Tony Kelly C.Ss.R.

I thank Harper Collins once more for helping to get a book into print, and for arranging the joint publication with a US company. For those of us involved in writing on topics of spirituality and theology the smallness of the local market can make things difficult.

I have been teaching theology for about thirty years now, most of the time in Melbourne, though with extended stays in various parts of the world-- Rome, Paris, Toronto, Boston, Manila and so on. Though I am originally from
Newcastle, NSW, I have to admit that Melbourne has become my home city now. A great place to live-- and work, at least for my line of work, where the libraries are very good. For the last two years I have held the Chair of Theology at Australian Catholic University, with my office at its Fitzroy Campus on Victoria Parade-- and just across the park from the offices of HC! This new role in a new university is quite exciting in many ways. It is good to be part of something in the early stages of its development, when ideals and morale are high, and the possibility of being and doing something distinctive is still open. While I busy myself with the big picture issues dealing with the University, I still have a good deal of time to to write and research.

This recent little book, The Bread of God, is of course not heavily academic in its exploration of the Eucharistic imagination. On the other hand, academic theology lacks some integrity, I always feel, if it does not try to communicate with the faith communities which ground the realities it explores. Anyway, that is the way I have gone over the years, writing the research articles and the occasional heavy book, but aiming for a more general readership for most of the time.

The theme of the religious imagination figuring in this book is one aspect of what has occupied me in various ways these past years, especially since the publication of A New Imagining: Towards an Australian Spirituality. While I join with most in lamenting the dreadful degradation of the physical and biological environment, I think there is a much deeper problem: that of a stunted and degraded inner environment -- not the best resource for facing the larger ecological challenge! More to the point, I am convinced that our problems in society and Church can only be addressed with the resources of a new
imagination: 'the possible's slow fuse is lit by the imagination' (Emily
Dickinson, I think). For that reason I have put a good deal of effort into
trying to bring out the often tacit reach and energy of the great Christian symbols of faith in the context of present problems, be it ecology, the economy, or hope for the future generally. In this I have shamelessly plundered the resources of contemporary Australian poetry -- it is in fact amazingly spiritual. If you don't believe me have a look at those -- quite different-- collections of Australian religious poetry put together by Les Murray and Kevin Hart. I suspect that our poets in this country have written the best kind of theology, as they witness in their subtle and varied ways to the spirituality that the culture is starved of.

I have to admit to being an amateur poetry-writer myself, and even try my hand at hymns -- usually in collaboration with the eminent composer, Christopher Wilcock SJ. I am, however, a failed water-colourist, but possess a good forehand and first serve at tennis.

I always like to have something on the go, and am now casting around for a theme to interest the publishers in another book.