Sydney Diocese Media release: Abortion Bill amendments

The Archbishop of Sydney is grateful for progress made, and urges Lower House MPs to reject the amended bill.

Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Archbishop’s statement re the amendment of the Greens’ abortion Bill

I am thankful to those MPs who upheld freedom of conscience for doctors and amended the Greens’ abortion bill in the NSW Upper House.

But the burden will now also fall on nurses and midwives to be involved in something at odds with their vocation.

So, I urge lower house MPs to protect the unborn and reject the bill entirely.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

9 May, 2025.

NSW Abortion bill ‘gutted’

From John Sandeman:

“The debate over the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 introduced by Greens’ member Amanda Cohn into the NSW Upper house, has seen several amendments.

Lyle Shelton reports: ‘I’ve been watching the NSW Parliament live feed as MLCs have debated the Greens’ abortion bill. Amendments carried tonight seem to have all but gutted the bill. It seems pro-life hospitals will now not be forced to perform abortions and pro-life heath practitioners will not have to be complicit in them.’…”

– at The Other Cheek.

Image from NSW Parliament website.

The Gift of Rebirth into a Living Hope

“The Buddhist faith in which I was raised teaches rebirth. The Christian faith into which, by God’s grace, I was rescued, teaches that you must be born again.

It might sound like these two faiths have something in common, but in fact, this is not so. …”

– At the Moore College website, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel reflects on the living hope we have in Jesus Christ.

The Woman Who Saved Capitol Hill Baptist Church

“In 1944 America was in the throes of an existential crisis. With World War II still raging, the nation’s future felt uncertain. But amid the global turmoil, another crisis – less dramatic but no less significant – was unfolding in a church just a mile from the US Capitol.

After forty-one years as pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church (later renamed Capitol Hill Baptist Church), Dr. John Compton Ball had finally decided to retire. …”

– Crossway has published this excerpt from Caleb Morell’s book, A Light on the Hill: The Surprising Story of How a Local Church in the Nation’s Capital Influenced Evangelicalism.

(The book was reviewed by Tim Challies last month.)

Photo: The U.S. Capitol in Washington.

Abortion bill protest draws fired-up crowd

“A Greens bill to require doctors who object to abortion to be forced to formally refer patients to somone who will perform a termination, and allow midwives and nurse practitioners to prescribe abortion pills, drew a large protest outside the NSW Parliament last night. Religious leaders, and a former prime minister addressed the 6,000 strong crowd. …”

– At The Other Cheek, John Sandmen reports on the Abortion bill protest we mentioned previously.

Photo: John Sandeman.

Everyone needs (to be) a mother

“When someone becomes a parent – whether to biological, adopted or fostered children – it means, among other things, that they have the privilege and responsibility of teaching that child about God. Because God has revealed himself in the Bible, it means teaching their child God’s word and modelling to them what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus Christ. The child’s parents are primarily responsible for this teaching and modelling (Prov 1:8-9; Eph 6:1-4).

Yet the gospel is also taught and modelled by members of the church family more generally. …”

– As Mother’s Day approaches, The Australian Church Record team have dug into their archives to hear again from Jane Tooher on what it means to be a spiritual mother.

Preaching Mentoring – new semester begins Sunday 27 July

From The Expository Preaching Trust:

“Mentoring of preachers is one of the most effective inputs the Trust has into the ministry of preachers.

The Trust is pleased to offer mentors free of any charge to preachers.

Mentors can be accessed on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.

Mentors available include: Don Barker, Graham Barnes, Jono Buesnell, David Burge, Elizabeth Burns, David Cook, Stuart Coulton, David Jones, Michael Leong, Simon Manchester, Jim Mobbs, Janet Riley, Jenny Salt and Marshall Scott.

A pastor writes, ‘Nothing has helped my preaching more than the encouragement and correction of a preaching mentor who speaks with grace, truth and a deep grounding in God’s word’. …”

– Learn about this encouraging ministry at their website.

