Same-sex marriage: Turnbull’s religious freedom inquiry

“Faith leaders may have welcomed the Turnbull government’s announcement of an inquiry into religious freedom protection, but some legal experts want more answers. …

‘If a school wishes to teach that marriage is not as the way the law defines, but as the way civilisation has known for millennia, then will that school be protected?’ Archbishop Davies asked. …”

– Report from SBS News, 22 November 2017.

Statement Regarding Prime Minister Turnbull’s Religious Freedoms Inquiry

“Today’s last-minute announcement by the Prime Minister that an inquiry will be held into religious freedom, only to report next year after the Marriage Act has changed, is a betrayal of the nearly 5 million Australians who voted against gay marriage.

Once again, the Turnbull Government has failed to consult relevant stakeholders. …”

– Read the full Media release from Coalition for Marriage.

Related: Philip Ruddock to review religious protections amid same-sex marriage debate – ABC News.

Same-Sex Marriage — An Initial Response

“The nation has decided in favour of same sex-marriage. It is now right for the parliament to implement the society’s wish.

Christians who voted ‘no’, and I am one, have a lot to be thankful for even in this result. …

So, with all this to be thankful for, am I pleased with the result? No, of course not. I voted against this decision and would do so again if asked to.

I’m saddened by it, not so much as a Christian but as an Australian. Marriage is a creation ordinance not a religious sacrament. I don’t think it is a good decision for Australian society or family life.”

– Phillip Jensen offers his initial response to the result of the Same-sex marriage postal survey.

Update:

The text of Phillip’s article is now also available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

Euthanasia Bill defeated by one vote in NSW Upper House

“After a marathon debate that ran all of Thursday and ended at nearly midnight, the bill to legalise voluntary assisted dying has failed to pass the New South Wales’ Upper House by a single vote.

With 19 voting in support but 20 against, the result came down to the wire. …

– Report from ABC News. (Image: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)

WA Anglican Bishop says ‘no’ to same-sex church weddings

“A WA Anglican bishop has declared he will not allow same-sex couples to marry inside Anglican churches, regardless of the consequences.

Gary Nelson, the bishop of North West Australia, was a vocal No campaigner during the postal survey.”

– Story from The West Australian.

See also: Same-sex marriage Yes vote threatens to cause rift in Anglican Church — ABC News.

NT Bishop: SSM survey shows “a divided community”

“Northern Territory Anglican Bishop Dr Greg Anderson says the community needs to heal after a rancorous same sex marriage debate. …”

– Bishop Anderson was interviewed on ABC Radio Darwin this afternoon.

Archbishop Glenn Davies on the same-sex marriage vote

Archbishop Glenn Davies has released this video statement on the same-sex marriage vote.

Watch and share.

A transcript has now been released.

Marriage vote returns Yes majority

Archbishop Glenn Davies –

“the way in which we have seen in other Western Democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict people’s ability to hold a different point of view…”

Full story:

“Archbishop Glenn Davies says he accepts the outcome of the postal plebiscite delivered this morning but warns there must be freedom of speech, conscience and belief for Christians and others who disagree.

The national vote has been returned, with 61.6% in favour and 38.4% against. In New South Wales, the vote was 57.8% yes and 42.2% voting no.

‘Now that the outcome is that the yes vote is the majority vote on behalf of the Australian people – as I said to the Prime Minister 18 months ago on behalf of other religious leaders that if that’s what the Australian people want then we live in a democracy and I recognise and acknowledge that outcome. Therefore it is quite proper for the parliament to legislate for same-sex marriage in accordance with the will of the people – notwithstanding that it wasn’t a referendum which was compulsory voting, but almost 80 percent of people voting is a very high threshold and I accept that. That doesn’t mean I will change my views. I will still continue to teach that marriage is, in God’s plan, between a man and a woman. But I acknowledge that once the parliament passes those laws, that will no longer be the law of the land.’ Dr Davies said.

