On 19 August 2003, 22 UN staff were killed by a suicide bombing attack, and every year since 2008, World Humanitarian Day has been observed on the 19 August to honour humanitarian workers who have been wounded or have lost their lives to violence – and served as a valuable opportunity to educate and inform people worldwide on the devastating casualties of war.
Category Archives: Opinion
Paying Attention by Sam Wan
“Attention,” Catherine Lord considers in Mary Oliver’s poem, “is not for the faint-hearted,” for in lingering attention, one might be changed.
“Oh do you have time/to linger” your attention, Mary Oliver suggests, on small, 10-14cm sized goldfinches singing:
“believe us…
it is a serious thing
just to be alive”
Why I Took Part in the March for Humanity by David Starling
On Sunday August 3, I took part in the March for Humanity, walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a protest with thousands of others. The March was organised by the Palestine Action Group. The official estimate of how many were in the protest was 90,000 people, but others suggest it may have been anywhere between 200,000 to 300,000 people. Here, in response to a request from the WADR team, are a few of the reasons I participated.
Her Voice Was Raised: The Evangelical Women in Academia Conference 2025 by Suzie Ray
This year’s “Evangelical Women in Academia” (EWA) conference, run by Ridley College, revealed the rising strength and lasting impact of this conference initiative. Its genesis was ten years ago when the late Dr Moyra Dale kicked off a piece of collaborative research into women’s participation rates in higher degree research in the Australian theological space. The research was published in 2018.One of those original collaborators, Rev Dr Jill Firth,* conceived in response an academic conference for evangelical women which would give them a platform, opportunities, experience and encouragement. This year, organised by Rev Dr Hannah Craven with the theme “Raising Her Voice,“ the conference drew nearly 100 women in person on each of the two days, drawn from around Australia, New Zealand and one woman from the Philippines, plus many more online. There were a range of denominations represented, with Anglican and Baptist women in the majority.
Moving to a Five-Day Working Week for the Welfare of Clergy by Mark Calder
There has been a growing trend among Australian Anglican dioceses to move from the traditional six-day work week for clergy to a five-day work week. The dioceses of Grafton and the Riverina recently moved to this model, following the dioceses of Newcastle and Bathurst. We asked Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder to write about the Bathurst experience. Bathurst made this change in 2023.
The 2025 Baptist World Congress Speaks Freedom by Megan Powell du Toit
This year‘s Baptist World Congress, held in Brisbane from 7-12 July, felt like a decisive moment for Baptists, giving a choice to take certain paths and not others. The Baptist World Alliance has held a world congress every five years in various countries since 1905.
Christians, Conspiracies, and Slander by Nigel Chapman
This seems to be a reason why conspiracy theories are so disruptive in churches. Making public accusations guarantees that either one side or the other will be wrong at a moral level, whether through tolerance of evil conspiracies or by committing slander.
A Celebration of Neurodiversity among Ministry Workers by Sam Wan & Nick*
Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians that Jesus, “gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:1–12). Some of the people given for building us up areContinue reading “A Celebration of Neurodiversity among Ministry Workers by Sam Wan & Nick*”
The Quiet Exodus: Why Young Women Are Drifting from the Church by Christine Jolly
As senior staff with the University Fellowship of Christians at the University of Tasmania, I have the unique privilege of walking alongside Gen Z women and men as they navigate faith, purpose, and community during a formative time in their lives. The recent data from sources like the 2022 Australian Community Survey, hinting at a divergence in church engagement between young men and women, sparks vital conversations. While young men may increasingly claim Christian identity, we are seeing a nuanced, often silent shift among young women: a quiet quitting of the church.
What’s Going on in Tasmania? By Chris Shaw
On 19th July, Tasmanians will head to the polls once again. This will be the third early election in a row, this time just over a year since the previous election in March 2024. For those of us on the north island, it can be a bit confusing to understand what is going on. So in this article, we’ll take a brief dive into how Tasmania has ended up with another early election, and what is likely to happen next.
thewadrproject.com 