Emerging Downunder: Creating Celtic New Monastic Villages of God taps into the current hunger for spirituality, the death pains of obsolete church forms, and the rising tide of hope felt by many Christians. It suggests ways the fragmented church may reconnect both with its roots and the contemporary environment, providing practical examples of church that bring praying, eating, learning and hospitality together in one place.
This book was first published as Church of the Isles by Ray Simpson for a British audience. In collaboration with Brent Lyons Lee, it has tapped in to worldwide conversations about ‘emerging church’ and ‘new monasticism’ and applied it to a ‘downunder’ context.
The good news of God revealed in Christ Jesus is timeless but the nature of Christians gathering to worship has changed through the centuries. In Emerging Downunder Ray Simpson and Brent Lyons Lee are documenting new forms of church in this 21st century. May this book challenge you into a deeper relationship with Jesus through new ways of being the church of God.
Dr Philip Freier
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne
This is a read for the restless; those who are hungry for something deeper, who cringe with what passes for Christian identity and worship these days and despair when they read church pew bulletins. In fact many who now feel church-less may well find hope here. Or those who walk a lonely path of spiritual isolation where soul mates are rare.
Rev Tim Costello
CEO World Vision Australia
RRP $28.95. Copies can be purchased through Brent Lyons Lee
brent.lyonslee@urbanseed.org or ph
0413 311 170
A secret weapon to ensure sunny skies during Pope Benedict's visit to Sydney for World Youth Day has been revealed - prayers.
Why must we mimic secular media with all this "secret" business? Since when has prayer been a "secret'?This is the stuff of tabloid journalism and only contributes to a sense of dismay about the whole WYD event (s).
What if it rains? Does that diminish the value of certain Nun's prayers? Does it mean God is more interested in relieving drought than big welcomes?
Posted By: Tony Robertson
Incredible! When are we going to get beyond such primitive, backwater images of God and such patronising views of women! I don't believe we need to convince God by copious prayers to bestow his blessings on us, let alone that God turns rain on and off at the behest of our prayers. We no longer believe in the three tiered universe so why do some people in Church continue to speak as if we do?
Posted By: Philip Fitzgerald
Perhaps it would be better if they prayed for the rain to fall in Victoria and South Australia. We certainly need it.
Posted By: Lorraine Gall
"secret weapon"! ... sorry. Doesn't work like that....
..."demanding" God work a miracle on the laws of
nature God already sustains. And are one group of
pray-ers "better demanders" than others??
Christian prayer, is articulated differently and
more-realistically, these days ... with a fair sprinkling of humility and gratitude, after accepting
the kind of weather that actually eventuates - which I, too, hope is good!
Posted By: terry herbert
I trust that at the same time Bishop Anthony Fisher has asked the nuns to send a lot of rain to South Australia this year. Today's Adelaide Advertiser reports that Adelaide will run out of water if we don't get good rainfall this year.
Posted By: Tom Wilson
Kids' prayers are best
Posted By: Chris
I would go a bit easy on prayers against rain.
Posted By: Jeff Foale
What nonsense! Although I think it would be very nice if there are sunny skies to greet the Pope, let's not get carried away - we need rain too.
Posted By: Anne
What an embarrassment is Pellian protege Anthony Fisher and his secret plan! Ignoring the pathetic attempt at ANYTHING for media attention, is he suggesting that nuns are likely to do his every bidding? That's not only self-delusion but patronising - suggesting that (1) nuns have nothing better to do than pray for fine weather for his pet project and (2) nuns pray any better than the rest of the citizens of the Catholic Church - for rain, no rain, a lottery win, to pass an exam, to be a Cardinal like his boss... or anything! He'd be better off studying some recent theology i.e. from the last fifty years!
Posted By: Richard Flynn
I think my good sisters would be better occupied praying for the inspiration they need to speak up for the countless beleaguered peoples of the world, those in Darfur, West Papua, Tibet etc.etc. etc., whose concerns are far greater than a little July dampness on the Papal shoulders. Most sisters I know have gone beyond an image of God who is expected to dance to the desires of picnickers and those on Big Days Out.
We plant rice and cotton in the middle of the driest continent on earth and pray for rain, then bring the Pope in a Boat in the middle of July and expect sun.
No wonder a lot of people laugh at religion.
Posted By: Sister Susan Connelly