Watch now: Journeying on the Edge
2nd June 2023
Video Recording Available
Journeying on the edges: EREMOS celebrates 40 Years of engaging spirituality in Australia
Enjoy watching this event celebrating and reflecting upon the journey of 40 years of EREMOS magazine held on 30 April 2023.
The panel and participants engaged in a lively discussion about the nature of Australian spirituality and its development that’s reflected in EREMOS, as well as how it’s changing and where future exploration of Australian spirituality might lead. The event was at Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney plus 40 participants from across the globe joining by Zoom.
The link will take you to our YouTube channels where you will find two videos: https://youtu.be/tdAPR2nXj9U
The videos feature
- Conversation with Margaret Ackland about her artwork on the cover
- Australian spirituality and its development reflected in 40 years of EREMOS
- Remembering some key people and events of the past 40 years
- Eremos early years and intentions of the founders
- Discussion about Eremos as a bit ‘cutting edge’ when it started and where it currently lies……perhaps more mainstream?
- How EREMOS has always and continues to welcome diverse understandings and experiences
- What’s next for exploration of Australian spirituality?
- Comments and questions from participants
Compered by John Cleary with special guests:
- John Foulcher, EREMOS magazine editor
- Margaret Ackland, multi-award winning artist
- Linda Turton, Eremos Associate Director from 1996 to 2007
Panel members
John Cleary is a veteran ABC broadcaster and one of Australia's best-known commentators on religion. In his 30-year career with the ABC he has worked extensively in both radio and television, but is known principally for his association with Sunday Nights on ABC Local Radio and The Religion Report on ABC Radio National. His 1994, ‘Salvo!’, launched by former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, was awarded Australian Christian book of the year. Since his retirement in 2017 John has maintained an active interest in inter-religious issu
es and is currently a member of the advisory board of the Muslim interfaith group the Affinity Intercultural Foundation.
Margaret Ackland was a foundation member of Eremos and designed the Eremos logo and contributed significant artworks over the years. Margaret has had over thirty solo shows since 1985. She is represented by Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne FLG.com.au and her most recent show there was Balancing Act August 2022. Her work is held in a range of national collections including Artbank, the Holmes a Court Collection and Deakin University. She won the Portia Geach Portrait Prize in 1988 and has been four times an Archibald finalist. For more on Margaret: https://www.instagram.com/margaret_ackland_paints/?hl=en
John Foulcher, EREMOS Editor, is a poet and retired teacher and his most recent book of poetry, Dancing with Stephen Hawking, was shortlisted for the 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Awards. John’s work has been widely anthologised and published in national newspapers and journals including The Age, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, Quadrant, Heat, Poetry Australia and Meanjin.
Linda Turton became a member of Eremos during its first year and attended retreats and events, wrote for Eremos 
BookNews and initiated a book discussion group in the Upper Hunter. As Associate Director from 1996 to 2007 she co-led Eremos as the previous work and directions of Eremos underwent consolidation and change, while fulfilling her roles as magazine manager, essays editor, bookshop and book hire scheme coordinator. She worked closely with Eremos editors Don Meadows, Noel Giblett, Jacquie Pryor and Frances Mackay and frequently wrote contributions to EREMOS magazine. Linda also served on the Eremos Council and took on the role of Eremos archivist facilitating the preservation of significant documents and Eremos publications.
About the special edition
The Anniversary Edition is a must for anyone interested in the growth of Australian spirituality during the latter part of last century and the first two decades of this one. More information here: https://www.eremos.org.au/index.cfm?module=news&pageMode=indiv&page_id=1878655
Copies of the publication were sent to all members in April. Any new members joining in 2023 will receive a copy as part of their membership. Become a member
Additional copies are available online for $28 including postage and handling. A PDF version is available for $15. To order click here: https://www.eremos.org.au/booksforpurchase
Photos by Stephen Webb
