2014 Forum Series: “Responsible Citizenship”

26 February 2014: “Overturning Tables, Knocking off Heads of State, and Other Ways of being Responsible Christian Citizens”, Professor James Haire

  • Audio recordings:
    • Welcome and Introduction: Bishop George Browning, Chairman of CES
    • Professor Haire’s address
    • Question 1: You say that Christianity is fundamentally internationalist? To what extent do you consider that national citizenship undermines international citizen particularly having regard to the huge concentration of wealth?
    • Question 2: Please comment on the rivalry between churches for example in the provision of welfare services and education.
    • Question 3: The corruption of public debate and the fiction of free market as a requisite for economic growth.
    • Question 4: To what extent has Government funding of service delivery suppressed the prophetic voice of the Church?
    • Question 5: The Church leadership is articulate and mostly effective when it comes to securing funding from Government but not on issues where there is no prospect of financial gain?
    • Question 6: How does Christian subversion play out for people in positions of power in the community?
    • Question 7: How can the radicalism inherent in all of us be released?
    • Conclusion: Bishop George Browning

17 March 2014: “Ceding sovereignty in investment treaties: government of the people by foreign corporations”, Professor Thomas Faunce

  • Audio recordings:
    • Welcome: Bishop George Browning, Chairman of CES
    • Introduction: Professor Hilary Charlesworth
    • Professor Faunce’s address
    • Question 1: Is it correct to say that Nanotechnology is “created for a reason”?
    • Question 2: How could Artificial Photosynthesis ever be able to have an impact on corporations the business of which is unrelated to photosynthesis?
    • Question 3: How can grey Nomads be brought to embrace contemplation that you say is vital?
    • Question 4: Are you for real? Summary of main points of the Transpacific Partnership Agreement
    • Question 5: How are you planning to secure funding for artificial photosynthesis?
    • Conclusion: Professor Hilary Charlesworth
    • Conclusion: Bishop George Browning

13 May 2014: “Blinded by vision – overseas aid as shared learning”, Paul Porteous

4 July 2014: “The Common Good: A question of style”, Professor Will Storrar (Annual dinner forum)

  • Audio recordings:
    • Welcome and grace before dinner:  Bishop George Browning
    • Thanks to those who organised the evening: Bishop George Browning (with comments about the importance of public theology and strengthening the voice of public morality and ethics in the world)
    • Introduction of Professor Will Storrar: Rt Rev’d Prof. Stephen Pickard
    • Intro Question 1: Invitation to Prof. Storrar to say something of his background
    • Intro Question 2: Why is your centre at Princeton called “Centre of Theological Inquiry” rather than “Centre for Theological Inquiry”?
    • Prof Storrar’s address
    • Question 1: On what role Prof. Storrar sees for non-Christians and other traditions in the revival of the apostolic approach to the common good that he advocated?
    • Question 2: Whether the Apocalyptic and Apostolic approaches to the common lead to the same end
    • Question 3: How is it possible to reach a consensus on the common goods in diverse or multicultural societies such as Australia?
    • Question 4: To what extent are the organized churches more a problem than a help in the question promoting the common good?
    • Question 5: The significance of the recent decision of the Presbyterian Church in Detroit to divest itself of companies in business in the Occupied Territories.
    • Question 6: Will Scotland be able to contribute more to the world as an independent country than as a part of the United Kingdom?
    • Comments: Bishop George Browning (particularly about the debate on sexuality at the 1998 Lambeth Conference)
    • Address of thanks: Prof. Ingrid Moses

30th September 2014: “Unemployment, causes, consequences & cures”, Bob Gregory & Kasy Chambers

  • Audio recordings:
    • Introduction: Bishop George Browning
    • Bob Gregory’s address
    • Kasy Chamers’ address
    • Question 1: How is it possible to gain leverage over political leaders professing to be Christians but who pursue policies of inequality and unfairness contrary to Christian values?
    • Question 2: Request for comments on the difficult position of landlords faced with land tax comparable to the rent received and the financial costs of bad tenants
    • Question 3: Absence of research evidence supporting opinions and assumptions underlying the recommendations of the Commission for Audit and decisions outlined in the Commonwealth budget paper
    • Question 4: Overwork and under work and the concept of sustainable employment
    • Question 5: Can the private sector can be relied upon to provide affordable housing and the importance of education to address unemployment?
    • Closing Comments: Bishop George Browning

15 October 2014: “Striving for the best in our sporting nation: can sport be a force for social justice?”, Joe Roff and Sally Shipard

  • Audio recordings (unfortunately, due to technical problems, only the first part of this forum was recorded):
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