Is the Catholic Church a Christian church?

“Sometimes, as Evangelicals approaching Roman Catholicism, we look at various parts of Catholicism without considering how they relate to the whole Catholic system.

For example, some might say Roman Catholics believe in the Trinity and the ancient creeds but that they have got the doctrine of Mary, Christ, salvation, the Bible and the church wrong at various key points. This atomization of Catholic teaching can lead us into saying things like, ‘The Roman Catholic Church is Trinitarian and creedal, and therefore more Christian than the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Mormons’. …”

– At GoThereFor.com, Mark Gilbert encourages clear thinking so that we don’t forget our Catholic friends need Jesus too.

Our friendships are shattering

“Don’t trade Jesus’ truth for friendship. The greatest need for people in our lives is not our friendship, but Christ. The greatest need is not peaceful and quiet relationships, but Jesus’ saving death.

Yes fight hard to keep your relationships, but never at the expense of truth, or by keeping the kind of silence that communicates ambivalence about the truth. …”

– Campbell Markham at Cornerstone Presbyterian in Hobart (reportedly the subject of a complaint to the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission) writes about the tragic breakdown across the country, and the choices facing Jesus’ people.

Related: Push to change Tasmanian anti-discrimination laws rejected ahead of same-sex marriage vote – ABC News.

Christianity in the Modern World

“The brotherhood of man has failed to eventuate, and while we have an abundance of gadgets, and an increasing facility for satisfying all our material needs, our deepest needs are not met, and men in general are farther from satisfaction at the deepest level than they were. …”

– Dr Leon Morris could have been writing yesterday, but this piece from The Australian Church Record’s archives was first published in May of 1955.

Marriage Resources for the postal plebiscite

Australia will soon have a postal plebisciite on whether to change the definition of marriage to enable same-sex marriages. Here are some resources –

The Coalition for Marriage

The Coalition for Marriage is coordinating the campaign to oppose changes to the Marriage Act.

The Diocese of Sydney is a lead partner in the Coalition for Marriage, joining with over 80 organisations in support of the campaign to defend Australia’s man-woman definition of marriage. If you would like to support the Coalition for Marriage, you can sign up as a volunteer or provide financial support.

What has God Joined Together?

The Diocesan booklet entitled What has God Joined Together? is available online.

It explains God’s pattern for marriage, why it is best for society as a whole, and the negative consequences of same-sex marriage.

Last Chance to Register for the Postal Vote on Marriage

If you have moved house, or recently become eligible to vote in Australian elections, you need to update your electoral enrolment by 24 August 2017 to participate.

You can go to the AEC website to check or change your registration, or register online. More information and the relevant links are also available at the Coalition For Marriage website).

Marriage Once More

“Finally it seems to have come to a head. There’ll be a postal plebiscite on marriage redefinition. Lyle Shelton, Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, tweeted:

“Well, it’s game on to save marriage, freedom & gender. This is the fight of our lives.”

Regulars here know I am committed in this debate. I have written and spoken publicly in multiple venues in favour of classic marriage, on radio, newsprint, blogs and lectures.

However, Shelton is wrong. The marriage definition debate is not “the fight of our lives”.

The fight of our lives occurred two thousand years ago. And we did not win it. Christ won it for us, when he died on the cross – for the sins of people like you and me – whether black or white, male or female, civilized or wild, straight or same-sex attracted!

And whatever happens in the Australian marriage debate, Jesus will still be on his throne. He’s seated at the right hand of God, risen from the dead, conquering the grave. By that resurrection, Jesus was publicly declared by God as King of his Universe, far above all earthly powers and authorities. No politics can change that!

And Christians will still be able to live out their marriage vows as best they can, struggling to be faithful, to care for their kids, and offering forgiveness when we each fall short.

But God has placed us as citizens in a democracy. So we ought to vote and advocate for what is best for humanity. And God’s ways are good! …”

– In his Minister’s letter last week, Sandy Grant at St. Michael’s Cathedral Wollongong helps us keep the plebiscite in perspective. Read it all.

See also 1 Timothy 2:1-6 –

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

A popular vote is the best way to go, but arguments for gay marriage don’t hold up

“Ask yourself what is the most decent and respectful thing to do: is it to endorse this change that the gay lobby is stridently insisting upon; or is it to question whether a few years’ agitation should unmake a concept of marriage that had stood for many centuries and has always been regarded as the rock upon which society is built?

Ask yourself what’s more likely to maintain respect for marriage and to reinforce the notions of constancy and selflessness that sustain all lasting relationships: an ongoing recognition that marriage is a union of one man with one woman, preferably for life and usually dedicated to children; or changing marriage so that it can mean any two people who love each other? …”

– The Hon. Tony Abbott, MP, explains his thinking. Originally published in today’s The Australian, and also on his website.

Coalition for Marriage website launched

“The Coalition for Marriage (C4M), the leading voice for the plebiscite NO campaign has launched its official campaign website.

coalitionformarriage.com.au has been unveiled at the start of the first full week of campaigning for the upcoming plebiscite on whether gender should be removed from the Commonwealth Marriage Act.”

