An excerpt from the article “Fanaticism and Faith” that I recently wrote for Ethos (engage.mail) re 10th anniversary of 9/11:

…Crouched on the roof top of our Buenos Aires’ home, peering towards the sound of machine gun fire, had not been my vision of missionary service.  Yet here I was hearing the sound of extremism in Argentina. One extremist group had Marxist motivations to liberate the poor and oppressed, the other group had passion for the protection of the ‘Patria’, the traditional culture of the nation.

Three decades later in Hobart, the Cathedral was packed. Present were the Prime Minister, Governor, dignitaries, military, the media, weeping family and friends. Terrorism had claimed a young Tasmanian and we were gathered to recall his life and seemingly pointless death by bomb blasts in idyllic Bali. If September 11, 2001 epitomises religious fanaticism in the name of Islam, the cost of such fanaticism was brought home to Tasmanians in a flag draped coffin, carried from Bali to a sorrow-filled Cathedral…

Read the rest of my article here. Read more articles from Ethos (engage.mail) here. The Editors’ note,

Welcome to the September issue of Engage.mail.

In recognition of the tenth anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers, we’ve asked John Harrower to reflect on the link between religion and terrorism. And as the Federal Government’s strategy to stop the “people smugglers” has been thrown into disarray, Doug Hynd reflects on the loaded language we use in connection with this issue. Tim Foster reviews the recent debate between John  Lennox and Peter Singer. And finally, you’ll find you’ll find part two of a summary of the submission to the Inquiry into the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Victoria), which examines its effects on religious freedom.

Grace and peace
Denise Cooper-Clarke, Ian Packer, Gordon Preece