After more than a decade of negotiations the back block of Bishopscourt, the Archbishop of Sydney's residence, is to be developed and sold.

Debate has fired up between theologians over the merits of the English Standard Version (ESV). Two years after the Bible's release into the Australian market, opinions are divided over the ESV's usefulness in church life and whether the promoters and publishers ‘oversold' the translation.

Ellen Fok would not have made the decision to follow Christ this time last year had it not been for a simple sign advertising English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at All Saints Anglican Church, West Lindfield.

Anti-semitic? Anti-Roman? Too violent? Perhaps, but The Passion is also an opportunity too good to waste.

Our churches need to have a good look at themselves. It seems that we suffer from endemic internal problems.

Clear strategy and cultural sensitivity are imperative for Christians aiming to reach ethnic Australians, writes Ray Galea.

With Gavin Poole.

Stuart Robinson interviews Gavin Poole, on staff at Trinity Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas.