Football CEO dismissed for religious beliefs

“The recently appointed new CEO of the Essendon Football Club in Victoria, Andrew Thorburn, has been pushed out of his job on account of views expressed by the church he belongs to and on whose board of management he sits.

Those views, which even the club itself accepts were not stated personally by Mr Thorburn and which had to be found by scouring a database of sermons back to 2013, represent views on moral issues that have been shared by Christians, Muslims, Jews and many other religious believers for a long time. They are not “radical” or “hateful” or “bigoted”.

It is arguable that the Club has breached Victorian anti-discrimination law. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster writes about the latest controversy – at Law and Religion Australia.

See also:

Well They Got Their Man: And It Only Took One Day – Stephen McAlpine.

“There is no amount of winsomeness that you can exhibit. You will be labelled the equivalent of a smiling racist if you even hint that you attend a church that holds to an orthodox position on sexuality.”

Christian Football CEO Forced to Resign from Essendon – Murray Campbell.

“It doesn’t require any imagination to realise more pressure will be heaped on Christians, bullying us into silence or into giving up precious God given truths for the sake of keeping our jobs. Are we ready to make that choice between God and employment?

That’s why we need to settle in our hearts and be convinced with our minds, the question of whom we will worship. Will we choose God and worship him or will we choose Baal?”

Andrew Thorburn Statement re. Essendon Football Club CEO

“Yesterday was one of the proudest days of my life. To be offered the role of CEO of the Essendon Football Club – who I have followed since I was a boy – was a profound honour. …

However, today it became clear to me that my personal Christian faith is not tolerated or permitted in the public square, at least by some and perhaps by many. I was being required to compromise beyond a level that my conscience allowed. …

Despite my own leadership record, within hours of my appointment being announced, the media and leaders of our community had spoken. They made it clear that my Christian faith and my association with a Church are unacceptable in our culture if you wish to hold a leadership position in society.”

– Andrew Thorburn, CEO of Essendon for a day, has released this statement.

Related:

New Essendon CEO Andrew Thorburn steps down – ABC News.

“The new chief executive of the Essendon Football Club, Andrew Thorburn, has resigned just one day after being appointed to the role.

Mr Thorburn’s resignation comes after it emerged the church he leads has published a series of articles critical of homosexuality and abortion. …

Mr Thorburn is chair of the City on a Hill church…”

Conversations: Featuring Douglas Murray, Author and Journalist – John Anderson.

Pivoting to Surrender: A Warning for All Christians – Albert Mohler, 4th March 2021.

“Every Christian and every Christian ministry will come to a reckoning – we must all decide here and now where we stand.

Will we pivot or will we hold fast to faithfulness and the hope of the gospel?”

‘Jesus Has Left the Building’: Scotland’s Secular Slide — and Signs of Hope

“The Church of Scotland had it all — good theological heritage, good attendance, and good buildings. It also had the strong support — yet not the interference — of the government. …

Not long after, Scottish Christianity collapsed. In 60 years, the Church of Scotland plummeted from 1.3 million to 300,000 members. Meanwhile, the proportion of Scots who claim no religion has risen to nearly 60 percent.

Aberdeen is now the most secular city in Scotland, which is the most secular country in the United Kingdom. Her massive granite church buildings are restaurants and apartments and bars with names like Soul. A few years ago, a photographer documenting the shift called it ‘Jesus Has Left the Building.’ …

On Queen Street in downtown Aberdeen, near the police station, the city council offices, and the local newspaper, sits one of the largest church buildings in the city. Four years ago, it was sold — not to a nightclub or a retail store, but to a gospel-centered congregation.”

– At The Gospel Coalition, read this sobering, yet encouraging, account of what is happening in Scotland.

Also hear this interview with Sinclair Ferguson who has returned to Aberdeen.

Societas 2022 from Moore College now available

The 2022 edition of Societas, the Moore College students’ magazine, is now available, including in electronic format for download.

It’s a great way to learn about – and to be informed to pray for – the students and faculty of Moore College.

Rod Thomas retires as Bishop of Maidstone

Bishop Rod Thomas, set apart as a ‘flying bishop’ in the Church of England, has retired.

“Bishop Rod’s retirement on 2nd October 2022 was marked by a service of thanksgiving held at Oak Hill College on 1st October.”

– from his website.

Earlier:

Reform’s Chairman Rod Thomas to be Bishop of Maidstone – 05 May 2015.

At the time, Church Society’s Lee Gatiss responded–

“Rod is the only complementarian evangelical to be made a bishop since Wallace Benn in 1997. This appointment is part of the package of compromises agreed recently by General Synod, through which women bishops have been introduced into the Church. It is a great pity that despite Synod’s overwhelming approval of the first Pilling Report, Talent & Calling, in 2007, which called for more conservative evangelicals to be considered for such roles, there has been no such appointment until today. …

It may be asked whether a single isolated new bishop is mere tokenism. Surely ‘flourishing’ implies rather more than the reluctant toleration of one among more than a hundred bishops?”

And other related posts.

Blasphemy on a Billboard: Governor of California manages to reach a new Low

Is his The Briefing for Monday 3rd October 2022, Albert Mohler looks at the billboards sponsored by the Governor of California.

Related:

California just made it legal for minors to travel there from other states to get cross-sex drugs and surgery without their parents’ consent – Not The Bee.

‘Don’t be selfish. That’s the secret to being a husband’ — Al Stewart on The Pastor’s Heart

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Marriage is a great opportunity for selfishness. But Al [Stewart] challenges husbands and fathers to use power for the good of others, especially our wives and children.”

– Watch or listen here.

The past, present and future — Southern Cross October-November 2022

From Russell Powell at Anglican Media Sydney:

“Southern Cross should be in your churches by this weekend [or next], seeking to encourage Sydney Anglicans about the past, present, and future.

The past is the great impact of John Chapman, through a new book on his ministry and influence from Dr Baden Stace.

The present includes stories on what happened at Synod and the new Album by Sydney’s own City Alight, with great new music for our churches.

The future is the new ministry areas in the Greenfields (as well as the changing face of Brownfields).”

You can download your PDF copy now at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net.

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