On Saturday 21st March CASE ran a conference entitled ‘Medical Ethics: Christian Perspectives on Life and Death’ at New College (Sydney) . People interested in exploring a biblical perspective on medical ethics, including the issue of euthanasia, turned up at New College for the one day conference.  With 105 delegates the conference was so heavilly subscribed that we had to turn would be delegates away on the day and had a waiting list prior to

Read more

In considering both biological and biblical perspectives, Dr Megan Best contends that destructive research on human embryos means there are more lives at stake than may be initially apparent.

During the public debate in Australia preceding the passing of Federal legislation allowing destructive research on human embryos in 2002, I remember reading newspaper reports that the frozen excess embryos in question were (a) dead, (b) merely human cells and

Read more

Dr Megan Best reviews this volume by respected scientist Dr Francis Collins.

The interface of faith and science is often discussed by passionate Christians and scientists who have poor understandings of their opponents’ subject. It was therefore with anticipation that I began reading this volume, written by a man with a foot in each camp, intent on instructing both sides about how they could get along with the other.

Dr Francis Collins, a

Read more

Our ability to manipulate the unborn human has created unprecedented ethical problems.

In this recent article Megan Best gives an updated assessment of stem cell research. Our recently acquired ability to manipulate the unborn human has created ethical problems which have no precedent.  Medical technologies are developing quickly, and legislation to allow an expansion of the opportunities available to our scientists is regularly before the

Larissa Johnson reviews "In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment".

David Hume was an eighteenth century philosopher whose arguments against religion are commonly believed to have sounded the death knell for natural theology, which can be defined as the attempt to find rational justification for a belief in God from reason and the natural world. In Defense of Natural Theology is offered as a direct confrontation to Hume’s legacy,

Read more

On 20 April 2007, CASE ran a workshop for health workers, theologians, ethicists and church workers on the topic of ‘Sexuality and the Christian Worldview’.

The conference programme included:

• Greg Clarke speaking on: ‘Sex in the Bible’

• Grenville Kent speaking on: ‘Song of Solomon’

• ‘Sexual orientation-state of research’ with panelists: Amelia Haines, Patricia Weerakoon and Joe Beam

• Uwemedimo Uko Esiet speaking on: ‘Responding to AIDS in Africa—A

There’s more than one view on climate change among evangelicals.

"You can’t change the weather," we all used to say with a shrug, to make the point that some actions are well beyond the powers of puny humans. But a disagreement has opened up among U.S. evangelicals about the extent to which we can, or cannot, change the weather.

The purpose of this briefing is very limited. We simply want to outline the groups involved in this American Christian

Read more

A Bishop looks at Science from the viewpoint of the Christian Faith.

(This paper is the text of the 2006 Annual lecture of ISCAST (NSW) given by the Right Rev. Robert Forsyth BA, BD, ThL, Mth, DipA. Bishop of South Sydney, on 28 October 2006.)

I am approaching the matter strictly as the title suggests. I am no scientist and I fear I will disappoint those looking for a less impressionistic and non-systematic treatment that I have tonight. However,

Read more

Upon entering university, what should the average tertiary student hope to learn? Ross McKenzie investigates.

(Ross McKenzie is a Professorial Research Fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Queensland.)

An address given at the Annual Academic Awards Dinner, Cromwell College, University of Queensland, August 22, 2006.

Thank you for this opportunity to reflect a little on academic life. It is good to acknowledge achievement, not

Read more

There are many ways of putting together the fields of theology and psychology, not all of them equally fruitful.

What is the relationship between Christianity and secular psychology? Are they two totally incommensurable approaches to human beings? Are they simply answering different questions? Can they profitably interact?

Files: birkett-christianity-psychotherapy.pdf

Read more