A Tasmanian bishop has made a personal pilgrimage to Sydney to thank a speaker who has been inspiring his efforts to connect faith with life for four decades.
Anglican Bishop of Tasmania Dr John Harrower names Dr Os Guinness, the opening speaker at this year's Macquarie Christian Studies / Zadok Conference, as a personal hero.
"When I was a young Christian in the early 70s, Os Guinness' writing and thinking had a profound influence on me," Bp Harrower says.
"Os challenged me to be a thoughtful Christian and not to be afraid of engaging faith and life together," Bishop Harrower said.
"Tonight I came to thank him " and I did. It was a special moment."
Dr Guinness, a world leader in relating faith to work issues, opened the "Reclaiming our voice: Christians coming out in public' conference with a challenge for Christians to embrace involvement in the social issues shaping Australia.
He told the Chatswood audience believers would lose their freedom to participate in society and public debate unless they exercised and protected this privilege without a view for denominational boundaries.
"How do we solve the issue of living with our greatest differences whilst maintaining our freedom?" Dr Guinness asked.
"We will never have sustained freedom unless we get this issue right. This is an issue on which as followers of Christ we have an immense stake and an immense amount to say."
Bishop Harrower says the content had an immediate bearing on a meeting he had with a Arabic Christian ministers keen to help Australian politicians understand the best way to develop a multi-faith Australia that avoided settling for "the lowest common denominator.'
He also heaped praise on MCSI for providing a platform for non-denominational with speakers from all over the world.
"Such events are an excellent opportunity to hear high calibre teaching and for us to get together as Christians," he says.
"What we are in Christ is far more profound than our denominational differences and it gives us a chance to challenge and encourage each other."
Keynote speaker, William Cavanaugh, drew on his experience of Chile under the dictator General Pinochet to deliver an insight into the effect a complete separation of church and state has on a society.
ABC journalist Toni Hassan directed a panel which explored the issues around religion, the media and multiculturalism, focusing on the Cronulla riots.
For CDs and DVDs from the conference, or more information on up-coming events, visit the MCSI website or call 98506133.
For more information about Zadok, visit the Zadok web site.
Photos courtesy Mick Pope
