Australia’s businesses take out full-page ad backing ‘marriage equality’

“Some of Australia’s biggest businesses have thrown their weight behind the push for gay marriage, with a full-page newspaper advertisement today.

Corporations including Google, Qantas, Optus and the ANZ and Commonwealth banks have put their names to a list of Australian businesses backing marriage equality…” – ABC News report.

Marriage

David Cook, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, has written an important piece on Marriage. Here’s a quote:

“None of us expected that in our lives we would have to stand solidly with the apostles and declare, ‘we must obey God rather than men’.”

Take the time to read the full text:

On my recent trip to Malaysia, I was asked to expound Romans 13:1-7, the attitude of the Christian to the civil ruler.

The Bible makes it clear that all “superior” authority, like that of Government, is derived from the supreme authority, God Himself, who establishes and institutes such authority.

For the Christian, the State will have a limited jurisdiction, like Moses’ mother, the midwives of Egypt, Daniel, the apostles and the Lord Jesus, we will respectfully submit to the State until it oversteps the boundary set by God. “We must obey God rather than men” Acts 5:29.

There are many issues which may be “disputable” in our relationship with governments, but the proposed change to the Marriage Act is not one of them.

The Marriage Act of 1961, amended in 2004 defines marriage as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”.

This is a perfectly good reflection of Genesis 2:24, “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”.

The Lord Jesus ratifies this definition of marriage in Matthew 19:5-6 “For this reason 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. Therefore, what God has joined together let not man separate.”

Everything which the apostle Paul says of marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 is based on the premise that marriage is between a man and a woman. Some may say that this is just the writing of Paul, a mere man, but remember, just as the resurrection of Jesus declares His deity (Romans 1:4) so the resurrection of Jesus ratifies Paul’s authentic apostleship (Galatians 1:1).

The question of same sex marriage will not go away, I suspect that our politicians will treat the issue as unresolved until the Marriage Act is amended. Such amendment will not foster stronger family life, children will be denied both a mother and a father, surrogate parenting will become more common, inevitably those who hold a contrary position will be treated with intolerance, being accused of being homophobic, simply for having a moral conviction that homosexual practise is contrary to God’s will.

The fact that the Republic of Ireland has recently voted for same sex marriage, does not mean that our nation’s leaders have to unquestioningly follow such a poor example. On such a fundamental change to the foundation of our society, why shouldn’t the people have the opportunity to express their mind in a referendum?

The question that Presbyterian ministers must face is, as registered marriage celebrants, are we prepared to continue to operate under an Act which unacceptably redefines marriage?

The Church and Nation Committee has discussed this issue, our political leaders need to face the reality that a redefining of the Marriage Act will be seen by many Christian celebrants as an affront to the supreme authority of God and will lead to a massive reduction in celebrants’ availability to operate under such a compromised Act.

None of us expected that in our lives we would have to stand solidly with the apostles and declare, “we must obey God rather than men”.

David Cook.

– Source, The Moderator’s Comments, 28 May 2015.

Why Australia should not rush to follow Ireland

“So many questions, so little free debate. …

Changing the definition of marriage has far reaching consequences. It is time to press pause and think again.”

– The Australian Christian Lobby raises a number of questions in the midst of a push for same sex marriage in Australia.

Bill Shorten to introduce private members bill to legalise ‘same-sex marriage’

“Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has confirmed Labor will move a bill to legalise same-sex marriage next week. …

In a statement, Mr Shorten said the time had come for Parliament to debate marriage equality and that he found it unacceptable current laws excluded some individuals.”

– Report from ABC News. (Photo: billshorten.com.au)

Update: The Australian Christian Lobby has issued this media release –

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s same-sex marriage bill fails to consider the consequences of changing the definition of marriage in law, according the Australian Christian Lobby.

“It is disappointing that Australia’s alternative prime minister is legislating a family structure which requires a child to miss out on their mum or dad.

“Many Australians are watching with great concern as florists, photographers and cake makers in other countries are being legally punished simply because they prefer not to participate in a same-sex wedding.

“I wonder if Mr Shorten has considered the consequences of changing the definition of marriage,” Mr Shelton said.

“We urge parliamentarians to vote against the bill.”

Praying for Nungalinya College

Nungalinya, the Combined Churches Training College for Indigenous Australians in Darwin, has posted their 2014 Annual Report online.

Grab the 3.6MB PDF file here. Fuel for prayer.

GAFCON Chairman’s Pentecost Letter 2015

“One of the great lessons of the East African Revival was that a genuine movement of the Spirit will impress on our hearts that the Scriptures really are the inspired and authoritative Word of God.

We cannot separate the Spirit from the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to enable Christians to grow in biblical holiness and to equip them with gifts to build up the church in a hostile world.

