The world of crime – at least in its cinematic form – has its own particular idioms and terminologies. From bean shooters and stool pigeons to the more recent verbal offerings of mullinskis and pikies, language has long been a key part of the underworld culture. For years we've become accustomed to the dialect of the crim, grifter, flim flam man and gangster. The latest celluloid moniker for a con man is ‘matchstick man'. As far as job titles go, Roy (Nicholas Cage) can live with it, but he prefers to think of himself as a con artist. He doesn't take people's money, they give it to him.

It was in the 1960's that ‘secularism' began to bite seriously in Australia. This was felt in the push for abortion on demand and the liberalisation of standards in media and entertainment. South Australia was in the vanguard of such changes, led by Steele Hall and Don Dunstan. In Sydney big debates were held on university campuses over such issues. Our leading and most effective champion in NSW was Bruce Smith, sadly taken from us in recent times.

It was no merely superficial thing that happened to Jesus on that ‘high mountain.' He was ‘metamorphosed' – his very ‘being' was changed into something else. Two great prophets, Moses and Elijah were also there, though not transformed as Jesus was. He was the Christ, no less; they were only prophets. God addressed the three men, ‘This is my beloved Son. Obey him.' This event is more important than we often think.

Next month the Rugby World Cup (RWC) erupts at different venues across Australia. Inspired by the successful evangelistic initiatives that flourished with the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, many Christians are preparing to take the gospel to rugby fans from home and overseas.

The future is not a happy place in the writing of Margaret Atwood. But then neither is the past or present. Populated with the cruel, the manipulative and the marginalised, her novels combine linguistic beauty with social and personal desolation.

Reading Bill Bryson's new book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, was, for me, a profoundly disappointing experience. After digesting his 420-odd pages of scientific ‘history', I can only assume that he is an atheist. From such a gifted writer, I admit I had hoped for much more. Bryson, an acclaimed travel writer, recounts mankind's greatest discoveries, ponders the mysteries of the universe, and analyses what has motivated the greatest minds throughout history. But he does so with literally no more than a few passing references to God along the way, replacing him with science and human achievement.

Reading is Believing has a simple aim: explaining the tenets of Christianity to our world through the use of ‘texts' (literary, cinematic, or both). Devoting one chapter to each of the twelve phrases of the Apostles' Creed, Cunningham explores the meaning of the ‘doctrine' contained in the phrase, then shows how one particular fictional text pertains to that doctrine. Each chapter closes with discussion questions, and a list of related theological texts and other works illustrating the doctrine in question.