History
HistoryHere is the story of the Australasian Theological Forum Limited (ATF) - formerly known as the Australian Theological Forum Incorporated - beginning from August 1993. Here you will read how the ATF was established, its program since 1993, and some details of its organisational structure. | |||||||||||||
The New Zealand connection | |||||||||||||
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Initial meetings | |||||||||||||
| That very first meeting set the tone for the ATF with three key principles.
Add to this that the ATF should be a national body, and that it should contribute locally and internationally to the theological enterprise through relevant publications, and you have the shape of the organisation to this day.
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Interim committee | ||||
| Rev Fr John L Neill OP (Chair) Hilary Regan (Secretary) Rev Rodney Horsfield with assistance from Rev Dr Gordon Watson Sr Helen Northey OP Rev Ian Williams Professor Kevin Hart Rev Dr Max Champion Rev Dr Anthony Kelly | An interim Committee began work immediately, networking with people around Australia about setting up what they then called the Australian Theological Foundation. They took the original structure and purposes from the Dunedin based OTF, adapting them as more people became involved. Financially, the fledgling body was supported by a generous seeding grant from Otira College's Council. The Council also provided meeting facilities, office equipment, and a mailing address.
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Sr Veronica Brady First public function | ||||
| Also in late 1993, the interim Committee began organising the ATF's first public gathering: an international symposium on Theology and Health Care in Melbourne in 1995. Check out the resulting publication on the ATF Press website. | ||||
Milestones: | ||||
| October 1994 | This meeting brought together representatives of the Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Uniting Church of Australia traditions. After discussion, the self constituted Board was voted in. A preliminary Statement of Intent was approved, emphasising that the ATF was to be:
Since 1994 some of the original Board members have resigned due to heavy commitments and other activities. The Forum is grateful for the contribution that has been made in the foundation period by various Board members since 1994. Dr Gordon Watson was elected as foundation chairperson, and continued in that capacity for 5 years.
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| Early 1995 | Finance Sub-Committee established: Br Anthony Walsh, OP, Mr John Hoffmann, Mr John Kelly, all of Melbourne, and Mr Hilary Regan of Adelaide. In May 1996 Mr Lachlan Stuart of Adelaide was added to the group. The members of the present Committee can be found elsewhere.
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| Also 1995 | Publication Sub-Committee established. The members of the initial group were Rev Dr Vic Pfitzner and Mr Hilary Regan, with Mr Chris Pfieffer and Sr Bernadette Kiley OP joining later. | |||
| July 1995 | First international theological symposium, "Beyond Mere Health: Theology and Health Care in a Secular Society", held in Melbourne. The Symposium was attended by over 100 participants. The program included main papers, responses and replies, workshops, plenaries, and public lectures. | |||
| September 1995 | Name changed to Australian Theological Forum Incorporated. Listed as an incorporated body in South Australia. | |||
| August 1996 | Australian Theological Forum Literary Trust established. Trustees: Sr Veronica Brady IBVM, Rev Fr John Neill OP, Judge Peter Gebhardt, Mr Hilary Regan and Mr Lachlan Stuart. The names of the current Trustees can be found elsewhere.
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| January 1997 | Literary Trust included on the Register of Cultural Organisation with the Commonwealth Department of Communication and the Arts. | |||
February 1997 | Patrons appointed: Sir William Deane, Patron-in-Chief (remained as Patron-in-Chief while Governor General), Archbishop Keith Rayner, Archbishop Stylianos | |||
May 1997 | Bishop Ezekiel appointed to the Board. | |||
| July 1997 |
The first Colloquium, The Task of Theology Today, held in Brisbane.
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| August 1997 | The Board begins offering memberships in ATF. | |||
| January 1998 | A conference, Faith in Public Forum, is organised in Sydney with the Australian Catholic University and the Catholic Institute of Sydney. | |||
April 1998 | Jointly with Australian Catholic University, Philosophy Seminar, at ACU Aquinas Campus, Ballarat.
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| May 1998 | ATF launches its newsletter, Nexus. The newsletter will appear twice yearly in May and October. | |||
| May-June 1998 | ATF publishes a new book, The Task of Theology Today: Doctrines and Dogmas, and a new journal, Interface: a Forum for Theology in the World. Launches take place in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Ballarat. Launch in Canberra by Governor General, Sir Wiliam Deane, the ATF’s Patron in Chief at the time. 
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| End June 1998 | Membership in ATF reaches 150. | |||
| June 1998 | A Perth (Western Australia) Workshop on Theology and Faith in the Public Forum, run in conjunction with Uniting In-Care Services, WA Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia. | |||
| October 1998 | An ecumenical workshop with Indigenous people on Sharing together in fellowship. Run jointly with the Aboriginal and Islander Commission of the National Council of Churches in Australia, and hosts Nungalinya College, Darwin, the workshop was seeking connections in the search for an Australian identity. Repeated in 1999.
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| November 1998 | Reinventing Work and Faith was a Canberra-based ecumenical and interdisciplinary conference on Vocation and Mission of the Laity. Hon Brian Howe appointed to the Board.
