St Barnabas College presents the Festival of Hope in Theology and the Arts, 10 - 16 February 2025. This is a week of hope-themed events and services held across Adelaide in our parishes, St Peter’s Cathedral and St Barnabas College. The festival sets the scene for the national Anglican Hope25 intentional season of sharing hope in Jesus from Easter to Pentecost in 2025.

The program includes music, visual arts and photography, poetry and stories, and theological responses to hope. More events will be added to the program.

Walk the Windows of Hope

Tuesday, 11 February 2025 5:30pm – 7:30pm

St Jude’s Anglican Church, Brighton

Installed in 2023, and designed by local artist Gail Donovan, the beautiful stained-glass windows at St Jude’s depict the gospel journey of creation as it relates to the parish of Brighton. Within the imagery is a story of hope and by walking this story together you may join God’s mission in Brighton.

Hope after the No Vote

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 6pm – 7pm

Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peter's Cathedral, 27 King William Rd, North Adelaide

This event will explore theologically what ‘Hope’ means for First Nations’ peoples after the ‘No’ vote in the referendum to establish a First Nations’ Voice to Federal Parliament embodied in the Australian Constitution. It will draw upon contemporary First Nations’ reflections on ‘Hope’ and suggest a way forward to see ‘Hope’ embodied in action.

Theology Meets the People: Messages of Hope for 2025

Friday, 14 February 2025, 4pm – 7pm

St Barnabas College, North Adelaide

Three theologians share their messages of hope.

Rev’d Dr Lyndon Shakespeare – Spaces of Hope
Christianity is an embedded faith. The story of God and God's people cannot be told without reference to spaces and places: towns, mountains, cities, and even buildings and rooms. From Eden to the New Jerusalem, God is present with the created order in and through places. In this talk, I will explore the way Christian hope can be understood spatially as our response and cooperation with God's providence at work in the physical spaces around our church buildings. I do this by attending to ideas and examples of placemaking that are designed around fostering hope through engaging the local community and building spaces of belonging.

Rev’d Canon Jenny Wilson – Preaching as an Act of Hope
Is it possible that preachers in our time and place, saying to our people, “Here is your God”, are participating in an act of hope?

Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good tidings;

lift up your voice with strength,

…say to the cities of Judah,

‘Here is your God!’

(Isaiah 40:9)

Rev’d Dr Michael Trainor – Hope in the Gospel of Luke
In a world of imperial hegemony, wealth disparity and preferential option for the powerful and famous, Luke offers a word of hope to seekers of integrity and faithful discipleship struggling in a Greco-Roman world removed in time and place from the ministry and mission of the Galilean Jesus

Come and See: Theology, Poetry and Art

Friday, 14 February 2025 7pm – 9pm

St Columba’s Anglican Church, Hawthorn

Jesus invites his disciples to ‘Come and see.’ Theology, Poetry and Art help us to find meaning, to find the Christ within us and to express our spiritual insights. In this forum, we will explore the processes of Lectio and Visio Divina through poetry and art.

Imagine, the Beatles meet Jesus

Saturday, 15 February 2025 7pm – 8.30pm

St Bart’s Anglican Church, Norwood (hosted by St Matt’s, Kensington)

How might the songs and ideas of the Beatles converse with those of the Jesus Music Pioneers regarding some of life’s enduring questions? 'Imagine' the musical dialogue.

Celebrating Gospel Hope across the Nations

Sunday, 16 February 2025 10am – 12noon

St John’s Anglican Church, Salisbury

The gospel hope we share in Christ is bigger than any single culture, and no particular culture ‘owns’ the truth of the gospel. However, gospel hope can be expressed in any and every language and culture. The capacity of the gospel is to draw people together, regardless of tribe, nation, people or language. This celebration of gospel hope across the nations will be a foretaste of heaven!

Festival of Multi-cultural Food and Hospitality

Sunday, February 16, 2025 12 noon – 2pm

St John’s Anglican Church, Salisbury

Food, hospitality and company have always been a feature of giving expression to the rich and invitational nature of gospel hope. In a world where cultural tribalism and rivalry is an ever-present threat, the gospel hope proclaimed by Jesus Christ celebrates every culture and gathers people to become companions – literally, to share bread together. This festival will provide opportunities for a range of cultures to be expressed with colour, vitality and creativity – and tasty food!

Please Note: the Gospel Celebration and the Food Festival are two separate events. If you are coming to both, please register for each one separately.

Hymn Fest of Hope

Sunday, 16 February 2025 5pm – 6pm

St Michael’s Anglican Church, Mitcham

Join us for Hymn Fest of Hope – an inspiring afternoon of worship through the singing of beloved hymns that celebrate faith and hope. Experience the joy of community as we lift our voices together in timeless songs of praise, with stirring organ accompaniment. All are welcome to this uplifting event that promises to renew hearts and spirits. Come and be part of this celebration of Hope through worship, fellowship, and the enduring richness of hymnody.

Contact the host of Festival of Hope in Theology and the Arts