, people often take the chance to post on social media about being thankful for the women in their family. Is this, though, going to cut it when we are seeing stories in the media every day about a growing misogyny among young men? And, indeed, the day wasn’t intended to be a hallmark ready holiday. It arose out of the labour movement and had goals such as women’s suffrage and rights at work.
Leading Ash Wednesday for the First Time by Michael Jensen
Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I led an Ash Wednesday service. And to my surprise, I found it extremely moving.
I say “to my surprise” because my tradition is not one for rituals. In fact, I was formed in church contexts that made a point of not doing things like Ash Wednesday—precisely because they looked too much like a Catholic observance. We worried about outward forms: about the danger that ritual action might substitute for inward faith, or worse, become a kind of spiritual performance.
The Prophetic Politics of Zohran Mamdani, by Caitlin Olsen
On January 1st of this year, Democrat Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the mayor of New York City. He was elected on 4th November 2025, after a year-long campaign built on unapologetically Socialist priorities aimed at ameliorating the average American’s suffering in an affordability crisis. US President Donald Trump, himself a born-and-bred New Yorker, threatened to withhold federal funding from the city because of Mamdani’s election, which he claimed signals a “communist” future for the Democrats
Why Women Seeking Therapy is Framed as a Spiritual Problem, and Why That Needs Re-Examination: On a Recent Gospel Coalition Article. A critique by Kylie Walls
In recent weeks, an article published by The Gospel Coalition addressed an increased tendency for women to seek psychological or therapeutic support outside of the church
The concern expressed is one that some church leaders have expressed for many years, that people may no longer seek pastoral care, and seeking therapy is a way of displacing faith, Scripture, and the presence of God in people’s lives.
I do not deny that faith communities and church leaders can be powerful places of meaning, hope, and care. Many people do turn to their church and spiritual leaders as a refuge in times of distress, and this can be a genuine source of comfort and strength.
At the same time, the way this issue is framed by Kleinschmidt raises important questions about the appropriateness or benefits of seeking support outside of the church — especially for those (often women) who have experienced harm, silencing, or misuse of authority within church contexts
Prayer for the New Year, by Jo Kadlecek
Forgive me, Lord, for I have neglected so much this past year.
On too many days, I—and maybe those reading this as well—have forgotten to pray and be and do as we ought, out of the gifts we have been given, out of simple gratitude for the privileges we have that come with breathing.
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