Touchstone July 2007

Religion stands accused
At the beginning of the new millennium religious voices have taken on a more strident tone and extreme religious groups have become more active. In turn, some secular thinkers have issued sweeping dismissals of religion as obsolete thinking. In this book review essay Jim Stuart takes a look at several works at the forefront of the attack on religion. Read more...

Church forum dives into slippery topic of water usage
By Paul Titus
While water carries great symbolic significance for Christians, last month it was also the focus of a more practical discussion when the Timaru-Temuka Methodist Parish hosted a symposium on the sustainable use of water in Canterbury. Read more...

Christians persecuted in Iraq
By Paul Titus
One of the unreported consequences of the war in Iraq is the persecution of the country’s Christian minority. Christian priests are being abducted and murdered while Christian people are being forced to convert to Islam or flee their homes. Read more...

Lessons to learn from power cut death
By Paul Titus
The tragic death of Folole Muliaga should serve as a wake-up call for Pacific churches to look after the material as well as the spiritual well-being of their members, say Methodist Samoan leaders. Folole died in June when the power was cut off to her Mangere home, shutting down her oxygen machine. Read more...

Community dollars as good as gold
By Paul Titus
Whether they are called community dollars, green dollars, or barter & exchange systems – local trading initiatives offer an alternative to money. Read more...

Interfaith issues fuel education debate, inspire outreach
By Julia Stuart
Media focus on conflict during the Asia-Pacific Inter Faith Dialogue in Waitangi obscured one of its most far-reaching elements, a strong call for education about religions in all schools, including religious schools. Read more...