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Written by SPA Inc
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Sunday, 31 May 2009 14:37 |
 Born in Melbourne, Australia, in March 1940, Paul Collins is an historian, broadcaster, and writer. In March 2001 he resigned from the active priestly ministry of the Catholic Church due to a dispute with the Vatican’s Congregation for the doctrine of the Faith over his book Papal Power.
For many years he has worked in varying capacities in TV and radio with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). He also writes regularly for many of Australia’s leading newspapers and magazines, as well as for the London Tablet, the National Catholic Reporter in the United States and for several Catholic magazines in Germany. At present he presents the ABC TV programme, Sunday Spectrum. It examines ethical, spiritual and philosophical/theological issues in the contemporary world.
He has a Master’s degree in theology (Th.M.) from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in history from the Australian National University (ANU). He has taught church history and theology in Australia, US and Pacific countries and worked as a parish priest in Sydney and Hobart. In 1998 he was a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at the ANU, and Ethel Hayton Visiting Fellow in Religion and Society at the University of Wollongong. He also has wide experience in tertiary and adult education.
Between 1988 and 1996 he was a producer-presenter in the ABC in radio and TV, and for three years he was Specialist Editor-Religion for the ABC. He is the author of Mixed Blessings [Penguin, 1986], No Set Agenda. Australia’s Catholic Church Faces an Uncertain Future [David Lovell, 1991], God’s Earth. Religion as if matter really mattered [Harper Collins 1995], Papal Power [Harper Collins, 1997], Upon This Rock. The development of the papal office from Saint Peter to John Paul II [Melbourne University Press, 2000], and From Inquisition to Freedom [Simon and Schuster, 2001]. He is at present working on a book on the ethics of population.
While he is well known as a commentator on the papacy, he also has a strong interest in environmental and population issues, and his book God’s Earth has been made into a major TV documentary by the ABC. He is a member of the Australian National Committee for the Earth Charter and he was also one of a thousand world religious leaders invited to attend the United Nations Millennium Peace Summit in August 2000.
Nowadays he works as a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster on environmental issues, social ethics, theology, history and communication.
May 2001
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 June 2009 13:50 )
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Population Quotes
We must alert and organise the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our environmental crises - exploding population growth and wasteful consumption of irreplaceable resources. Overconsumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today.
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Jacques-Yves Cousteau
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - MELBOURNE 2010
DATE- MARCH 20th 2010 at 2.00 p.m.
VENUE
University of Melbourne
Trinity College Royal Parade Parkville
Evan Burge Building
Buzzard lecture Theatre
Enter Gate A (next to Janet Clarke Hall)
Guest speaker:
Dr Bob Birrell, Reader in Sociology at Monash University.
Full Details
Media Release - SEQ Water Strategy - 10 Feb.
South East Queensland Water Strategy reveals SEQ population growth is unsustainable
High energy consuming desalination plants underpinning future water security for South East Queensland shows that the region’s population growth is unsustainable, say environmentalists.
“Detailed planning for desalination facilities at Lytton and Marcoola will commence in 2010, however, a desalination plant at Lytton shows a total disregard for the Moreton Bay Marine Park and its internationally listed values,” said Mr Simon Baltais, Vice President of the South East Queensland Branch of Sustainable Population Australia. Read On. ..
Discover biodiversity - every day
Biodiversity is the backbone of all life on earth, and its conservation lies at the very core of IUCN’s work. ‘Species of the Day’ has been launched as part of IUCN’s involvement in the International Year of Biodiversity.
With mounting scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis, it’s time to take action. “The latest analysis of the IUCN Red List shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met,” says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “It’s time for governments to get serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we’re rapidly running out of time.”
Each day of 2010 will see a different species featured on the IUCN website, with information on the threats it faces. The 365 species selected represent the entire range of taxonomic groups and cover all regions. We have started by featuring some better known species, including the Polar Bear and will move on to cover plants, fungi, invertebrates and more. Both charismatic and obscure species will be featured, providing an insight into the astonishing level of biodiversity that exists.
If you would like to access the archived list of species go to www.iucnredlist.org/species-of-the-day/archives
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