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| January 1999 | Membership in ATF reached 200. Also this month, an agreement is signed with T&T Clark (Edinburgh, Scotland) for an international edition of The Task of Theology Today -- Doctrines and Dogmas, published jointly with WB Eerdmans of the USA, and available in June 1999. | |||
| February 1999 | Membership passes 250, and 87 subscribers to the journal Interface. A completely revised web site goes on line, thanks to the volunteer efforts of Peter Westhorp and Sue Collyer. In Sydney, launch of Faith in the Public Forum, the first in a new series of books arising from ATF conferences. The series editors are Veronica Brady, IBVM, and Hilary Regan. Also in Sydney at the end of the month, in Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay, the seminar Civilising Community For Us All is jointly conducted by the ATF, Community Services Australia, and the Australian Catholic Health Care Association. A publication from this seminar will be forthcoming. | |||
April 1999 | Task of Theology Today II, Starting with the Spirit, Canberra.
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| June 1999 | Rev John Neill OP was elected as Chairperson for 3 years, Richard Goss re-elected as treasurer for 3 years and Hilary Regan re-elected as Secretary for 5 years. Membership of the ATF reaches 270 with 80 subscribers to the journal. | |||
| September 1999 | International Edition of 'The Task of Theology Today: Doctrines and Dogmas', T&T Clark and Eerdman editions released. Launches in September, October and November in London, Adelaide and Berkeley.
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| October 1999 | Australian Theological Book Reviewer. Agreement with The Openbook for a three year trial of the new, Australian authored, internet book review. Joint ATF and Openbook editorial board.
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| January 2000 | Artificial Intelligence conference held in Adelaide, with over 100 in attendence. Speakers include John Puddefoot (UK), Anne Foerst (USA), Mark Worthing (Aus).
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| February 2000 | The number of ATF Members and Subscribers reaches 350. | |||
March 2000 | Launch of March 2000 edition of Interface at Writers Week in Adelaide. This was the first time theology was part of Adelaide International Writers Week. | |||
April 2000 | Karl Barth: A Future for Post Modern Theology book launched in Melbourne. | |||
June 2000 | More Than a Single Issue book launched in Melbourne. | |||
November 2000 | Faith Matters book launched in Melbourne. John Neill OP resigns as Chairperson due to change from Melbourne to Sydney. Other resignations in November: Antony Walsh OP, Veronica Brady IBVM, Rod Horsefield. | |||
February 2001 | Dr Rosalie Hudson elected Chairperson. The following members were appointed to the board: Rev Dr Tom Cassidy OP, Rev Ray Cleary. Sr Veronica Brady, Ms Morag Fraser and Rev Tim Costello appointed as patrons to join Dr Keith Rayner and Archibishop Stylianos. | |||
June 2001 | Rev Dr Stephen Pickard and Dr Robert Gascoigne appointed to the board. ATF announces new book series in Science and Theology. ATF now has three series
plus Interface journal, specialist monographs and the Australian Theological Book Reviewer | |||
July 2001 | Spirit of Australia Conference held in Melbourne | |||
August 2001 | ‘Church and Civil Society’ conference held in Melbourne. | |||
October 2001 | Task of Theology Today III ‘Sin and Salvation’ conference held in Adelaide. | |||
November 2001 | ATF produces Publications brochure. | |||
January 2002 | Launch of two new books in Canberra: | |||
February 2002 | Mr Michael Champion appointed to the Board. | |||
March 2002 | Launch of Habitat of Grace in Hamilton, New Zealand. | |||
April 2002 | International Reference Group established: Rev Dr Sue Patterson, Ireland, Rev Dr William Steoger SJ, Vatican Observatory, USA, Rev Dr Timothy Radcliffe OP, former Master General of the Dominican Order, UK, Professor Robert J Russell, Founder and Director of CTNS and Professor of Science and Religion, Berkeley, USA and Rev Dr Colin Gunton, Kings College London. | |||
May 2002 | Sign deal with Tien Dao Publishing House to be distributor in Hong Kong, SKS Books in Singapore, Academic Book Sales and Wit Feild Books in Philippines, ATC in Bangalore India, and Loyola Distributors in Brazil. | |||
June 2002 | Announcement of 10th anniversary celebrations from April 2003 through to October 2004. 1. Task of Theology IV, ‘Theodicy and Eschatology’, Melbourne, May 2003, Ms Colleen Arnold-Moore of Melbourne appointed to the Board
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November 2002 | Board Meeting: Rev Dr Bruce Kaye of Sydney appointed to the Board. | |||
January 2003 | Launch of Church and the Freemarket, Melbourne, a joint publication with the Victorian Council of Churches, edited by Alan Nichols and Maureen Postma. | |||
February 2003 | New Adelaide based Finance Team begins work, all bookkeeping now undertaken in Adelaide. New Editorial Committee formed in Adelaide to work with ATF Press, which will undertake academic assessment of texts sent to the ATF for publication. ATF Board agrees to begin a Phd dissertation series in 2004. ATF Board agrees to new web site for ATF Press. ATF Board agrees to establish the ATF Theological Book Prize, a prize for the best theological book written by an Australian theologian, to begin in 2004 as a joint venture with the Openbook and the Australian Research Theology Foundation. ATF Press listed as a commercial publisher with the federal Government’s Department of Education Science and Training (DEST), a significant step as Australian academics can now gain data accreditation points by publishing with the ATF. | |||
March-April 2003 | Book launches of Prophecy and Passion: Essays in Honour of Athol Gill, edited by David Neville. The ATF’s biggest book, 450 pages. | |||
March 2003 | Book launch Hamilton, New Zealand, of Rethinking Religion: Exploratory Investigations, by Douglas Pratt, first book under new imprint name of ATF Press. | |||
May 2003 | Task of Theology Today IV, ‘Theodicy and Eschatology’, Melbourne 
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