Bishop Helen-Ann is currently in Melbourne, at Trinity College, where she is participating in the annual ANZATS conference (Australia and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools).  The theme of the conference this year is 'The Atonement', and delegates have been enjoying three days of worship, fellowship and papers on this important topic.  The key-note speaker has been The Rev'd Dr Serene Jones who is the President of Union Seminary in New York City, and also the current President of the American Academy of Religion.  Dr Jones is the author of numerous books, notably 'Trauma and Grace: Theology in a Ruptured World' (2009).  Bishop Helen-Ann delivered a paper entitled 'AtONEment theories and the unity of the Church? Reflections on the call of discipleship.'  This paper explored whether a more pastoral approach to the atonement, taking into the account the whole story of Christ and the whole journey of discipleship might offer a more helpful way of engaging in God's mission.  While we cannot avoid confessional or devotional approaches, through our creeds and our liturgy and hymnody, Bishop Helen-Ann raised the problems inherent in an approach that relies purely on propositions (saying you must believe 'this') rather than enabling people to come to the story with their own often ambiguous stories of faith and relationship with God.  Reflecting on the pastoral contexts of the rural economy of our Diocese, and the wider issues of human sexuality, Bishop Helen-Ann posited that the church often moves forward precisely because it accepts variegated views of AtONEment (with both sacrificial and participatory perspectives that are part of the Pauline narrative of faith).  How might we continue to grow together in our faith with a deep sense of 're-with-ment' (to use a word of theologian Sam Wells).

Bishop Helen-Ann found the presence of two bishops in the Conference (the other being Bishop Stephen Pickard the Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture) was well received, with one of the conference organisers, Dr Mark Lindsay of Trinity College Melbourne saying that this was a hopeful sign of strengthening connections between academy and church leadership.

A copy of the Bishop Helen-Ann's paper will be uploaded to the Diocesan website in the coming weeks.