This New Year, how can we go beyond quick-fix resolutions and superficial comparisons of ‘success’ (such as the #10yearchallenge), to embracing internal changes that create long-lasting fruit? Aristotle, St Benedict’s ‘Rule’ and ultimately Jesus show us how we can celebrate the beauty and power that can come from a virtuous life.

In a recent blog post on Nauru, the Australian Christian Lobby’s Martyn Iles claimed that Christ’s commands to compassion do not apply to government. But things are not so simple - Christian ethics are not just individual, but also communal and eschatological, in nature.

If God is eternal - outside of time - can he relate to us and comfort us in our suffering? Far from rendering God distant, his eternality makes him much more present than any other temporal being ever could be.

What would it take for those not in the church to think of the church as ‘our local community church’? In Melbourne’s outer suburb of Diamond Creek, a church is encouraging its members to nominate a local business to connect with.

Michael Jensen's recent piece, Why Animals?, was a reflection on the non-human creation and our responsibility for it. But the fundamental distinction in Christian theology is between creator and creation, and not between humans and the rest of creation. So what makes humans unique?

The Bible provides an ethical framework for a robust understanding of work and the dignity of the worker. Christians must watch the future of work closely and prepare strategies to mitigate the dangers, enhance the dignity of our work and protect the soul of the worker.

Ian Hore-Lacy suggests that only nuclear can give Australia the reliable, low cost power that will help reduce CO2. However, there are a number of unresolved problems around nuclear power, including cost compared to the alternatives in 2018, and it is doubtful that nuclear energy can scale quickly enough to solve our climate change problem.

Displacement and migrancy have become the dominant themes of our age. The biblical narratives also feature people on the move, and in the New Testament the iconic migration is the incarnation. Indeed, we can call the God of the Bible a Migrant God, the One who journeys with us.

Energy policy in Australia is highly politicised, and the government has failed in its role of ensuring that the basic needs of its citizens are met. This is a concern for us, as Christians, as we try to be good stewards and ensure justice for the vulnerable. What is the practical way forward?

In Genesis, our personhood is closely tied to the vocation assigned to us as Image Bearers: co-regents under God, carefully tending to God’s good creation, both as care-givers and care-receivers. We find it easy to be care-givers; but acknowledging our need for care is more challenging. Yet there is dignity in fragility.