Religious freedom bill in the House

“The Commonwealth has a Sex Discrimination Act, a Racial Discrimination Act, a Disability Discrimination Act and an age Discrimination Act. However, there is no standalone legislation to protect people of religion, of faith, against discrimination. Or indeed for those who choose not to have a faith or religion. The introduction of this Bill, the Religious Discrimination bill of 2021, will fix this.”

With these words, the Prime Minister introduced the long-awaited bill into the House of Representatives.

A coalition of faith leaders, including Archbishop Kanishka Raffel and Bishop Michael Stead had previously called for the bill to receive bi-partisan support. …

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell has the latest on the Religious Discrimination Bill.

The Religious Discrimination Bill arrives

“After a long wait, the Federal government has released the text of the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 which is about to be introduced into the Parliament. There has been no general Federal law dealing with detrimental treatment of Australians on the basis of their religious faith and activities, and this is a welcome development, implementing a recommendation of the Ruddock Review which reported in 2018.

The government previously released two “Exposure Drafts” of the Bill (see some comments on those in previous posts, here, and here.) Having promised prior to the last election that he would advance this law, Prime Minister Morrison will now introduce it into the House of Representatives. If passed by the House, the Bill will then need to approved by the Senate, where it seems likely to be referred to (yet another) committee before being voted on there, probably sometime in the New Year. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster gives an overview of the Religious Discrimination Bill, and also indicates where it differs from previous drafts.

Melvin Tinker

Unwelcome news from Anglican Mainstream in the UK –

“We are sorry to report the death of Melvin Tinker early this morning, from a particularly virulent form of cancer.

Melvin was Vicar of St John’s Newland, Hull, for many years, and known more widely as a speaker and author.

In recent years he developed a unique prophetic analysis of Western secularism, saw its influence on the church, and expressed the urgent need for renewed faithfulness and commitment to biblical truth. This led to him leading his congregation out of the Church of England, into a new Anglican jurisdiction under Gafcon.

I also knew him as a warm hearted friend with a great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed, especially by his wife Heather and his children and grandchildren.

Further tributes will follow shortly.”

Melvin contributed the Lift Up Your Hearts devotions for GAFCON in April 2021.

His book That Hideous Strength: A Deeper Look at How the West was Lost has been a great help to many.

Update: Julian Mann at Christian Today has more.

ePetition for Allowah Presbyterian Children’s Hospital

Presbyterian Social Services in NSW are seeking help in gaining vital funding for the Allowah Presbyterian Children’s Hospital in Dundas.

“The only hospital dedicated to the health of children with disabilities in NSW is Allowah Presbyterian Children’s Hospital. It operates on a $5,500,000 budget to employ 150 staff, mostly nurses, as they meet the health of 120 special children.

While Allowah is grateful for the adhoc MOU with Sydney Children’s Hospital Network to help fund this healthcare, the nature of the agreement means it provides just $5,000 per year.”

– from the ePetition at Jericho Road, the website of Presbyterian Social Services.

Read more background at their website:

“For the longer term, in order to address the financial vulnerability caused by setbacks such as COVID-19, we have been discussing ways that Allowah could better partner with NSW Health to meet the needs of children with complex medical needs and disabilities. We have had several discussions with Senior Policy Officers from the Ministry of Health and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, and hope to progress a number of partnerships with NSW Health.

The reality is though that these longer-term initiatives will not address our immediate and urgent need for funds in 2021 due to COVID-19. We need $1.6M emergency funding to see us through 2021.”

– and do consider signing the petition.

Anglican Bishop Julian Dobbs on Proclaiming the Gospel in Albany, New York

“The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany this month opened the door to the practice of same-sex marriage within the diocese, a departure from what was until recently permitted there. Albany was the last remaining domestic diocese in the Episcopal Church to proscribe the use of same-sex rites that were effectively required following the 2018 General Convention.

In March I reported how some Albany clergy had begun seeking canonical residency within the Anglican Church in North America, the first public movement of clergy in New York’s Capital District since the resignation of Bishop William H. Love earlier that winter. The Anglican Diocese of the Living Word, which already has congregations in upstate New York, received a new congregation near Albany and began making plans for a regional ministry network emphasizing church planting. That has now grown to four churches, plus an additional church received into the neighboring Anglican Diocese in New England.

This week I spoke with Diocese of the Living Word Bishop Julian Dobbs about unfolding ministry opportunities in New York’s Capital Region and how the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) hopes to be a faithful and growing witness to the gospel there. …”

– At Juicy Ecumenism, Jeffrey Walton speaks with Bishop Julian Dobbs.

Related:

Bishop Julian Dobbs interviews Bishop William Love.

Gafcon Lawyers Network

Today’s Prayer Point from GAFCON is for the Gafcon Lawyers Network –

“The Gafcon Lawyers Network, led by Dr Robert Tong, has developed valuable skills and expertise in establishing legal structures to help faithful Anglicans remain within our global Anglican fellowship.

Pray for Robert and others as they work on legal solutions in several regions where the established church is irreversibly compromised by false teaching.”

“God has called us… to stand for the true gospel witness”

“The Global South grouping of the Anglican Communion is moving away from being based on geography to being founded on doctrinal orthodoxy.

