Rachel's Vineyard Retreat Ministries Australia is a confidential healing ministry for the many people, both men and women, who have been touched by an abortion experience. The purpose of Rachel's Vineyard Retreat Ministry is post-abortion reconciliation and healing for the "other victims" of abortion.

How do we speak reasonably about sensitive topics, and specifically ones which can give rise to charges of vilification? In ideal world, speech would be free, and everyone would use their freedom responsibly. But human nature being what it is, speech is never completely free, and human beings often act up in bad ways.

The Emerging Church has not emerged. I hear this statement a lot. Another one I hear is, “Missional churches are not growing.” To begin with, I realise some missional gatherings are just a bunch of recalcitrant kids, including some grownups who haven’t grown up. They are doing the missional thing because it’s ‘cool’ and they got sick of the established church telling them to grow up. But more importantly, what are leaders and denominations looking at or looking for when they measure growth?

I recently attended a well-run debate between Australian atheist and moral philosopher Peter Singer and Oxford mathematician and Christian, John Lennox. I was keen to hear Singer as he has a reputation for being a good philosopher and reasonable person, rising above the popularism, arrogance and simplistic arguments of many of the ‘new atheists’.

I have been thinking a lot about the issue of public policy about asylum seekers and the language in which that debate is being conducted. In the New Testament Christians are enjoined to be careful with the language that they use and that injunction surely applies as much to the language that we use in debate about public policy as it does to the language that we use in personal relationships. The need for honesty, truthfulness and respect are relevant characteristics that follow from this injunction.

In the last 4 years of operation, the Charter Act has demonstrated a capacity to provide just, timely remedies for infringements of the rights of Victorians. Examples include court-based remedies but also many others which avoid the judicial system. They are well-documented in various reports, submissions and websites.

In the wake of the Norway gunman Anders Breivik and as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 passes us by, we are reminded again of the reality of fanatical religious violence. We Christians should be alert to recall both the falseness and wretchedness of our own hearts and our many betrayals of Christ and his way.

The revelations relating to the invasive use of phone hacking by News of the World to generate ongoing ‘exclusive’ stories and subsequent political and public responses have led to many questions about media ethics. A former journalist, now media consultant, reflects on recent revelations and journalistic ethics.

On 27 July 2011, “Uncle John” went home to be with the Lord. He is now with the One who he served all his life and in whom he had total confidence.

In the last 4 years of operation, the Charter Act has demonstrated a capacity to provide just, timely remedies for infringements of the rights of Victorians. Examples include court-based remedies but also many others which avoid the judicial system. They are well-documented in various reports, submissions and websites.