Positive Masculinity
“Friends in Christ, this month, Micaela Cronin, the country’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, handed down her first ‘report card’ to federal parliament on progress of the government’s National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. …
Also highly significant in my view, Ms Cronin urged governments to help redefine masculinity and engage men effectively. She said, “we need to have eyes on men in different ways than we do now”. She said she was being told consistently by women to “please work with our men” and data uncovering how men become violent and stopped being violent was desperately needed. [Source]
It’s at this point I offer some Christian reflections.”
– The Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, turns to Scripture to show us what a real man must be like.
Tickle v Giggle: Sex and Gender Identity
“In his decision in Tickle v Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd (No 2) [2024] FCA 960 (23 August 2024) Bromwich J in the Federal Court of Australia found that the company Giggle had been guilty of indirect gender identity discrimination when its director, Sall Grover (who was also sued), had removed Roxy Tickle from her women-only social media app. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster comments on a ruling “which raises concerns for religious folk, many of whom see sex as a biological category determined at conception and ordained by God”.
The Exultant Nature of Today’s Abortion Advocacy
“A Planned Parenthood mobile clinic has been offering free abortions just a few blocks from the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which concludes today.
The DNC is not officially involved, but that is a minor detail, given that abortion has the status of a creedal non-negotiable in the upper echelons of the Democratic Party. The clinic is simply actualizing the central plank of the Democrats’ election campaign. Its proximity to the convention is entirely appropriate …”
– At First Things, Carl Trueman speaks of the desecration of humanity.
Image: Carl Trueman at the Diocese of the Living Word missions conference in April 2024.
Tried for a Tweet
“I have been a member of the Finnish Parliament for twenty-nine years. During that time, I have witnessed a dramatic change in the value system undergirding our modern society. From the protection of life to the defense of marriage, the changes we are living through are undeniable, with far-reaching implications for us all. And it’s evident that the general atmosphere toward Christianity grows increasingly hostile every day.
Only ten years ago, I could not have imagined that I would soon be summoned to my country’s Supreme Court to defend my religious convictions. …”
– Päivi Räsänen shares the story of her persecution. (Link thanks to Anglican Mainstream.)
Earlier:
The Criminalization of Christianity in Finland – January 2022.
Finnish Christian MP to appear before Supreme Court over ‘hate crime’ Bible tweet – April 2024.
When will bishops be held to account?
“I have been the victim of religious discrimination within the Church of England. Because of a sermon delivered in 2019, I am being treated as a safeguarding risk. I don’t know why, because they have so far failed to tell me exactly what the problem is, but it appears to be because my sermon upheld the Church’s own teaching on marriage.
I was reported to secular safeguarding authorities, but they have all cleared me. Only the Church stands out against the acceptability of the Church’s own beliefs. …”
– The Rev. Dr Bernard Randall shares his story.
Background:
Chaplain who was sacked for identity politics sermon to appeal ruling – March 2023.
Image: Christian Concern.
Home Office ‘considering banning silent prayer outside abortion clinics’
“MPs voted last year to stop protests within a buffer zone of 150 metres of a clinic or hospital but legislation has not yet come into force.
The Home Office is to consider banning silent prayer outside abortion clinics, The Telegraph understands. …”
– Anglican Mainstream has links to this concerning story.
They also have many links to stories on the clamp down on expression of opinion in the UK – e.g. –
We can no longer say that Britain is a free country.
Jailing Brits for Facebook posts isn’t justice.
From defensive to offensive in the religious freedom debate
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Religious Freedom leaders are calling on Australia’s Government to quickly bring a Religious Discrimination Act to the parliament.
Mark Sneddon says the Religious Discrimination Act is not about granting unlimited freedoms, but about preventing adverse treatment of religious individuals and organizations.
He says there needs to be a fair compromise that the rights of all involved, which should be supported by both sides of politics. …”
The Most Pro-Abortion Presidential Ticket in U.S. History
Albert Mohler gives his take on the latest in the US elections, in his The Briefing for 7th August 2024.
Related:
Jesus Is the Way to Sanity This Election Season – Daniel Seabaugh (link via Tim Challies):
“During this election season, the most important thing Christians can do is get close to Jesus, stay close to Jesus, and never take their eyes off Jesus.”
St Helen’s Bishopsgate, fears ‘repercussions’ for newly commissioned leaders
“The names of the seven men commissioned as ‘leaders’ at a service in St Helen’s, Bishopsgate, last week, are not being publicised out of concern about ‘repercussions’, the Rector of the church, the Revd William Taylor, said on Wednesday.
