Grief is a complex collection of emotions that people experience when they lose anything or anyone they care deeply about. It is not limited to death or bereavement. An amputee who loses a leg or arm goes through grief. Grief travels with anyone who loads all their belongings into a van and kisses their family goodbye. A boy or girl may grieve when a romance breaks up, and husband or wife may grieve when a marriage breaks up. Grief may touch a worker who retires from a long-held position, or parents when a son or daughter leaves home for university or enlistment. It is the human response to the loss of what is good.

Next fight youre having about the origins of 'Boxing Day (boxing of presents? or decorations? or just punching each other after all that Christmas-time family tension?), do spare a thought for the loved one of the famous Christmas carol. Because come Boxing Day (which is the carols 'first day of Christmas), this persons troubles are just beginning.

Why are Christians so into 'family'? Was Jesus an enemy of family? What about the dark side of family?

We produce a free weekly Social Issues briefing. Each briefing is about two pages long, and gives some background information on an issue that has recently been in the news. It will offer some ways of thinking about it, and perhaps acting on it, as Christians.

Premier Bob Carrs decision not to support the extension of vilification laws to religion is to be commended as good thinking by a wise leader. His argumentation shows why such laws are unnecessary and counter-productive.

The main purpose of this briefing is to bring to your attention a new Private Members Bill, which may result in a more just and compassionate treatment of each immigration detainee. The briefing will also summarise some other recent news in relation to immigration detention.

Our culture rewards attractiveness over plainness, and rates fashion and body image over most things, which leaves the Christian in a difficult position.

Journalist Malcolm Gladwell recently carried out a survey on about half of the CEOs of U.S. Fortune 500 companies. He found that the average CEO is about three inches taller than the average American man "“ who stands 5 foot nine. In addition, 30 per cent of the CEOs are at least 6 foot 2; the corresponding percentage for American adult men overall is only 3.9 per cent.

In a society that views the autonomy of the individual as sacrosanct and defining, we view all challenges to that autonomy as a threat. In addition, we live in a consumer culture, which tells us that we deserve to have whatever it is we want.

Amir Mesrinejad is from Iran. He is currently being held in Villawood IDC, where he has been for over 4 years. Since being in detention, Amir has become a Christian, but he may soon be deported.

It is hard to form a Christian position on war, because what the Bible has to say about the matter is complex indeed. It is even harder to make a pronouncement about the possible war with Iraq, since we know few of the facts, and our knowledge changes daily. What follows is offered to assist Christians to think theologically about the matter. PAMPHLET.pdf To see a pdf version of the paper click here.

This is address was given by Dr Megan Best, bioethicist and member of the Social Issues Executive, at Parliament House on Monday 11 March 2002.