Public policy

Description
Commentary on the current state of global and regional affairs, politics, and other matters on public policy.

Channel 9 revives The Block; property bubble imminent

Channel 9 has recently announced that The Block, the renovation reality television show, will be back for 2010.

Surely this is a sign that we may now be in a property bubble.

Continue Reading

Sonny Bill Williams and the Trans-Tasman Court Proceedings and Regulatory Enforcement Agreement

I don't follow rugby league that closely, but I noted that the Bulldogs and Sonny Bill Williams have settled their recent contract dispute.

I am wondering whether the recent signing of the Trans-Tasman Court Proceedings and Regulatory Enforcement Agr...

Continue Reading

Theology and atheism in practice

In John Anderson's valedictory speech to Parliament this week on the relationship between what people believe and what they will end up doing in the world. It sort of ties up with what I have noted earlier, though from a slightly different perspectiv...

Continue Reading

Popular economics

If you have been following the news, you probably have heard of various political parties announcing enquiries into petrol prices and grocery prices. While clearly it would be interesting to see what (if anything) transpires out of these enquiries, i...

Continue Reading

Keeping one's word

Given the developments in Australian politics over the past week, it's rather serendipitous to read the following during my quiet time:

God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not...

Continue Reading

Old Testament macroeconomics

The Sydney Morning Herald recently ran a column from its Economics Editor, Ross Gittens, about the virtues of the economic system stipulated by the Old Testament. The article was largely based on a (rather old) Cambridge Paper, The Divine Economy, by...

Continue Reading

Moore College considers move to UTS Kuring-gai, USyd Cumberland

There has been talk for some time now about Moore Theological College running out of room, given the current rapid expansion of students studying at the college. It has been exploring various options to acquire bigger premises to fit in everyone, as ...

Continue Reading

The draft and the gospel

The Sydney Morning Herald reported today of a proposal from NSW Young Labor to reintroduce national (community) service for graduating high school students. The group's president, Sam Dastyari, particularly noted:

The community service could take ma...

Continue Reading

Book review: The Future of Jesus

Future of Jesus

Title Boyer Lectures 2005: Future of Jesus
Author Peter F. Jensen
Pages 144
Publisher ABC Books
Year 2005
ISBN 0 7333 1749 9
Purchase ABC Shop or Booktopia

Yes, I know that the transcripts for the Boyer Lectures are available ...

Continue Reading

2005 New College Lectures: Church & State

One of the perennial challenges facing a Christian is balancing these two biblical commands:

  1. Submitting to God through submitting to and praying for the authorities (e.g. Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2)
  2. Submitting to God despite the authorities (e.g...

Continue Reading