Category Archives: Opinion

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.

Pentecost is about Jesus by Chris Seglenieks

It’s a provocative title, I know. Pentecost in the Christian tradition, celebrated on 8 June this year, commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples as recorded in Acts 2. And in some Christian circles, the Spirit seems to get so little mention already that I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to write this. But at the same time, perhaps it might be a helpful reminder that in all God does, all of God is involved.

Young, Black and Female: the Face of World Christianity by Tamie Davis

In 2005, missiologist Stephen Bevans observed that the average Christian in the world was female, and likely to be found in an African village or a Brazilian favela. A shorthand description of the same reality is that World Christianity is “young, black and female”. So, what’s behind that moniker and why does it matter?

2025 Election: The View from the Lounge by Lyn Kidson

During the coverage there was a lot of talk about values. The Liberal pundits on the ABC election panel kept saying that the Liberal party had to go back and reconsider their values. Similarly, in his victory speech Anthony Albanese said, “today the Australian people have voted for Australian values” and that Australians had voted for “fairness, aspiration, and opportunity for all” and for “strength in adversity and kindness to those in need.”

Pope Leo XIV: what can we expect? By Neil Ormerod

Papal elections often produce surprises. John Paul II was a surprise, coming after the sudden death of the ever-smiling John Paul I; Benedict XVI was less a surprise. Francis was a total surprise and a delight for many of us. Now we have a new pope, Leo XIV, the first American pope, a member of the Augustinian order, who has worked for a substantial part of his ministry in Peru and has dual American and Peruvian citizenship. What can we expect?

How to Post on Social Media about Politics as Christians, by Lyn M. Kidson and Johnathan G. Hughes

Social media is a great way to keep in touch and talk about stuff that matters as well as being funny and frivolous. Although we have failed at times (forgive us), we would like to invite you to join with us in being a presence on social media that is gracious, loving, and thoughtful.  To that end, here are our joint top ten tips.

On the Death of Pope Francis: a Protestant Reflects, by Michael Jensen

The WADR Project team offer our heartfelt condolences to Catholic Christians on the death of Pope Francis, and our prayers for the upcoming Conclave. This article initially appeared on Michael Jensen’s own substack. Picture is of Australian artist Shen Jiawei with his painting of Pope Francis, Gabriella Clare Marino, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via WikimediaContinue reading “On the Death of Pope Francis: a Protestant Reflects, by Michael Jensen”