Billed as a ‘celebration of reason’, Melbourne’s recent Global Atheist Convention – one of the world’s largest gatherings of its kind – shed light on the current reasonings and rumblings among atheism.

Peacemaking at home and in the world was the theme for the family camp organised by the synod’s Justice and International Mission (JIM) unit and the Centre for Theology and Ministry in March.

This is a well-written, easy to read book that will inform and challenge Christians whatever their views about sexuality. Parts of it will be disturbing to those who think that Christianity is always about compassion and justice.

The Greens and the nation last month farewelled Bob Brown who, at 67, decided it was time to retire after 16 years in the Federal Senate which followed 10 years in the Tasmanian Parliament.

Helga Svendsen loves to challenge assumptions. “A number of times I’ve had people say to me: ‘you’re a union official – oh’. They don’t expect women, they don’t expect small women and they don’t expect people who are willing to talk and negotiate.”

Ides of March is an adaptation of the play Farragut North. Directed by and starring George Clooney as the charismatic Democratic Governor Mike Morris running for the Presidential nomination.