Editor's Notes

Faculty of Theology and Philosophy

School of Theology

First my appreciation for your patience. AEJT is going through its own mini-Passover so that its arrival in this holiest of weeks is most fitting. You will be immediately aware there has been a change of format and presentation.

In particular, we have had to cope without the services of our former Technical Editor, Yuri Koszarycz, who brought AEJT to birth with the original Theology@McAuley in 2002. Three issues were produced. He then guided the transformation into ten issues of Australian Ejournal of Theology through his brilliant technical design. The best tribute we can give to Yuri is to develop AEJT with an eye to emulating the excellence of his work.

Alas, this issue cannot pretend to such emulation. It is mainly a print-version. Hopefully, as we develop skills, we will be able to add to this presentation with appropriate copyrighted images. For the moment, we are just keen to ensure the continued production of AEJT. Hence this Easter issue which begins with Anne Hunt's poignant reflection on the place of the Paschal Mystery in our lives and the life of the Church.

Design matters aside, the ten feature articles continue the high level of creative and original scholarship. In particular, I draw your attention to leading theologian John Thornhill's masterful introduction to the writings of Christopher Dawson. This is a "first instalment": future chapters of this mini-book will appear in subsequent AEJT issues.

Interreligious and intercultural concerns are the focus of a number of articles, notably John Coleman (religious dialogue) and William Burrows (formation for mission). In this category we can also include Kathleen Butler-McIwraith's timely piece—in view of the Australian Parliament's recent apology to Indigenous People for their suffering at the hands of European colonization—on Social Justice, Indigenous Australians and Catholicism.

What does it mean to be Church today? Articles by Philip Gibbs on the Church in Papua New Guinea and Paul McQuillan on Youth Ministry / Spirituality raise important issues in answer to our question. In a related way, Kath Engebretson raises the question of—and provides some answers to—why Catholic Schools should teach about world religions. Archbishop Minnerath directly confronts the question of how Church and State should interact in today's world.

Finally, two articles present us with questions of religious knowing. Mark Wynn presents a case-study and provides philosophical reflection on aesthetic religious understanding. Michael Whelan gives a sustained account of the role of conversation—or dialogue—in human and religious awakening.

The spirit of this Holy Week is captured in poems by Noel Rowe and Kathryn Hamann. To this I have added my own reflection on the life and contribution of Noel Rowe (1951-2007) whose poetry also explores the aesthetic dimension of religious understanding.

My thanks to those who provided Book Reviews and/or acted as Referees. Your work in this area ensures the continued high standard of scholarship. Thanks especially to Tony Kelly, Deputy Editor, Book Review Editor and all-round supporter of the processes to enable the production of this AEJT issue. On the technical side, thanks to Peter Coppola, Paul Hudson, Robin Shi & Alison Blair who came to our rescue.

We would like to thank Peter Casamento for his kind permission to reproduce his images for the eJournal home page.

In the hope of Resurrection,

Gerard Hall SM, AEJT Editor

Holy Week 18th March 2008