Uniting Church chooses on Marriage

The Uniting Church of Australia will officially attempt to sit on both sides of the fence.

Here is a press release from the 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church of Australia, meeting in Melbourne.

Emphasis added:

“The 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia has agreed to hold two equal and distinct views on marriage to honour the diversity of Christian belief among its members.

Meeting for the first time since last year’s change to Australian marriage laws, members of the Church’s national decision-making body, the Assembly, resolved to allow its ministers the freedom to conduct or refuse to conduct same-gender marriages.

“This decision follows many years of reflection, prayer and discernment, and I want to thank Assembly members for the way they have responded with grace to what is a difficult conversation for many people of faith,” said Uniting Church President Dr Deidre Palmer.

Dr Palmer acknowledged the ministry and struggle of LGBTIQ people in the Uniting Church over many years.

‘I know that this conversation is painful and difficult for you,’ said Dr Palmer, directly addressing LGBTIQ Church members.

‘We also acknowledge those who for whatever reason have not been able to support this change – and your pain and difficulty in this space.’

‘Please rest assured that your rights to follow your beliefs on marriage will be respected and protected.’

‘I thank you all for modelling a loving Christian community, holding together and caring for each other, across our diversity of strongly and faithfully held views.’

Members of the Uniting Church’s 15th triennial Assembly have been considering the change to the marriage policy and other issues since Sunday 7 July at Melbourne’s Box Hill Town Hall.

During the meeting, they heard advice from theological and legal experts and had the opportunity to speak to proposals for and against the changes.

The proposal that was adopted on Marriage and same-gender relationships seeks to accommodate a range of views by adopting an additional statement of belief.

The existing statement of belief is that marriage is the freely given consent and commitment in public and before God of a man and a woman to live together for life.

The new additional statement of belief says that, “For Christians, marriage is the freely given consent and commitment in public and before God of two people to live together for life.”

The proposal also acknowledges the diversity of religious beliefs and ethical understandings within the Church, and that they have been “developed through continuing faithful discernment and held with integrity on matters relating to sexuality and marriage.”

The proposal determined that the Church is able to accept this diversity within its life and make the decisions necessary to enable its ministry and members to act with integrity in accordance with their beliefs.”

– Source: Uniting Church of Australia, 13th July 2018.

Euthanasia should never be glorified

“Australian Christian Lobby calls on the ABC and other media outlets to stop endorsing euthanasia.

The destruction assisted suicide is having on vulnerable people is real and deeply concerning and continues to go unreported. …”

– Source: The Australian Christian Lobby.

UCA Assembly still considering Marriage changes

“Members of the Fifteenth Assembly continued their consideration of proposals on marriage and same-gender relationships.

In response to requests from Community Working Groups, the Evening Session of Day 3 was set aside to hear further information.

Fifteenth Assembly members then had the opportunity to make two-minute statements in response to the information, proposals or anything else.

The matter will be revisited later in the meeting.”

– That’s all that has been released so far on the Assembly website.

Whatever happened to that same-sex marriage boom?

“Now that all the glitter has settled after last year’s non-binding voluntary postal survey – remember, we couldn’t be trusted to have a plebiscite, let alone a fair dinkum referendum – just exactly how many of the LGBTIQ community have tied the knot?

Well, rather than being the over-whelming flood, it has turned out to be nothing more than a trickle. In short, we were conned.…”

– At The Spectator Australia, Mark Powell asks the question.

Crunch time for the Uniting Church of Australia

The Uniting Church of Australia’s 15th Assembly meets in Melbourne this week, 8th – 14th July 2018.

The theme of the 15th Assembly is “Abundant Grace, Liberating Hope”,

However, the big question to be decided is whether the UCA will submit to God’s word in Scripture, or adopt a new doctrine of marriage – marriage being between any two people, regardless of gender.

A growing number of UCA ministers and Church Councils have have attached their names to this statement:

If the 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church adopts these proposals in or close to their current form, we humbly state that in accordance with our prayerful convictions, we will not accept these decisions, and we will stand apart from them in ways that we will determine after the Assembly meets.

More from the Assembly of Confessing Congregations. Much to pray about.

Update: 15th Assembly blog:

“Monday July 9 will see the start of the marriage debate. From 2 pm the eight proposals that have now been confirmed will be presented in order of their receipt. This session will continue until 3.30 pm. It is purely a presentation and information session and given the number of proposals will certainly take up this time. …”

Diocese of Wangaratta pushes ahead with Same-Sex Blessings

“The Diocese of Wangaratta, at its recent synod, passed the following motion,

That this Synod:

… commends the pastoral value of the Bishop authorising a Form of Blessing [of same-sex couples] for optional use in the Diocese of Wangaratta … and  …

requests that the Bishop of Wangaratta ensure opportunity for the clergy and laity of the Diocese to engage in further discussion as part of the process leading to the potential Diocesan provision for blessing of civil marriages. …

It is hard to see [Bishop Parkes’] actions here as anything other than a direct challenge to the position that the Anglican Church of Australia has established both at a national synodical level and also amongst his fellow bishops.”

– Read the post at DavidOuld.net for more.

Freedom for Faith Conference 2018 audio available

Thanks to the team at Freedom for Faith, you can now hear the audio from their recent conference, Freedom18, on the limits of religious freedom.

Speakers and topics were:

Dr. Alex Deagon: A Christian Framework for Religious Diversity in Political Discourse.

