tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post7805392272933832738..comments2024-03-29T17:55:30.203+13:00Comments on Anglican Down Under: Poetic challenge to prayers for peacePeter Carrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-76913614090558250202015-12-24T04:54:25.979+13:002015-12-24T04:54:25.979+13:00Psychologist Steven Pinker, the atheist in my vill...Psychologist Steven Pinker, the atheist in my village, spent his sabbatical a few years ago writing The Better Angels Of Our Nature, a history that documents, and as far as possible explains, the steady decline in human violence over the past several centuries. An important part of this decline is that warfare is less ubiquitous and less lethal. So if we assume with Joe Bennett that the world we see is a test of the effects of prayer, then it appears that several centuries of dona nobis pacem have been and continue to be answered. In fact, Professor Pinker's book did not make me think that that prayer was an ineffectual waste of time. Rather his systematic unpacking of the concept of violence and his chronicle of how it has changed through time seriously challenged me to think that we should be praying more about that and other manifestations of sin. <br /><br />Bowman WaltonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-24766198129124695182015-12-23T23:48:18.232+13:002015-12-23T23:48:18.232+13:00I think Joe Bennet is a closet Christian, Peter. D...I think Joe Bennet is a closet Christian, Peter. Did he not once teach at Christ's College, Christchurch? He has infinite wit and some sagacity. Worth reading at any time. I think he was baptized a Roman Catholic. He might quite like Mass at St. Michael's. We have many a 'lapsed Catholic' wordshipping with us. They seem to enjoy the inclusive nature of our congregation - with serious liturgical worship.Father Ron Smithhttp://kiwianglo.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-9796245764817425702015-12-23T15:24:38.951+13:002015-12-23T15:24:38.951+13:00I guessed you made a mistake Nick.
You must be mor...I guessed you made a mistake Nick.<br />You must be mortified that you are not infallible :)<br />Peter Carrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-79229576015661065372015-12-23T15:05:08.433+13:002015-12-23T15:05:08.433+13:00Hi Peter, I meant laugh and there's no wine fl...Hi Peter, I meant laugh and there's no wine flowing here; yet.<br /><br />NickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-82430147926262755272015-12-23T13:25:40.233+13:002015-12-23T13:25:40.233+13:00Hi Peter,
The Vatican reply (which I assume isn&#...Hi Peter,<br /><br />The Vatican reply (which I assume isn't a joke) made me life. If reminds me of Chesterton: the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.<br /><br />NickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com