‘The consequences then are – what happens to people who want to hold to that truth. It is one thing to say, for example, we don’t have laws against adultery in this country, but I still want to say adultery is wrong – it is immoral. I want to be able to uphold that teaching without the law saying to me – no, it is not illegal, so you can’t say that. At the moment that’s not the case, but the way in which we have seen in other Western Democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict people’s ability to hold a different point of view. And one of the outstanding points of democracy and human dignity – is the freedom of speech, the freedom of faith and the freedom of conscience. Therefore what the parliament needs to do now, in legislating for same-sex marriage, is to do so in a way which protects people’s liberties.’”

– Published at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Media release from Coalition for Marriage, ‘Despite the result, much has been achieved’

Here’s a media release from Coalition for Marriage “

15 November 2017

“The Coalition for Marriage has vowed to continue defending parents’ rights, and fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of belief following today’s result of the postal survey.

‘While we are naturally disappointed in today’s result, we accept and respect the decision of the Australian people,’ Coalition for Marriage spokesman, Lyle Shelton said today. …”

– Read it all here.

The Australian Postal Survey – the realities that have not changed

“I write this just hours before the results of the Australian postal survey on ‘same sex marriage’ are released. I want this post to be published before the result is known – and while there are many pundits and polls predicting the result, it is not known yet – because the result, in either direction, will very likely drown out the things that have not changed. …”

– Moore College Principal, Dr. Mark Thompson, writes at Theological Theology.

Protecting religious freedom after “Yes”

“Outrage has erupted in the press and in Parliament over the Exposure Draft of a Bill designed to implement a possible “Yes” vote in the same-sex marriage survey.

Senator James Paterson, a Liberal Party member who personally supports same sex marriage, has released a Draft Marriage Amendment (Definition and Protection of Freedoms) Bill 2017 designed to effect this change, but also to provide protection for the religious freedom of those whose faith will not allow them to approve it. But the Bill has been excoriated as ‘legalising homophobic discrimination’ (Senator Hinch, in a question to the Attorney-General, Senate Hansard, 14 Nov 2017, p 21 of draft proceedings), and as a ‘licence to discriminate’ (Senator Wong, as reported by the ABC.) …”

At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster looks at proposed legislation and what might happen next.

Oxford teacher faces action over ‘misgendering’ pupil

“A teacher is facing disciplinary action at his school after he referred to a transgender pupil as a girl, although the student identifies as a boy.

Joshua Sutcliffe, a Christian pastor from Oxford, admitted he said ‘Well done girls’ when addressing a group including the student. …”

– BBC News report.

And an ITV interview. (Image: ITV.)

Freedom for Faith: What’s Next?

“On the 15th of November the same sex marriage survey results wil be released.

We don’t know the outcome but we do know many Australians will be elated, others will be confused, some may be anxious.

What should a Christian response be? Whether yes or no, there are enormous consequences for religious freedom that will not go away. How do we navigate these waters?

Hear Sydney Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies the night the same sex marriage survey results are released. A friendraising & fundraising event for Freedom for Faith.”

– Details from Freedom for Faith, as well as a range of videos and other resources.

University student dismissed for expressing Biblical view on homosexuality

“A recent UK court decision upheld the decision of University authorities to remove a student, Felix Ngole, from a post-graduate Social Work course, because of views he had expressed in a public social media forum about the Bible’s view on homosexuality. …

For Australian readers, it is … a salutary reminder that when the law on marriage changes, it becomes harder to protect religious and other freedoms.”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster highlights the case of Felix Ngole, and examines the legal judgments made.

Under strict medical circumstances

“When abortion law reform was introduced through Australian State Parliaments in the 1970s, it was done so, ‘under strict medical circumstances’.

Most of us believed this was a necessary reform and that probably there were valid grounds for 1 or 2000 abortions each year in Australia. That figure has now grown to 180000 to 200000 abortions each year!

I am now hearing the same argument for the proposed introduction of legislation allowing the termination of adult life, ‘under strict medical circumstances’.

It is amazing, with the knowledge explosion all around us, that we humans tolerate and endorse a persistent ignorance in relation to ourselves. The secular mind is always overly optimistic in its assessment of the human condition and has no real explanation for our callous treatment of one another.…”

– Past Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, David Cook, has written this month’s Moderator’s Comments. Read it all.

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