— More from SydneyAnglicans.net

Changing the Marriage Act could change the country

“Before Australians start voting in the same-sex marriage postal plebiscite next month — assuming the High Court allows it to proceed — the Turnbull government has a vast amount of work to do. It must detail how it would protect freedom of religion in the event of a change to the Marriage Act.

The proposed Marriage Act Amendment Bill released by five Liberal MPs on August 6 falls far short of doing so. …”

— Editorial from The Australian, 14th August 2017. (Subscription.)

Peter Adam on How not to be Boring

At The Gospel Coalition’s Help Me Teach the Bible, Nancy Guthrie chats with Peter Adam.

Encouraging and interesting.

A Prayer for the Plebiscite

Dr David Peterson has written this prayer you may wish to use. We reproduce it here with his kind permission:

Loving Father, your Son the Lord Jesus Christ affirmed your purpose for marriage when he declared that, ‘a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.’

What you have joined together, we dare not separate.

We pray that, as the proposal for same-sex marriage is discussed in our country, your voice will be heard.

Even though other countries have legislated for same-sex marriage, we pray that this will not happen in Australia.

As the postal plebiscite takes place, we pray that many would think carefully about the implications and that the majority would reject the proposal.

Help us to show love and care for those who are same-sex attracted, but deliver us as a society from undermining your purpose for marriage.

We pray these things for your glory and in your Son’s name. Amen.

Rights clash looms in SSM debate – Essential reading

“While the flawed postal vote plebiscite has provoked furious rival responses, the pivotal problem is just emerging — the failure in any draft bill by Coalition or Labor MPs to fully protect religious freedoms once same-sex marriage is legislated. …

Beyond the campaign lies the great dilemma. The proposition is lethal — that it would constitute a historical betrayal of the values of the Coalition parties if they “backed” a bill post-plebiscite on same-sex marriage that exposed individuals and institutions to retaliation for their beliefs because the government failed to strengthen Australia’s woefully inadequate laws on religious freedom and protection. …“

– See this must read opinion piece by Paul Kelly in The Australian. (Subscription.)

The New / Old way our Culture pressures us to Conform

“As Christians we take comfort in laws governing free speech and protecting freedom of religion. But pleading conformity to the law means little when a society has shifted to a culture of shame and honour. …”

– Tim Challies addresses the answer to the shame Christians are tempted to feel.

Calvinist the movie

This soon-to-be-released movie, “Calvinist”, looks to be slightly different way of teaching theology.

Irish Same-sex marriage vote: How a Minority achieved a Majority

how_a_minority_achieved_a_majority(Originally posted 24 May 2015.)

“For years leading up to Ireland’s civil partnership legislation, a small nongovernmental organisation (NGO) – the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) – along with its many supporters and collaborators, worked quietly and methodically toward this day. …

In 2005, GLEN received a sizable long-term grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies that allowed GLEN to increase its organisational capacity and to pursue its ambitious advocacy strategy for advancing equality for gays and lesbians in Ireland.

The story of how Ireland’s landmark legislation was achieved for same-sex couples holds insights and lessons for any advocacy group trying to achieve legislative change…”

– This PDF document, available on The Atlantic Philanthropies website, charts how minority groups were able to achieve the goal of Civil Partnership in Ireland back in 2010.

See also: Catalysing LGBT Equality and Visibility in Ireland (PDF).

Related:

Asking questions about funding for referendum campaign – Irish Times, 9th May 2015:

“The only acceptable narrative is that this is a benign grassroots movement, because if we admitted that it is instead a slick, elite movement of highly educated professionals funded from abroad we might have to admit we were skilfully manipulated. And that could not be true.”

Editorial Comment from Anglican Mainstream, 23 May 2015:

“This is a sad day for all who have campaigned and prayed for Ireland to hold the line on keeping the definition of marriage as an exclusive covenant between a man and a woman for life.

The result is not a surprise, because of orchestrated cultural change, huge disparity in resources between the Yes campaign (backed by government, media and American dollars), and the aggressive vilification of any individuals courageous enough to speak up for historic sexual morality, the sanctity of marriage and the bedrock of biological families.”

Why marriage should be between a man and a woman

” ‘On the issue of marriage I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect. The party’s position is very clear that this is an institution that is between a man and a woman.’

If I told you that was a quote from Cory Bernardi, Lyle Shelton or worse, that oft condemned unreconstructed traditionalist Tony Abbott, would you consider it just more evidence of their homophobia? Many commentators would. It seems right now no one can make any statement in favour of marriage without being condemned for being a ‘hater’ or ‘bigot’.

However, the statement doesn’t come from Mr Bernardi, but from that other strong-minded senator from South Australia, Penny Wong. …”

– Read the full article by Michael Kellahan, executive director of Freedom for Faith, at The Sydney Morning Herald. (Subscription.)

See also: Churches lay out plebiscite fears for PM, The Australian. (Subscription.)

The Anglican Archbishop of ­Sydney, Glenn Davies, and leading Catholic officials have written to Malcolm Turnbull demanding that any proposed bill on same-sex marriage be released before Australians are asked to vote on the issue. …

“This timeframe is inapprop­riately short, particularly given there remain a number of un­resolved questions concerning the postal plebiscite process,” ­Archbishop Davies wrote.

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