Slipping the Moorings
A memoir weaving faith with justice, ethics and community
An overview of changes and issues in Church and Society over 50 years as seen by Richard Randerson as an Anglican priest, bishop and social justice advocate
CHAPTER HEADINGS & SYNOPSIS (244pp, incl. 16 photos, cartoons). Foreword: Rod Oram
- A life-changing journey: growing up in Takapuna, Otago University, St John’s Theological College, curacy at Papakura , marriage to Jackie (1967). Two years post-graduate study and work in New York leading to total redirection of ministry from church-facing to world-facing.
- Through the factory door: a year with the Teesside Industrial Mission, UK and then establishing industrial mission in Auckland (1971-78)
- A church in the city: vicar at St Peter’s, Wellington (1978-90), inner city issues, and several of issues in next chapter also
- The times they are a-changing: key change issues 1970-90 eg anti-apartheid, nuclear-free NZ, ordination of women, remarriage of divorcees, a bicultural church
- Working at the Margins: my time as Anglican social justice officer (1990-94) in Jenny Shipley/ Ruth Richardson era; responding to issues of poverty within NZ
- Purveyors of Corrosive Myths: the ideological underpinnings of libertarian policies in NZ from 1985; global finance collapse
- Crossing the ditch: assistant bishop of Canberra (1994-99), justice issues in Australia, stolen children, life in a semi-rural diocese
- Ethics in the public square: royal commission on genetic modification, health ethics committee, business ethics, how we “do” ethics (but often don’t)
- Same-sex blessings: the same-sex debate in church and society from 1970-2014
- Full circle: dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland (2000-07); engagement with city issues; role of cathedral; inter-faith dialogue; Asian tsunami service.
- Is the bishop an agnostic? public debate between Richard Dawkins, Lloyd Geering, CK Stead and myself as a (so-called) ‘agnostic ‘bishop
- Would I do it again? Reflections on the pros and cons of priesthood; reflections on nature of today’s church and its leadership (should we expect more leadership from bishops on public issues?)
