Revd Rex A E Hunt

MSc(Hons), GradDip(Communication Management)

Rex A. E. Hunt is an Australian 'grass roots' religious naturalist (information HERE), social ecologist, and progressive liturgist. Born in Horsham, Victoria (Jardwadjali Country) he now lives on the Central Coast (Darkinjung Country) of New South Wales.

Fifty-two years ordained, first as a Presbyterian (1972), he is today a retired minister of the Uniting Church in Australia (formed in 1977 when Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches united), where his last placement was in Canberra, ACT - Canberra being Australia's capital city, centre of national political life. He served in several parish/congregation appointments - one such settlement was in Hobart (Tasmania), at Scots Church/Royal Hobart Hospital UCA Chaplain, during the Port Arthur Massacre - as well as, for nine years, the National Director of Communications with The Assembly, Uniting Church in Australia.

Some highlights from a significant 'progressive' career in ministry include:

• Founding Member, Editorial Committee, Catalyst: A Journal of Progressive Religious Thought (1967-74);

• Founder (1990), National Co-ordinator (1990-96) and Life Member (2008) of The Network of Biblical Storytellers, Australia & New Zealand. He was a Workshop leader at several of the Network's National Gatherings, and the Keynote Presenter at the National Gathering in Victoria in 2011;

• Founding Director (2002-2009) and Life Member (2009) of The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought Canberra where he was a regular Keynote Presenter;

• Assisted with the establishment of The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought Sydney (2004), The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought Brisbane (2005) - now called Progressive Christianity Network Queensland, The Progressive Christianity Network of Victoria (2006) and The Progressive Christian Network Central Coast (2010-2012); Likewise he gave guiding encouragement to Progressive Christian Network West Australia and Progressive Christianity Aotearoa - where he gave a 'quick-fire' (short) presentation on Holy Communion/Jesus Banquet at the latter's launch in August 2014.

• Presented the inaugural Rod Jensen Memorial Lecture (2009) for the UCForum - a progressive movement founded in 2001 within the Uniting Church and centred on the Queensland Synod.

• He is a Member and an International Director (Elected August 2019) of the Religious Naturalist Association (USA), and a Member of the Spirit of Life Unitarian Fellowship in Sydney, Australia;

• An Associate Member (2005 - 2022) of the Westar Institute (USA) - an international gathering of biblical and theological scholars who advocate religious literacy and critical scholarship. Between 2005-2008 he was a member of its Literacy and Liturgy Seminar (now called Praxis Forum) - the difference scholarship on the 'historical' Jesus and early christianities makes, and how to reimagine what these new understandings imply for worship (the Sunday morning experience), preaching, prayer, spirituality, and life in community;

• Member of The Committee of Common Dreams Inc (Australia/New Zealand). He was the Founding Chair of the Committee/Planning Team for three Common Dreams International Gatherings of Progressive Religion, spread over eight (8) years (2006-2013). After stepping down as Founding Chair, he has continued to serve on the Planning Team for two further Conferences.

In 2004 he was made a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International (Rotary Club of Canberra-Woden) for Services to the Community - he is a former National Board member, Apex Australia (Editor “The Apexian”), a District Governor of Apex Australia (Zone 1, District 3), a past President of Rotary, and a past President of ProBus - and prior to moving from Canberra, was made an Honorary Member of the then Rotary Club of Woden in 2008.

Rex has published several articles on various topics - Media, Communication, Preaching, Christmas, Liturgy, Parables, The 'progressive' Movement, etc. (some available on this site).

Along with these articles he has authored/edited eight books (See front covers, this page):

• A collection of Sermons, Addresses, and Presentations called Seasons and Self: Discourses on Being ‘at home’ in Nature. Complete with 11 original poems by Australian poet John Cranmer. Published by Coventry Press (2018), and his ‘magnum opus’ When 'Progressives' Gather Together: Liturgy, Lectionary, Landscape… And Other Explorations (Morning Star Publishing, 2016) on liturgy, enculturation, Baptism and Jesus Banquet/Meal tradition, The Jesus/Abba Prayer, and Preaching. Plus a large liturgical resources ToolKit.

• Co-edited (and contributed to) two books on progressive Christianity with John W. H. Smith - Why Weren't We Told? A Handbook on ‘progressive' Christianity, (Polebridge Press, 2012), and New Life: Rediscovering Faith. Stories from Progressive Christians - a companion to WWWT?, (2013, Mosaic Press; Re-issued 2014 by Morning Star Publishing) featuring stories from 25 lay people from Australia and New Zealand/Aotearoa on their 'progressive' journey;

• Co-edited (and contributed to) with Gregory Jenks, a collection of 13 articles from Australian and New Zealand progressives, centred around the spirit of the Common Dreams Conferences, called Wisdom and Imagination: Religious Progressives and the Search for Meaning (Morning Star Publishing, 2014).

• Other published books include: (i) a collection of Sermons Against The Stream: Progressive Christianity Between Pulpit and Pew (Mosaic Press, 2012. Re-issued August 2014 with Morning Star Publications); and (ii) an exploration of Christmas called Cards, Carols, and Claus: Christmas in Popular Culture and Progressive Christianity (Mosaic Press, 2013; Re-issued 2014 by Morning Star Publications).

• Associated with WPGT, in September 2015 Rex undertook an international speaking tour where he gave a series of Lectures/Presentations based on the chapters in the book. He visited Phoenix AZ. USA - at The Fountains United Methodist Church (6 September, where he preached), and gave two workshops: (i) for clergy, and (ii) for laity (8 September); in Nova Scotia (Canada) at the Tatamagouche Centre over a whole weekend (11-13 September, five formal Presentations and two informal), and Britain in Manchester (23 September, one extended Presentation), and in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (26 September, three formal Presentations and a lead Reflection) - all under the patronage of the Progressive Christianity Network Britain. During and after all these Presentations he met many folk who not only knew of this web site, but used its contents frequently, and the works of the other authors he highlights. “It was both a humbling and rewarding experience… thank you one and all”.

• Edited and contributed to, a collection of story Sermons, New Green Shoots and Other Story Sermons (JBCE, 1993 - available from Morehouse Publishing Company, 1995).

Up until his retirement from active ministry Rex was recognised as a leader in Australia's progressive religious movement. He writes: "So here they are. A bit of this. A bit of that. Sermons. Liturgies. Prayers. Affirmations. Articles. Read on if you are interested in wanting to push some theological boundaries in open and honest ways. Progressive/evolving theology has always been an imaginative construction - a religiopoiesis to use Ursula Goodenough’s term. Seek out those others who have helped me shape my thoughts for they have much more to offer than suggested here. And may we all be empowered as we re-imagine the world.

PS: Be encouraged to contact me direct by eMail (rexae74@gmail.com) with your comments, especially how you use my suggestions and examples, and share the URL addresses of similar material you have found helpful on other web sites.

Rex

Worth Pondering.

BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR