The Slippery Slope was a Precipice after all
“For all the talk of slippery slope arguments, when it came to it the same sex marriage decision in Australia was not a slippery slope. It was a precipice after all.
And in such times we need precipitous thinkers. We need leaders in our church who are not content to wait for the cultural changes to come our way, dodging and weaving until the last minute, but who lean into the changes and prepare their people with the ropes and tackle a precipice requires. …”
– Stephen McAlpine writes to encourage Christians and Christian leaders in the face of what is to come.
Franklin Graham isn’t preaching in England for another nine months, but already he’s getting trashed
“Here’s how the piece by Harriet Sherwood began:
Opposition is mounting to a planned visit to the UK by a leading American conservative evangelical Christian who has made Islamophobic and anti-gay statements, with critics saying it will promote prejudice and damage interfaith relations.
Several MPs, including a government minister, have urged the home secretary to consider refusing UK entry to Franklin Graham, with some suggesting his comments contravene British laws on hate speech. …”
– at GetReligion, Julia Duin writes about the UK campaign against Franklin Graham.
Photo: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann — review
“This is a fascinating, creative and insightful little book which you should not read if you wish to remain undisturbed, feeling secure behind the rose tinted spectacles that many evangelicals, especially in the Established church, are now wearing.
The Dome referred to in the title, is the Millennium Dome, built under the guiding hand of Peter Mandelson, Prime Minister (‘Call me Tony’) Blair’s chief advisor and the main architect of the rebranding of the Labour Party as ‘New Labour’. …
This highly readable, thought provoking and penetrating book is to be highly recommended …”
– At Anglican Mainstream, Melvin Tinker has reviewed Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann.
There’s another review – by Rob Slane – at The BlogMire:
“So where are we heading? Towards the end of the book, Julian gives us three fictional scenarios which imagine this.
The first gives us the Islamic future, in which Britain officially becomes an Islamic State with a Wahhabi ideology in 2040.
The second, written by Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream, pictures a Britain which – largely due to the feebleness of the 20th Century Church versus the ferociousness of the Cultural Marxists – has become both totally secular, and utterly draconian.
The third scenario sees Julian imagining himself as an old retired minister in 2050, both surprised and thrilled to see a genuine revival of Christianity, together with the undoing of a massive amount of destructive social changes that had occurred throughout his lifetime.”
And our earlier post.
This book may be far more relevant to Australia than you might imagine.
Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann, ISBN 978-1783972104, is available from a variety of booksellers. These prices include shipping to Australia.
More Australian same sex marriage implications — the “monitum” and “rogue priests”
“With the commencement of the legislation adopting same-sex marriage for Australia today, 9 December, it seems worthwhile to note some more implications, following my initial comments on the change.
The two I would like to address here are the changes to the ‘monitum’, the summary of Australian marriage law required to be recited by some celebrants; and the possible issues surrounding what I will call “rogue priests”, clergy in one of the mainstream Christian denominations who may wish to solemnise same-sex marriages when their denomination adheres to the historic Christian position that marriage is only between a man and a woman. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Assoc. Professor Neil Foster considers further implications of the decision to legalise same-sex marriage.
Same Sex Marriage legislation — Sydney Diocese Media Statement
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Media Statement
As previously acknowledged, I recognise the mandate of the Parliament to legislate for Same-Sex Marriage.
However, we are disappointed the votes against reasonable amendments did not reflect the concerns of significant sections of the community.
We appreciate the Prime Minister’s pledge to consider seriously the issues of freedom of speech, conscience and belief and await a timeline and terms of reference for the upcoming Ruddock review.
These issues are of vital concern to Australians of various faiths and of none, including the more than 1 in 3 Australians who voted No in the postal survey.
Archbishop Glenn Davies
Friday, 8 December 2017.
Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.
Australia adopts same sex marriage: law and religion implications
“Legislation re-defining marriage to include same sex couples passed its final third reading stage in the Commonwealth House of Representatives this evening Australian time, December 7. The Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 will soon become law when it receives the Royal Assent.
In this post I want to start exploring some immediate implications for religious freedom and other ‘law and religion’ issues. …”
– Associate Professor Neil Foster shares some insights into the same-sex marriage legislation passed today.
He also addresses the idea that Bible-believing ministers should “‘hand in their license’ and no longer participate in solemnising any marriages for the purposes of the Marriage Act.”
Passing of Smith Bill shows Disregard for Freedoms — Coalition for Marriage
“The passing of the Dean Smith bill unamended through the House of Representatives today was evidence of the disregard that many MPs have for the freedoms of Australians and the upholding of international human rights obligations, the Coalition for Marriage said today.
‘It is deeply disappointing that both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader reneged on the assurances they gave to the Australian people during the marriage campaign,’ Coalition for Marriage spokesman, Lyle Shelton said. …”
– Read the full media statement from Coalition for Marriage here.
When freedom has been taken away
“What can we do? This is a question I’ve been asked several times since we lost the plebiscite battle for the definition of marriage.
Last week’s rejection of freedom of speech by the Senate has sent shock waves through churches, mosques and Christian and Muslim schools.
The House of Representatives, which is this week debating Liberal Senator Dean Smith’s same-sex marriage bill, is unlikely to improve things. …”
– Lyle Shelton at the Australian Christian Lobby writes about the challenging days ahead.
See also: Religious freedom protections must not be delayed – Freedom for Faith, 27 November 2017.
Our freedoms are too precious to sacrifice for same-sex marriage bill
“Based on recent events in Canberra where Turnbull’s Labor-lite co-conspirators refused to entertain any amendments to the same-sex marriage Act, it’s clear the approach is winners take all.
Not only does ramming the legislation through parliament show disrespect for the approximately 40 per cent of Australians who voted no to same-sex marriage, it also shows appalling disregard for the need to protect the liberties and freedoms we once took for granted. …”
– Dr. Kevin Donnelly writes this opinion piece in The Herald Sun. (Link via SydneyAnglicans.net)
Church leaders in last-ditch pushback against same-sex marriage bill
“Australia’s most senior churchmen, including the Anglican and Catholic archbishops of Sydney, have made a list-ditch plea to political leaders to salvage religious exemptions in the same-sex marriage bill.
Writing to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, as many as 30 church leaders asked for reconsideration of a suite of amendments first proposed by Liberal senator James Paterson. …”
– Story from The Sydney Morning Herald.
Related:
Write to your MPs, via the Australian Christian Lobby.
Turnbull and Shorten must keep promise to Australians Voters – Coalition for Marriage.
Time to shine – responding to the trifecta
“There’s never been a better time than now to be a Christian, and to offer to our world the way of hope. God encourages us to shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life (Philippians 2). And it’s never more timely than now.
- It’s official: the trifecta is in.The unborn child has no protection – it’s legal to take his or her life up to 24 weeks gestation and beyond that if two doctors agree (in Victoria). Though fearfully and wonderfully created in the image of God (Psalm 139), the unborn child is not safe even in the womb.
- The national same-sex marriage poll will soon deliver a fundamentally different view of what a marriage can be. In rebellion against God’s creational design and purpose for man and woman, sinful desires and unnatural relationships between persons of the same sex (Romans 1) are now given dignity through the redefinition of marriage.
- With Victoria leading the way, it will become legal to allow and assist people facing the prospect of a painful end, to take their own life. No longer content to rest in providence that God gives life and God takes away (Job 1), the state has become God. …”
Writing for his own denomination, Presbyterian Moderator-General John Wilson argues that there has never been a better time to be a Christian.
“Resignation from the Marriage Act”
”I will mail this letter to the Attorney General on the day that the Governor General signs into law the redefinition of marriage. …”
— Hobart Presbyterian Pastor Campbell Markham explains the reasoning behind his decision to relinquish his authority to conduct weddings.
Senate votes against same-sex marriage bill amendments
“All five amendments put forward by conservative senators James Paterson and David Fawcett to their Liberal colleague Dean Smith’s private same-sex marriage bill were voted down …
Senators Paterson and Fawcett’s changes sought to:
- Protect civil celebrants refusing to marry gay couples.
- Create two definitions of marriage — one as between a man and a woman and the other as between two people.
- Protect “relevant beliefs” around marriage.
- Prevent governments and agencies from taking action against people with a traditional view of marriage.
- Allow parents to remove their children from classes if they believe material taught is inconsistent with their views on marriage. …”
– Full story from The Daily Telegraph. (subscrip
Balancing Religious Freedom Rights is not ‘Discrimination’
“Australia is in the middle of a debate as to the extent to which religious freedom rights should be accommodated in legislation introducing “same sex marriage” (SSM). Those who object to this idea tell us that:
Christian conservatives – following the lead of their counterparts in the United States – seek to use freedom of religion to justify discrimination against members of the LGBTQI community. This agenda is now being pursued under the guise of the debate for a marriage equality bill. (“After the yes vote, let’s not remove one inequality and replace it with another” The Guardian online, 22 Nov 2017)
The word “discrimination” is a notoriously slippery one, and I would like to challenge the view that recognising religion freedom in changing marriage laws amounts to unjustified discrimination. …”
– Associate Professor in Law, Neil Foster, writes at Law and Religion Australia.
Anglican Bishop fears loss of religious freedom
“Prominent ‘No’ campaigner and the Anglican Bishop for South Sydney, Michael Stead explains how his religious freedom is being threatened by the Bill. …”
– Report from ABC Radio’s AM.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…