Saffron and Olive - Buddhist Ministries
Saffron and Olive exists to help Christian communities build meaningful, faithful, and effective engagement with Buddhists with whom we share this city.
Behind The Name Saffron = the dye used for monks’ robes. Olives = the epitome of Western cuisine. Buddhists and Western Christians each have a strong and different flavour. Saffron and Olive brings harmony to these flavours and helps Christian communities engage with Buddhists around them.
The Need Sydney is a rapidly changing, religiously-diverse city. Christian communities need to have basic understanding of other religious traditions to engage with civility. Some crave deeper connections with Buddhists around them.
The Opportunity 4% of Sydney identify as Buddhist. 1% come from lands which have very high adherence to Buddhism and few followers of Jesus. Globalisation, mass migration and technology present unique opportunities for Buddhists to connect with God's people today that weren't available in the past.
What We Do Saffron and Olive build meaningful engagement between Christian communities and the Southeast Asian Buddhist-majority diaspora.
What We Offer
Trio Coaching. Our flagship offering is a medium-term (10 month) intensive coaching program for Christian communities in areas of Sydney with need or potential to develop rich engagement with Buddhists in their vicinity.
Networking & Training: Opportunities to connect with Christians from Buddhist backgrounds across Sydney and Christian thought leaders from around the world concerned for the Buddhist world.
Opportunities to Partner. We can introduce you to Christians from Buddhist backgrounds who would value local church support and partnership as they introduce their peers and family networks to Jesus.
Other Faith Education. A limited number of seminars introducing Buddhism to Christian communities are offered. This is for communities wanting a shorter introduction or needing limited guidance. “You can’t cook a curry in a hurry!”