Malawi: A graduate’s holistic ministry

“Visiting Anglican Aid projects at the end of last year was a joy! I witnessed how God is working through your support to grow and strengthen his church in some of the world’s poorest nations. I could see how our long-term partnerships in the gospel were bearing fruit.

I was encouraged to meet Rev. David Mponda, Pastor of Thyolo Parish in the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi …”

– Canon Tim Swan shares great encouragement from Malawi.

What’s really going on in the faith lives of young Australians?

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“We explore the findings of the Your Story Research Report — a significant national study that listens to the voices of more than 400 young people as they reflect on their spiritual journeys.

We find out who and what has, and is, shaping young people’s faith from their childhood, though to adolescence, to right now.

There are insights into the eight “faith journeys” —from Embracing to Reconstructing to Disengaging— highlighting the importance of relationships, trust, and belonging in shaping faith over time.

Plus advice for churches, families, and schools on how to nurture young people in ways that are both personal and sustainable.

Graham Stanton is Director of the Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. He lectures in Practical Theology at Melbourne’s Ridley College.”

– Watch or listen here.

In Praise of Mothers

From Phillip Jensen:

“Motherhood and apple pie is no longer the foundation of Western civilisation. Apple pie is still pretty important, but motherhood has now been challenged. Peter and I had the privilege of the same mother, whom we loved and admired, and remember with great fondness. Yet the kind of family life in which we were raised has undergone considerable change during our lifetime. Mother’s Day brings us to reconsider family life.”

– Phillip and Peter Jensen discuss mothers and family life in the latest Two Ways News podcast.

Broken plates illuminate gospel message

“Broken plates transformed with gold helped participants explore Easter’s redemption story at a workshop hosted by St Jude’s Parkville last month.

More than 40 people attended the kintsugi workshop where they repaired cracked plates while reflecting on how Christ’s sacrifice mends human brokenness. …”

– At The Melbourne Anglican, Hannah Felsbourg shares news of an innovative way of sharing the gospel.

“The whole church is called to pray…”

“An impassioned Archbishop Raffel has led the diocesan fellowship in prayer at a large meeting in St Andrew’s Cathedral as well as in parish churches.

Morning church services across Sydney and the Illawarra either saw a video of the Archbishop leading in prayer or read the text of his prayer for the spread of the gospel across the Diocese.

Later, representatives from all regions of the Diocese gathered in the Cathedral. …”

– Report by Russell Powell on yesterday’s prayer focus across Sydney.

Image thanks to Anglican Media Sydney.

Bathurst Diocese celebrates Bicentennary of Holy Trinity Kelso

Holy Trinity Kelso is the oldest parish west of the Blue Mountains, this year marking its bicentennary.

On Saturday, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel was in Kelso as part of the celebrations. Above, he is pictured with Mark Calder, Bishop of Bathurst.

Photos via the diocesan Facebook page.

Also see Archbishop Raffel’s sermon on 1 Peter 2:4-10 at the anniversary service.

From Obscurity to Influence: The Legacy of A. W. Pink

“Few figures in modern Reformed history are as paradoxical – or as vital – as Arthur W. Pink. During his lifetime (1886–1952), Pink lived largely in obscurity, often isolated and out of step with the ecclesiastical landscape of his day. Yet after his death, his writings sparked a widespread retrieval of historic Calvinism across the English-speaking world. His works, particularly The Sovereignty of God, still nourish those who hunger for robust, God-centred theology.

One hundred years ago this year, in 1925, Pink arrived in Australia, pastoring briefly in Sydney before retreating into the quieter, itinerant years of his life. His sojourn here, though short, lasting only three years, reminds us that his theological voice was already crossing continents long before it found wider acclaim.

Pink’s theological influence is hard to overstate. …”

– At AP, the Presbyterian journal, Brett Lee-Price has this reminder of A. W. Pink.

Photo via The Banner of Truth.