Senator the Hon. Jacinta Collins: Building Constructive Partnerships in Politics.

Dr. Joel Harrison: What is Religious Liberty For?

Hon. John Anderson AO: How Do We Now Understand Freedom?

Prof. Patrick Parkinson AM: The Limits on the Freedom of Religious Organisations to Select Staff Consistent with Their Ethos.

Emeritus Prof. Rosalind Croucher AM: The Role of the Australian Human Rights Commission as the National Human Rights Body in Promoting and Protecting Rights.

Hear the talks at Freedom for Faith.

And be encouraged to pray.

Undivided – An Open Letter to Vicky Beeching

“Vicky Beeching is a relatively well-known Christian singer songwriter who is now better known for being gay and an advocate of the LGBT agenda within the church.

When she came out as gay she knew that her career on the American Christian music scene was over, but she now has a new career as a darling of the regressive establishment, as they continue their ‘redefinition’ of the Christian faith.

Her new career has resulted in numerous media appearances, an award from the Archbishop of Canterbury and a new book. ‘Undivided’ has just been published to a mixed reception. This is my review in the form of an open letter.”

– At his blog, The Wee Flea, David Robertson has published a very thoughtful open letter. Do take the time to read.

Revelation TV fined for ‘Homophobia’

“Yesterday [Beware the Promises of Politicians] we saw how politicians who pass laws which go against Christian social teaching and then promise that of course we will still be free to express disagreement are not to be trusted. They are incapable of keeping that promise.

Today I want to show further where this is leading.

I have been suggesting for some time that the acceptance of different social teachings to those Christian ones upon which our society has been built – would soon result in the Christian teachings being banned. This was always vehemently denied. Now – as we saw yesterday this is well under way. …”

– David Robertson, at The Wee Flea, comments on what is likely to be coming soon to your Christian ministry.

Image: David Robertson on Revelation TV in 2013.

Trinity Western University loses before Supreme Court of Canada

“Trinity Western University, an evangelical tertiary institution in British Columbia, has lost two cases it had brought protesting the decision of two Canadian Provincial Law Societies to not authorise graduates of their proposed Law School as able to practice in the Provinces.

The reason for the denial of accreditation was that TWU requires students and staff to agree to a Community Covenant Agreement, which undertakes (among other things) that they will not engage while studying or working at TWU in ‘sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman’. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster provides his analysis of the decisions.

Related: Supreme Court of Canada strikes a blow against religious freedom.

Supreme Court of Canada strikes a blow against religious freedom

“The Supreme Court of Canada struck a brave blow on Friday for LGBTQ students who would be compelled to attend a proposed law school at Trinity Western University – a small, private, evangelical Christian school in Langley, B.C., whose ‘community covenant’ prohibits sexual relations except among married men and women.

That is to say, they struck a blow for nobody. …”

– Read the full article at Canada’s National Post.

From Trinity Western University:

“Until now, Canada has encouraged the rich mosaic created by the diversity of views, race, gender, and belief systems.

Sadly, the Supreme Court has decided that this does not extend to a law school at Trinity Western University.”

What is the Community Covenant? Read it here (PDF).

Then read this summary of the background to the legal case.

Image: Trinity Western University website.

New Archbishop of Toronto

While the soon-to-retire Archbishop of Toronto, Colin Johnson, is “personally opposed to assisted death on theological and religious grounds”, his newly elected successor, Dean Andrew Asbil, apparently has a somewhat different view.

From Canada’s The Globe and Mail back in April 2018, a story on a couple who availed themselves of Canada’s provisions:

“The Brickendens are at the vanguard of patients and families who are creating new rituals around dying in Canada – the kind of rituals that are only possible when death comes at a previously appointed hour. …

Dean Asbil prayed, while Mozart, Bach and Scottish folk songs wafted through the room. …”

Globe & Mail link via the Anglican Samizdat.

Photo courtesy St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto.

When the Content Police came for the Babylon Bee

“Facebook has always been the main source of traffic to my websites. When I started out, I was just excited that so many people were reading my stuff – I wasn’t worried about the implications of it all.

The first hint I got that something troubling was afoot was in November 2015 …“

– Adam Ford, who has just sold The Babylon Bee to focus on his new website, Christian Daily Reporter, says “it’s time to push back”.

‘Embrace pluralism’ — Gippsland Bishop-elect

“Bishop-elect Richard Treloar says Anglicans can offer the wider world a more relational understanding of truth as an alternative to binary thinking that accentuates differences …”

– The Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Gippsland speaks to The Melbourne Anglican about his ‘inclusive’ thinking.

Related: New Bishop for Gippsland.

Colorado Wedding Cake Baker wins before US Supreme Court

“In Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd v Colorado Civil Rights Commission … the US Supreme Court by 7-2 overturned previous decisions against a Christian cake maker, Jack Phillips, who had declined to make a wedding cake for a same sex wedding. While the basis of the decision of the majority is fairly narrow, the outcome is clearly correct, and even in the narrow reasons offered by Justice Kennedy, there are a number of important affirmations which support religious freedom.

I have commented previously on cases which involve a claim that a cake maker or other “wedding industry professional” should not be allowed to decline to devote their artistic skills to the celebration of a relationship their religion tells them is wrong … But the Masterpiece decision is the first time such a case has made its way to the final appellate court in a common law jurisdiction, and for that reason is particularly important.”

– Assoc. Professor Neil Foster comments at Law and Religion Australia.

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