Archbishop urges Anglicans to join the Stand for Life Rally
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has warned of the dangers of the Bill which allows abortion up until birth, urging Christians show support for the life of the unborn before the Upper House considers the Bill. … Dr Davies urged promotion for the ‘Rally for Life’ on Sunday afternoon, 15 September in Hyde Park.”
Promotional flyer (PDF file).
See the Promotional video on Facebook or on Vimeo.
CMS Summer School 2020
CMS NSW & ACT has posted this video to encourage people to come to the 2020 Summer School.
New Commonwealth Religious Freedom Laws
“The Commonwealth Attorney-General has released Exposure Drafts of a package of Federal Bills designed to improve religious freedom protections under Australian law, along with associated explanatory information. The legislation responds to the recommendations of the Ruddock Panel into Religious Freedom, released late in 2018. Public comment has been invited by 2 October, 2019.
The main item is the Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 (“RDB”), which broadly replicates the existing pattern of anti-discrimination laws enacted by the Commonwealth, but picking up for the first time at the Federal level the “protected characteristics” of “religious belief or activity”. Two ancillary Bills propose consequential amendments to other legislation, add some specific matters to be taken into account in objects clauses for other discrimination laws, and slightly amend or clarify the laws on charities and marriage.
The RDB is a lengthy document (68 clauses over 52 pages), with some complexities that will need to be unpacked. But I would like to offer a brief overview and an initial response, which will be followed up later by more detailed comments about particular issues. I can say, however, that it looks like being a worthwhile and helpful change which in general will further the cause of religious freedom (for both believers and non-believers) in Australia.…”
– Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law, offers an initial opinion at Law and Religion Australia.
‘Belief…’
“When the subject of religion comes up we often hear comments like: ‘Religion is for the weak-minded’, or ‘it is poisonous’. We also hear, ‘All religions are the same’. And if the conversation continues, we might get told, ‘Religious people are so self-righteous!’ There are also those who tell us, ‘Everyone’s right in their own kind of way.’ ‘In any case, when I die, if there is a God, I’m sure he’ll accept me: I’ve led a good life’.
So, in this indifferent and sometimes hostile world, how do people come to faith in Christ? In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul provides some helpful clues. Let me identify them briefly. …”
– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason continues a series of short reflections on sharing the gospel. Others here.
Costi Hinn shares his story of God, Greed and the Prosperity Gospel
“Collin Hansen interviews Benny Hinn’s nephew Costi about growing up believing the prosperity gospel and how he came to see it as incompatible with the Bible.
For Costi Hinn, the prosperity gospel is family business. He worked for his dad and also his famous uncle Benny…”
– A fascinating interview at The Gospel Coalition.
The seduction of worldly wisdom
“When it comes to living our lives as Christians, we need a wisdom that’s much bigger than what the world has on offer. Our society is happy and content with worldly wisdom, because worldly wisdom seems to work – at least for a while. …”
– Ainsley Poulos writes at The Australian Church Record.
Words with purpose (Ephesians 4:29–30)
“Words are fundamental to our lives. We use words to share, to create, to love, to define ourselves, and to build societies and worlds. We live through words. That’s why one of the most powerful things you can do for someone is to help them give a voice to their own words. …”
– Encouragement to think before we speak. Lionel Windsor writes at Forget the Channel.
Cathedral Conversation – NSW Abortion Legislation
St John’s Anglican Cathedral Parramatta is hosting a Cathedral Conversation on “Choices: The conversation about abortion we need to have”.
On Monday, 2nd September 2019 from 7:30pm. Read more
Why the Physical Earth matters to God
“The grandeur and intricacies of the physical earth are breathtaking. God did not hold back when he made the world with its beauty, interdependence, and complexity. It is not a temporary commodity; it is a masterpiece. It is not surprising, therefore, that God is concerned about what happens to the earth. He is not going to give up on it because of the introduction of sin. He will not allow Satan to have the final word. It is God’s earth, and the Bible tells us that he intends to renew it.
Sadly, many Christians do not share God’s commitment to the physical world. …”
– Moore College graduate, and Principal of Christ College Sydney, Ian Smith, writes at the Crossway blog.
Ian has recently written Not Home Yet: How the Renewal of the Earth Fits into God’s Plan for the World. (Available from Reformers Bookshop.)
See also this Interview posted by Reformers.
Am I serving others with how I post photos?
“I have slowly watched my Instagram feed change from arty experiences of life to mostly photos of my kids.
I remember one day prior to having kids thinking, ‘Don’t they’ – meaning people exactly like myself now, parents – ‘have anything better to post?!’
I now think the answer is yes and no. …”
– At GoThereFor.com, Pip Taylor shares some wisdom on what, why, and how to share.
‘NSW abortion bill has left us feeling betrayed’
“There are signs that maybe, just maybe, Premier Gladys Berejiklian is starting to listen and understand how much damage NSW’s extreme abortion bill has inflicted on her government.
Last week offered a ray of hope, as she softened her stance on amendments to fix some of the bill’s most brutal flaws, such as sex-selection abortions that would target girls, just for being girls. Her party is bitterly divided. …
And then, just three days ago, the Stand For Life rally in Martin Place and outside Parliament House in opposition to the bill drew a mammoth attendance of an estimated 10,000 people. … Perhaps the most breathtaking moment of the emotional evening was the live audio of a 23-week-old unborn baby’s heartbeat, amplified onstage by ultrasound.”
– Writing in The Catholic Weekly, Campion College student Bethany Marsh writes about the Stand For Life rally and what is really at stake.
After the Stand for Life rally, students from Campion College sang this haunting carol for for passers by. The carol is based on Matthew 2 and the Massacre of the Innocents.
Here’s another video of the singing at Freedom for Faith’s Facebook page.
The Forbidden Grief
“This is the grief you were not supposed to feel.
They told you that abortion was safer, both psychologically and medically, than childbirth. Yet now this is the loneliest grief of all. There are no photos, no little reminders of past joys, no shared memories, and no grave to visit.
To the outsider there is nothing, but the reality is very different. Now even your happiest moments are shadowed by a secret sadness. People grieve greatly – and sometimes feel guilty – even after a miscarriage, but it is so much worse after an abortion. With an abortion, grief is mixed with real objective guilt.”
– Written by Peter Barnes, President of Evangelicals for Life, The Forbidden Grief is a pastoral resource for those who are grieving and struggling through past decisions regarding abortion, showing the reader where true forgiveness and restoration can be found.
To be released next week – now available for order from The Wandering Bookseller.
The gospel for criminals (Ephesians 4:28)
“I owe a huge debt to prison chaplains. My whole nation does. Richard Johnson and Samuel Marsden were foundational figures in the history of Australia. Johnson came out on the First Fleet in 1788, and Marsden followed him.
They were evangelical ministers, and they were prison chaplains. That’s because the whole colony of New South Wales was a prison. Apart from the original owners of the land which became known as New South Wales, everyone was involved in the correctional system in some way: either as a customer, or as a service provider.
As the colony was being set up, mission-minded evangelicals in England knew that this new prison needed the gospel of Jesus Christ. So they made sure that the position of chaplain was included in the colony, and they provided gospel ministers to fill it. …”
– Biblical encouragement from Dr Lionel Windsor at Moore College.
Freedom19 Conference
Freedom for Faith’s Freedom19 Conference is planned for Wednesday 4th September at NSW Parliament House in Sydney.
Churches, Same-sex ministries and the law
Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, writes:
“I am delivering a seminar paper on the topic “Churches, Same-sex ministries and the law: discrimination and religious freedom” on August 20. For those who are interested, there is a copy of the paper here…”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…