Sermons & Addresses

With these sermons I am indebted to many people, named and forgotten.  Some of those who have influenced my 'progressive/post liberal' thinking whom I remember, include: Willi Marxsen, B Brandon Scott, Bernard E Meland, Robert Funk, Henry Nelson Wieman, Karl Peters, Tom Boomershine, Gordon D Kaufman, Lloyd Geering, and Stephen Patterson - to name a few. All males I realise...  Mmm.

I do not see myself as an original thinker but more as a reasonably good editor (at least I hope so...) able to weave thoughts, stories and ideas together in a fairly conversational, and at times, narrative way.  Thus in my preaching style I try to invite others to both get curious and excited about what they hear and to explore further.  If that happens then I feel I have been faithful to my calling as a preacher, as well as being respectful of my hearer, trusting s/he will complete the 'message'.

What follows in these Sermons and Addresses, therefore, are some of those invitations to explore - in a spirit of progressive/post-liberal theology, moulded by my understanding of Religious Naturalism (or of ‘mystical naturalism’ as Meland described it).. Most are reasonably short, as far as Sermons go… especially if they are going to be heard in our digital society.  And all are written in what I call 'oral writing', although that doesn't always show on the web site format.

I also invite you to remember that an address/sermon, as an oral form of communication, is also part of a larger liturgy, a happening.  That is, there are many other words, images, stories, reflections and music not published here - all of which helped shape the total experience of the Sunday morning experience in which these Sermons were first spoken.

All this is earthed in my vision of ministry:
• Awakening others to the best/latest contemporary religious scholarship currently available, allowing that scholarship to shape liturgies, sermons, prayers and hymns;

• Shaping services of celebration, especially the Sunday morning experience, which blend tradition with the contemporary, using inclusive language, story, conversation, Australian images and new metaphors - all from a progressive/post-liberal theological perspective;

• Inviting others to focus on a theology which advocates:
         (i) the ‘sacred’ (non-theistic) as expressed within Religious Naturalism;
         (ii) the humanity of Jesus/Yeshu'a;
         (iii) an ethical/social stance which values compassion and social justice;

• Encouraging all to push theological boundaries - to reimagine, reconceive and reconstruct, rather than just restate.

A word about Religious Naturalism… Microbiologist Ursula Goodenough suggests the following which resonates with me: “My core narrative is the naturalistic worldview, based on the discoveries of contemporary science.  This narrative elicits in me three kinds of religious responses: 1) the interpretive (the philosophical/existential meanings of the worldview); 2) the spiritual (eg. awe, gratitude, humility, reverence, and joy); and 3) the moral/ethical (eg. responsibility, fairness, cooperation, and community), with a major focus on social justice and ecomorality.”

I have included a selection of ‘sermons/Addresses’ and ‘articles', shaped by RN, in this Sermon Collection, for your consideration. (Including a very early sermon!)

Rex