fruitful faith

Announcing “Faithful Science“…
A one-day Science & Faith conference – coming August 1.
Speakers and topics:

June 23rd, 2009 | Tags: belief, creation, evil, evolution, faith, interpretation, science, theism, theodicy, theology | Category: bible, christianity, science, theology | Comments (12)

The word ‘teleology’ (from Greek τελος ‘telos’ – meaning ‘goal’, ‘end’, ‘purpose’ or ‘that toward which things tend’) is not a street-level term.  However, the concept of a purpose, goal, function or ‘end’ to things most certainly is.  It’s a common as anything.  Teleology is blindingly relevant.

May 26th, 2009 | Tags: abortion, advertising, belief, busyness, change, community, conflict, consumerism, creation, dignity, ethics, evil, god, humanity, Law, life, love, morals, order, pain, peace, philosophy, poetry, politics, relationships, science, sexuality, spirituality, technology, wisdom | Category: ethics, philosophy | Comments (31)

Mark your calendars and register!
TANSA (Theology and the Natural Sciences Aotearoa) presents:
The Theological Meaning of Evolution
Conference to celebrate and interact with Darwin.
Thursday June 25th at 7pm to Saturday June 27th at 6pm
Key Note Speaker: Dr. Christopher Southgate, author of The  Groaning of Creation University of Exeter
Local Speakers: Assoc. Prof. Ruth Barton (Auckland), Assoc. Prof. John [...]

May 1st, 2009 | Tags: christianity, creation, ethics, evil, evolution, faith, god, natural theology, order, philosophy, religion, science, theology | Category: bible, christianity, philosophy, science, theology | Comments (7)

-you can’t say something is ‘evil’ if you’re not already assuming some concept of ‘goodness’
-you can’t say something is ‘poorly designed’ unless you’re assuming what ‘good design’ looks like
-you can’t say something is ‘chaotic’ unless you know what ‘order’ is
-and you don’t have goodness, design or order without some idea of teleology

April 30th, 2009 | Tags: belief, epistemology, evil, order, philosophy, worldview | Category: philosophy | Comments (12)

…that a video game like this even exists.

March 31st, 2009 | Tags: current event, dignity, ethics, evil, humanity, morals, sexuality, tolerance | Category: ethics, philosophy | Comments (3)

TANSAA (Theology and Natural Sciences Aotearoa Auckland – a group emerging from Laidlaw-Carey Graduate School) is finalising their programme for 2009, and it’s looking great.
I’m particularly chuffed about the Conference planned for August 1, hosted by my church, Northcote Baptist.  Details:

February 20th, 2009 | Tags: belief, creation, evil, evolution, faith, god, intelligent design, philosophy, religion, science, spirituality, theism, theology, worldview | Category: science, theology, www | Leave a comment

Anyone who has a knee jerk (i.e. less than critical) reaction to political events in general and the recent U.S. stimulus package in particular, should shut up and think before ranting.
That said, I just don’t like the thought (much less the passing) of the new stimulus package (and I’m not at all anti-Obama – to [...]

February 11th, 2009 | Tags: advertising, change, consumerism, culture, current event, death, discernment, ethics, evil, justice, life, morals, politics, poverty, stewardship | Category: ethics, politics | Leave a comment

I’d absolutely love (or maybe hate?  or both?) to know how much the huge (several ‘windows’ wide and several stories high) ads for shortland street (which I saw today in Auckland city-centre) cost to make, install, display and dispose-of…  It’s a freekin’ TV show…
(on a different tack, the two ‘by-lines’ I remember from the ads [...]

November 19th, 2008 | Tags: advertising, consumerism, culture, current event, ethics, evil, life, morals, random | Category: ethics, general | Comments (2)

It’s ‘inorganic rubbish collection’ time in Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand.
Northcote street-sides are loaded down with previously-wanted, cheaply-made, briefly-enjoyed and hastily-discarded stuff.
Interestingly, a rather large percentage of the items you’ll see piled outside homes in the area can be seen in pre-broken, pre-rusted or pre-outdated condition in store advertising fliers like the “Outdoor Living ‘08” catalogue [...]

October 30th, 2008 | Tags: complacency, consumerism, creation, culture, current event, death, dignity, ethics, evil, humanity, justice, life, morals, poverty, spirituality, stewardship, temptation, truth, wisdom | Category: ethics | Comments (2)