An Invitation for Open Thinking

Neville Buch’s discussion with Dave Benson, an Australian theologian working in the United Kingdom. The discussion centres on the Bible Society’s recent report:

BS-The Quiet Revival-Final-Digital-EG

The Quiet Revival

The following is what I communicated after considering the report and reading the comments by Steve Hollinghurst, and the comments of the Church Times:

Dave Benson, a very interesting piece for many of us. What strikes me most is that the Quiet Revival cannot be the American Revivalist Tradition (ART). The Quiet Revival must be the approach of the Society of Friends (Quakers) or something in that non-ART direction. Am I being recognised from the work of 1995, but not in name.

Maybe? But there is one statement that I having trouble reading?

“How might the Quiet Revival report be read in the wider context of generational decline but persistent spiritual belief?

 

 

…So what the Quiet Revival may be showing is that for young adults exploring Christianity and church is not as it often is for older generations a rejected option in the search for spiritual meaning.

What is this rejected option in the search for spiritual meaning? It is not my overall experience, and evidence in national/international engagement, such as the Sea of Faith in Australia, the Melbourne Existentialist international society, and even the Humanists Australia Limited, shows otherwise.

I am afraid I find those who swarm (unintelligently) around unreformed organisations, such as the Bible Society, ignorant. Perhaps, that is the problem: the thinking of dogma over spirituality.

The Australian theologian, Paul Tonson, can teach the Bible Society a thing or two. He is speaking at our Sea of Faith Annual General Meeting, Saturday 14th June, starting at noon AEST, on “Reading the bible agnostically”, that is as if we know nothing about it and believe nothing. In other words, being open in our thinking, and faith. Details at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84314961783?pwd=ABAc6WJJQrKKQ9W7fbNH7rE1pAUdfC.1

And also at the 2025 AGM notice: https://drnevillebuch.com/2025-sofia-notice/

Featured Image: In the year 2000, at the Melbourne SoFiA Conference. Duncan-Park, Greg-Spearritt, and Neville-Buch.

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Neville Buch

Professional Historian at Professional Historians Association (Queensland) Inc.

Neville Buch (Pronounced Book) Ph.D. is a certified member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland). Since 2010 he has operated a sole trade business in history consultancy. He was a Q ANZAC 100 Fellow 2014-2015 at the State Library of Queensland. Dr Buch was the PHA (Qld) e-Bulletin, the monthly state association’s electronic publication, and was a member of its Management Committee. He is the Managing Director of the Brisbane Southside History Network.

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