Talking to Tim Fischer

August 2, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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Tim Fischer, AC, has served Australia as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and the chairman of Tourism Australia. He’s authored books on a variety of topics from East Timor to trains.

In July 2008 Tim Fischer was nominated by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as the first resident Australian Ambassador to the Holy See since 1973, when diplomatic relations with the Vatican and Australia was first established.

He’s currently back in Australia and yesterday he visited the Benedictine Community at New Norcia in Western Australia to deliver an address which touched on a variety of issues including the forthcoming canonisation of Mary MacKillop.

I spoke to Tim Fischer on the phone this morning during my radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear out conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

I asked him about his address at New Norcia titled, “Representing ‘Australia Unlimited’ at the Holy See: From Religious Freedom to Food Security” as well as the connection between faith and politics and whether he was missing politics during the current federal election campaign. I also asked about his love of trains and what train journey’s he had taken in Europe.

Tim Fischer has a fascinating mix of interests so it’s always interesting to hear from him.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR080210_0943.mp3]

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Shroud of Turin

May 4, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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Shroud of TurinThere has been plenty of debate over many years regarding the Shroud of Turin.

Is it really the burial cloth of Jesus or an ancient painting depicting what happened to him?

Opinions are divided but many theologians and other experts believe that the shroud has great significnace for people of faith. Testing seems inconclusive on many levels but the possibility that this piece of cloth played a part in the most significant event in human history.

The Shroud was recently placed back on public display for only the 18th time in its history, in Turin, Italy. On Sunday the pope visited the shroud and said, “This is a burial cloth that wrapped the remains of a crucified man in full correspondence with what the Gospels tell us of Jesus.” It’s not only Catholics who beleive the shroud to be authentic. A number of evangelical Christians have stated why they believe the shroud to be an important part of the Christian story.

My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Rev Dr Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales and Vice President elect of the Baptist World Alliance. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.

Last Wednesday we talked about the Shroud of Turin and discussed the evidence for and against it being what many claim. We also asked the question of whether we really have a need for such items to strengthen our faith.

You can hear what Ross had to say by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/SPI280410_1559.mp3]

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