Editorial: Power

December 18, 2025

William L. Peirson

‘Our biggest problem is men’—or that is how it feels. Without boring you with the more mundane aspects of being Master of New College, my last two weeks have been spent documenting how our communities will prevent gender-based violence[1] and enact gender equality action.[2]

And there are serious problems with men. For years I have been saying that the biggest reputational issue for conservative Christians in Australia has to do with their treatment of women—especially their abuse of power over women. I acknowledge the work of journalist Julia Baird and others in calling on churches to acknowledge and respond to the domestic violence in its midst.[3] One day, in a corridor, I had opportunity to take a senior Christian male counsellor aside. ‘Do we have a problem?’ I asked. ‘Yes,’ was the reply. That was the germ of this edition, Power. Sinful humans, and especially men, need to consider well how they exercise their power.[4]

To this end, we need the voices of men who understand from the inside how men think about sex, gender and power. I urge you to read Matt Boulton’s story in this edition. His personal and professional experience with anger and violence, and his understanding of the male sense of self, have given him a deep desire to help the (mostly) men who struggle in this area. A Christian, he is clearsighted about the reality of sin and the need to change, and comes alongside those who need help by offering support and hope instead of accusations and attacks. This is crucial: next to concerns about abuse sit concerns about men’s poor mental health and high suicide rates.[5] Adding to the frequent and public man-bashing chorus does nothing to help and only make things worse.

Of course, the use and abuse of power is everywhere, extending far beyond the domestic sphere, and not limited to any particular demographic. Almost everyone has power in some form, and almost everyone is subject to the power of others in one way or another. Not surprisingly, then, the Bible has a lot to say about power. In this edition, David Starling lays a solid groundwork by contrasting the power and glory of leaders in the kingdoms of this world with the power and glory of leaders in the kingdom of God. A.J. Culp asks whether Christianity is, as Nietzsche and others have averred, a religion for the weak. Dani and I add a Christmassy flavour as we try to understand the superpowers of shepherds.

To round the edition off Noreen Herzfeld critiques our unthinking acceptance of the enormous energy and water consumption needed to power the everyday use of AI, and points out how the failure of everyone to exercise their power well in this area could lead to immense environmental and human costs.

This is not necessarily easy material to read but my prayer continues to be that this will be a blessing to you.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

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