SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
- Robert van Mourik
- Sep 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 10
GREETINGS
Our online meeting participants considered the discussion paper, Who am I to judge? conducting a wide-ranging discussion about various spiritual perspectives, sharing stories consistent with the theme of inclusion and exclusion. They outlined the challenges faced by marginalised communities and stressed the importance of connection and acceptance.
Personal stories dominated the discussion and included the following:
a visit to a leper colony in a Calcutta slum
racial bias and the dehumanising effect of rules
the significant gap in life expectancy between people with and without intellectual disabilities
the health challenges of indigenous students, including leprosy in the Northern Territory
people facing addiction and mental health issues
the significant number of women with children awaiting suitable accommodation
Many participants shared the circumstances that led to changes in thinking and a greater appreciation of the importance of inclusivity. An example was the experience of two participants volunteering at the Emanuel City Mission in South Brisbane.
The discussion highlighted the importance of overcoming fear and engaging with those who are different, drawing on spiritual maturity to encourage inclusivity and empathy.
JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT BUTTERFLY SERIES EVENT
When the Divine Was Decentralized
What if the ancient verse in Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created..." doesn’t describe some distant deity, conjuring a world out of void, a God apart from creation, but rather a God diffusing into it?
How would that change our understanding of God? What other beliefs do we hold that we might have to reconsider?
BUTTERFLY SERIES
7 October 2025, 5:45 pm – 7:15 pm AEST
Virtual event on Zoom
EGISTER FOR OUR VIRTUAL EVENT
NEW ON OUR WEBSITE
Look out for our Kindred Spirits & Podcasts as we find inspiration from others. We include links to their websites and podcasts.
We can now list your neighbourhood group so that others can find you or be aware of you. If you would like to join the others listed here, please contact us! We are also aware of new groups forming.
Articles, Book Reviews & Reflection:
Ordination by Dr John A. Dick-Leuven
Our understanding of priests, bishops, and deacons has changed dramatically in the church’s long history.
Heart and Mind: The Four Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation by Alexander John Shaia
Book review
We Cannot be Self-Made by Richard Rohr
An introduction to the concept of Ubuntu.
We Are Microcosms of the Divine by Adeyeye Samuel Oluwatosin
A reflection on Original Blessing and human wholeness.
Orthodoxy: The Death of True Spirituality by Adeyeye Samuel Oluwatosin
If spirituality is meant to be a living, breathing journey into truth, then orthodoxy is the embalmed corpse of that journey.
Reflection
Our website is constantly changing with new information. Bookmark our website in your browser and visit us to keep in touch.
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Do you realise that our website has a very good search function? Enter keywords into the search box in the menu bar and find articles and information stored in our archives. As we add new material this function will become increasingly useful.
For example, this paper Honoring Multiple Truths: An Integrative Pathway to Peace in Israel/Palestine remains relevant today.
A just resolution to the Israel/Palestine conflict requires acknowledging and honoring truths that are seemingly contradictory. Examples from other domains show how this can be accomplished and offer a potential pathway to an enduring, long-term peace.
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