Theology has suffered a declining status over the past two centuries. It has been banished from most modern universities and relegated to the fringe of intellectual life in many societies. But the secular humanism that sought to provide a replacement unifying narrative has failed to satisfy the yearnings of the human heart. The recent resurgence of interest in spirituality is fundamentally a quest for the numinous, the transcendent and the divine. This collection of essays was produced to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the opening of St Mark's National Theological Centre in Canberra. Written by systematic theologians, biblical scholars, pastoral carers and church historians, they demonstrate that God can be encountered readily in everyday life. These essays showcase the abilities of a diverse range of Australian Christian thinkers and the depth of the contributions they can make to popular understanding of human identity and destiny.
