Australians and Modern Slavery

Slavery is a universal phenomenon. It stretches far back into human history and spreads itself indiscriminately across every culture. Tragically, it persists to this day. Statistics are always difficult to find (because modern slavery necessarily exists on the fringes of society), but David Batstone (2010) in his book “Not for sale” conservatively estimates that there are thirty million people presently trapped or born into slavery — a state in which a person is owned by another person.

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Saints and Slavery (Part II)

Saint Nicholas of Myra (AD 270-343)

“But the Lord who loves humankind, who never wishes his own creation to become hostage to sin, sent him a holy angel — I mean the godlike Nicholas — [… who] became a most ready resource for their defence, and he saved them, though they were already being led away to a death of profligacy” — Michael the Archimandrite, ‘Life of Saint Nicholas’

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Saints and Slavery (Part I)

There are a number of saints who can offer Christians inspiration for abolitionism. Two of these were of the same family and resisted the institution of slavery in different and significant ways.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa (AD 335-395)

"As therefore in the life that we hope for there will be neither disease, nor curse, nor sin, nor death, so slavery also along with these will vanish away." — Saint Gregory of Nyssa, 'Against Eunomius', Book X, §4

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They love us!

They really do love us at the Baden Powell! Well, to the extent of drawing us a nice friendly doodle, and if that isn't true love, then what is?

Thanks Phil for the photo.
 

The reservation notice on our table at the Baden Powell

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Cafechurch and A Churchless Faith

One of the most helpful books I know about the journey which Cafechurch has been on is New Zealand pastor and sociologist Alan Jamieson's book A Churchless Faith. In it he attempts to explore the journeys on which people go after the leave Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic (EPC) churches. That story seems resonant with many people in Cafechurch, so I recently wrote a blog post about it, outlining Jamieson's stages, and pondering how well it fits Cafechurch's story.

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Welcome to the new site!

Welcome to the new Cafechurch website! This is the first proper site upgrade we have made since I don't know when. Years ago. I hope you will check back periodically to check out what we are up to here in Cafechurch Melbourne.

The Hippo in a Nightie - Stalin's "gift" to the people of Warsaw.

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