A flash of insight is a comment or analysis piece about an event or point in time that invites readers to process information and maybe ‘think twice’—to stop or disrupt people in their everyday lives.
“Life is not simply a bare succession of events, but a history, a story waiting to be told through the choice of an interpretative lens that can select and gather the most relevant data. In and of itself, reality has no one clear meaning. Everything depends on the way we look at things, on the lens we use to view them. If we change that lens, reality itself appears different.” – Pope Francis 2017 Communications Day message.
Features of a Flash of Insight
A flash of insight will, for example, carry the following aspects:
- Is between 400 – 500 words.
- Is theologically grounded; engages with the challenges and questions of today’s or tomorrow’s Church.
- It speaks to those committed to the vision of the post-Vatican II Church and who want to see it continue to grow, respond, and evolve.
- It will be a spark rather than a raging fire.
- It will come from a broad theological perspective and basis.
“About and of interest” to the Church
“About” the Church is fairly easy to identify.
Being of “interest” to the Church is a little more nebulous, and to this end, Gaudium et Spes, Paragraph 1 is key.
“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of human beings. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every person. That is why this community realises that it is truly linked with humanity and its history by the deepest of bonds.”
Topics will either be generally important or of current interest.
- Education
- Economics, Tax, Banks, Financial Institutions, Infrastructure, Mining
- Immigration
- Child Care, Child Abuse
- Family, Family Relations, Sexuality
- Poverty, Substance Abuse, Unemployment, the Disadvantaged
- Human Rights, Religious Freedom
- Ecumenism, other religions and religious tolerance
- Race Relations
- Church: Reform, Liturgy, Priesthood, Bishops, Theology, New Religious Movements, Church Attendance, Women and Church, Society, Society and Church
- Primary Industries e.g. Fisheries, Agriculture
- Defence, Foreign Relations, Emergency aid, Foreign Aid
- Science/Medicine: e.g. Reproductive technology Genetic Manipulation, Stem cells, Euthanasia, Climate Change, Energy
- Information Technology, Nano Technology, Bio-technology, Artificial Intelligence
- Inter-Church relations
- The relationship between Society and the Church.