Mr Taylor told the Church Times that he was concerned that those who had been commissioned might be sanctioned by bishops in their dioceses. …”
– Report from Church Times – via Anglican Mainstream.
Image: Scene from the Commissioning service included in the video of William Taylor’s explanation of the event.
Hey Christian – Be Vexed by the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Be very Vexed.
“I just assume now that any public performance across the Western world that is staged by super smart, progressive creative designers will contain some element of blasphemy. And it should vex us. …”
– Stephen McAlpine has some thoughts about the Olympics opening ceremony.
Significant Commissioning Service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate
On Wednesday 24th July 2024, a Commissioning Service took place at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London.
It was made necessary by the actions of the Church of England’s House of Bishops and the General Synod in pushing ahead to bless same-sex unions.
The next day, William Taylor, Rector of St. Helen’s, recorded this explanation of the event. In part, he said,
“This act of commissioning has been made necessary due to the tragic failure of the majority of bishops in the House of Bishops of the Church of England.
Our archbishops and most bishops have failed doctrinally.
They have failed to uphold faithful biblical doctrine, to guard the gospel of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus and to show loyalty and love for Jesus and his people by teaching the scriptures faithfully.”
The full video includes supporting statements from many evangelical Church of England leaders.
Related:
Alternative Spiritual Oversight – CEEC.
Drag Queens Parody the Last Supper During Olympics Opening Ceremonies
“Drag queens parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s rendition of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday evening, creating international outrage. …”
– Story from National Review.
What is the ecclesiological problem with a third province?
“In a letter of 2 July this year to the signatories of a letter from the Alliance group within the Church of England to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York the Bishop of Oxford wrote as follows:
‘The mind of the majority House of Bishops now seems to me to be settling on questions of pastoral reassurance after many months of uncertainty. There is a now a reluctant acceptance of the need for some regional provision of episcopal ministry to recognise divergent views on marriage and same sex relationships, supported by a House of Bishops statement, Code of Practice and Reviewer. However, the House is also clear that going beyond these arrangements to diverse jurisdictions, a third province and a church within a church undercuts the very essence of Anglican ecclesiology and represents a red line we cannot cross.’
The references in the final sentence of this quotation to ‘diverse jurisdictions,’ ‘a third province’ and ‘a church within a church’ are all different ways of referring to the same idea, the idea put forward by the Alliance and the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) that in the event that the House of Bishops and the General Synod continue down the path of permitting the blessing of same-sex sexual relationships and allowing those in same-sex sexual relationships to serve as ordained Church of England ministers, a third province of the Church of England should be created to provide a secure and permanent home for those who cannot in good conscience accept these developments.
The Bishop of Oxford rejects this idea on the grounds that it ‘undercuts the very essence of Anglican ecclesiology’ and therefore ‘represents a red line we cannot cross.’ What he does not explain in his letter, and what he has not explained elsewhere, is why the proposal for a third province goes against ‘the very essence of Anglican ecclesiology.’
It is very difficult to see why he thinks is the case. …”
– Martin Davie rules out possible arguments against ‘a third province’ in the Church of England.
Photo: Bishop of Oxford Steven Croft.
FREEDOM24 conference August 5
From Assoc Professor Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia:
“Freedom for Faith is hosting the FREEDOM24 Conference 9am-4pm on Monday August 5th at Village Church Annandale in Sydney. I highly recommend this conference!
Livestream tickets are free, to maximise access for those who cannot attend in person.
FREEDOM24 conference will develop your understanding of threats to religious freedom in Australia from historical, theological and policy perspectives.
Historian Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will examine the history of religious freedom, while John McClean of Christ College will share a theological perspective on how the church is to respond to legal threats to ministry. We will also have a number of experts unpack the major religious freedom concerns in Australia, as well as implications and paths forward for advocacy.
Issues examined will include: …”
– Details and link for tickets.
New UK Government sparks fear among marriage supporters
“Sir Keir Starmer has been in office less than two weeks and the evident shift in support for LGBT ideology amongst senior Government figures is already sparking concern from real marriage supporters and more widely.
The last Government’s crackdown on rainbow lanyards in the civil service has already been dropped, according to inews.co.uk. Whitehall diversity and objectivity guidance is also being reviewed.
Now, a group of church leaders representing more than 1,300 churches has written to the Prime Minister warning that Labour’s proposed conversion therapy laws could criminalise them as they put into practice their teaching on marriage. …”
– Anglican Mainstream has re-posted this message from the Coalition for Marriage.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…