It is therefore a tragedy when Christian leaders whose minds have been captured by the spirit of the age commend the values of the world to the Church and claim they are led by the Spirit of God. …”

– Read the full letter from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala here.
(Photo: Diocese of Kenya.)

Stories you may have missed — 23 May 2015

Here are a few stories you may have missed:

Dr Stuart Piggin spoke on revival in rural Australia at a conference at Goulburn Cathedral. (Link to audio.)

Anglican Priests ‘beaten to stupor’ by agents of the state government in Enugu State, Nigeria, over a land dispute.

Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council remembers growing up at St. James’ Newport Beach in California and reflects on reports the site is to be sold for $15 million.

Christians flee Aleppo in their thousands after fresh fighting in Syria, and Iraq’s Christians wonder where to flee after Islamic State militants take Ramadi city – reports from Barnabas Fund.

Church of England launches ‘GraveTalk’

“The Church of England is launching a new national resource to help churches get people talking about death and dying.

GraveTalk, provides resources for a café space in which churches provide a relaxed environment for people to explore questions about death and dying, funerals and loss…”

– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service.

The accompanying website mentions the Lord Jesus, though the main message seems to be how flexible Church of England funeral services can be. You can also light a virtual candle.

‘Our mother church has tragically left the family home’

Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, David Cook, reports on fruitful ministry in the United Kingdom – and why he was unable to attend this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. (h/t Gary Ware.)

Newport Beach Episcopal church to be sold

“The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is nearing the end of negotiations to sell St. James the Great Episcopal Church in Newport Beach to real estate developers.

Bishop J. Jon Bruno announced the sale to congregants Sunday, Diocese spokesman Robert Williams said. The sale of the church could bring in roughly $15 million …

A majority of congregants in 2004 voted to disaffiliate with the Episcopal Church for theological and ideological reasons and later aligned with the Anglican Church.”

– See the full report from The Orange County Register. Earlier related stories.

(Photo: J. J. Bruno, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.)

Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’

“The Church of Scotland has voted in favour of allowing people in same sex civil partnerships to be called as ministers and deacons.

The historic decision was made by the General Assembly on the Mound in Edinburgh today, where the motion was passed by 309 votes in favour and 182 against. …

In a speech later today the outgoing Moderator Very Rev John Chalmers is expected to say: ‘There’s something else that we have to learn as a Church and that is the power of harmony. … It’s time to play for the team.’ …

Because the debate predates the legalisation of gay marriage the proposed change mentions only civil partnerships, not same-sex marriages. The Assembly will be asked on Thursday to consider amending today’s new Church law to include ministers in same-sex marriages.”

– Press release from The Church of Scotland. (Images: Church of Scotland.)

Charles Simeon and his enduring influence on Australia

This year’s Moore College Library Day looks at the influence of Charles Simeon. It’s on Saturday 23rd May. Read the details and register for the day.

Reform’s Chairman Rod Thomas to be Bishop of Maidstone

“Reform is delighted that their Chairman, Rev’d Preb Rod Thomas, has been appointed to the revived See of Maidstone. Rod has served as a senior officer of Reform for nearly two decades. In that time he has been unswerving in his commitment to the principles set out in the Reform Covenant. But for Rod’s passionate advocacy of conservative evangelical Anglicanism the Church of England would have been much impoverished.

Rod’s predecessor as Chairman of Reform, Rev’d Canon David Banting, said, ‘Rod’s presence in the College of Bishops will strengthen and enrich the priority of the mission of the gospel to the nation and the centrality of biblical witness in the Church.’…”

– A media statement from Reform.

See the press release from Lambeth Palace…

“The appointment of Rod Thomas follows a meeting of the Dioceses Commission in December at which unanimous agreement was given to a proposal from the Archbishop of Canterbury to fill the see, which has been vacant since 2009, with a bishop who takes a conservative evangelical view on headship.”

And Church Society reaction from their Director, Lee Gatiss –

“Rod is the only complementarian evangelical to be made a bishop since Wallace Benn in 1997. This appointment is part of the package of compromises agreed recently by General Synod, through which women bishops have been introduced into the Church. It is a great pity that despite Synod’s overwhelming approval of the first Pilling Report, Talent & Calling, in 2007, which called for more conservative evangelicals to be considered for such roles, there has been no such appointment until today. …

It may be asked whether a single isolated new bishop is mere tokenism. Surely ‘flourishing’ implies rather more than the reluctant toleration of one among more than a hundred bishops?”

Nigerian Bishop ‘frees 25 prison inmates’

“The Bishop, Diocese of Kaduna Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Josiah Idowu-fearon, yesterday secured the release of 25 prison inmates from Kaduna Central Prison as part of activities marking his 25th anniversary as Bishop of Anglican Communion…