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Common Dreams Network

Common Dreams is a network of religious progressives in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The network promotes the study, discussion and implementation of progressive Christianity as well as other progressive expressions of religion. Its principal method of pursuing these objectives is through its major “Common Dreams” conferences which are held each three years, as well as the promotion of visits by leading international scholars and the sale and distribution of the materials that result from these activities.

Origins
The network when a number of religious progressives began planning for the first CD event in Sydney. The meeting was convened by Rex A. E. Hunt, founder of The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought in Canberra. The original group included representatives of the Centre for Progressive Religious Thought in Canberra and Sydney, as well as groups such as FAITHFUTURES Foundation, PCnetSA and Sea of Faith in Australia. The first meeting was held at Pitt St Uniting Church in Sydney just a couple of weeks after the Cronulla race riots.

The name "Common Dreams" was chosen for an international conference of religious progressives that was to be held at Pitt Street Uniting Church, Sydney in August 2007. That gathering was intended be an interfaith and ecumenical project to promote, protect and expand the role of reasonable and tolerant religion in the public space. The significance of "Common Dreams" as a name for this movement is its potential to invite people beyond differences deriving from culture, ethnicity and religion, and into a shared space where they have common dreams for a better future.

Following the success of the original Common Dreams event in 2008, further conferences have been held at three year intervals. In between these major international gatherings of religious progressives, the Common Dreams network sponsors various local and regional events featuring international religion scholars.

Common Dreams 1: Progressive religion as a transforming agent
Principal speakers for the initial Common Dreams event were Bishop John Shelby Spong, Stephanie Dowrick, Brandon Scott, and Joe Bessler-Northcutt. The first conference was a huge success with people attending from Australia (every state was represented), New Zealand, USA and Canada.

Common Dreams 2: Pursuing the progressive dream
The second Common Dreams event was in Melbourne in April 2010, with Gretta Vosper from the Canadian Center for Progressive Christianity as the keynote speaker.

Common Dreams 3: Midwives of change. Progressives shaping religious communities
The third Common Dreams event was held in Canberra in September 2013. It featured Professor Marcus Borg and Bruce Sanguin, supported by an array of Australian and New Zealand religious thinkers, as well as speakers from the UK.

Common Dreams 4
Planning for the fourth Common Dreams event is underway, with the conference to gather in Brisbane during 2016.