This is a significant move for the group, which – at its first meeting in 1994 –  gathered churches from all parts of the Southern Hemisphere including Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell reports on last month’s 8th Global South Conference and its Communiqué (“The Eighth Trumpet”) from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

See also:

A Hope and a Future for Anglicans – Phil Ashey.

Victorian Religious Exceptions Amendment Bill introduced

“As previously foreshadowed (see my analysis of the proposals when first announced here) the Victorian government has introduced a Bill into the Parliament of that State seriously limiting the religious freedom of religious bodies and individual Victorian citizens.

The Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Bill 2021 (Vic) was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on October 27 and the second reading was moved on October 28.

The Bill is a serious attack on the religious freedom of Victorians, especially to send their children to faith-based schools reflecting a religious world-view.

The Bill amends the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) (“EOA”), which is of course Victoria’s main anti-discrimination legislation. One of the primary ways that Australian law provides protection for religious freedom at the moment is by way of “balancing clauses” that recognise that this right is an important internationally protected human right, which is not always simply subjected to other rights. But these clauses are regularly characterised as “exemptions” or “exceptions”, and when this is done they are painted as reluctant concessions to the most important claims (not to suffer discrimination). Hence the apparent plausibility of removing these “exceptions”.…”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster takes a close look at this “serious attack on the religious freedom of Victorians”.

See also:

Victoria and the Gradual Reversal of Constantine – Murray Campbell

“It took almost 300 years for Christianity to be no longer deemed dangerous and criminal. In the space of 5 years, basic Christian ideas have been maligned and even made illegal in my State of Victoria.”

What will the new Church of England General Synod look like?

In a guest post at Psephizo, Peter Ould, Church of England priest, consultant statistician and amateur psephologist, shares his insights into the makeup of the new Church of England General Synod –

“… orthodox laity actually form a larger group than revisionist laity, and given that the electorate knew quite explicitly what they were voting for, this puts to bed finally the misconception constantly spun by those wanting a change in the church’s teaching that the average person in the pews supports their position. In reality, the representatives of those in the pews were more likely to back someone who took a traditional stance than someone who wanted to revise the church’s teaching.”

– Very interesting. Read it all here.

Image: Church of England.

Encouragement to pray for the Gafcon Theological Education Network

“The Gafcon Theological Education Network is led by Dr Peter Jensen. The purpose of this network is to give every bishop in the Anglican Communion access to excellent theological education.”

– Today’s topic for prayer from GAFCON.

(Photo: Archbishop Ben Kwashi with Archbishop Peter Jensen at GAFCON 2018.)

A Hope and a Future for Anglicans

“It is an understatement that Anglicanism is not always neat and tidy.  The very nature of our decision making in councils, as ancient as it may be, is messy.  Things don’t always go as planned.  Sometimes people don’t respect what the whole decides together in scripture, prayerful study and discussion, and waiting on the Lord’s timing.  Sometimes a part demands that the whole adjust to it and runs ahead rather than waiting on the counsel of the whole church.

That seems to be at the heart Bishop Michael Nazir Ali’s decision to leave the Church of England to join the Anglican Ordinariate in the Roman Catholic Church. …

We have included a few articles in today’s weekly newsletter responding to his departure, but I want to offer some good news with some cautious optimism.  On Sunday, October 17, the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) issued their Communique (“The Eighth Trumpet”) after a four-day conference on Zoom attended by 90 delegates from 16 Provinces and one diocese (Sydney), including the Anglican Church in North America.

In the words of the Communique, the purpose of this GSFA gathering was to “address the unchecked spread of revisionism” among all the Churches of the Anglican Communion by enacting a “covenantal structure” that will “enhance ecclesial responsibility” and mutual accountability among the churches of the GSFA …

Now there is an ecclesial body, a Communion to which the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) can bring distressed, biblically faithful, orthodox Anglicans from heterodox dioceses and provinces for membership.  GAFCON can authenticate and recognize those in distress and gather them for membership in GSFA—just as St. Paul gathered Gentile converts into churches that enjoyed communion with the established church in Jerusalem under St. Peter.”

– In his weekly newsletter from the American Anglican Council, Canon Phil Ashey sees hope for a genuinely orthodox Anglican communion.

He mentions the just-concluded 8th Global South Conference and its Communiqué (“The Eighth Trumpet”) from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

Statement from Gafcon GB and Europe (GBE) on Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

“The Trustees of Gafcon GBE (formerly known as Gafcon UK) give thanks to Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali as he steps down from the role of President, which he has held since the formation of the regional Gafcon branch in 2016. …

While respecting Bishop Michael’s decision to join the Roman Catholic church, we remain committed to the vision of a renewed, biblically orthodox, global Anglicanism here in Britain and Europe under the ANiE leadership of Bishop Andy Lines and those that we stand with under the Jerusalem Declaration.”

– from a statement issued several days ago by the Trustees of GAFCON GBE.

NSW voluntary assisted dying bill delayed until 2022 after referral to Upper House committee

“Opponents of the voluntary assisted dying bill in New South Wales have been accused of playing politics after a vote on the legislation was delayed until next year…”

– Report from ABC News.

Joint Mission in Guinea-Bissau

“The Anglican Church in Brazil has been developing missionary work in Guinea Bissau for two years.

Recently, Bishop Marcio Meira was sent from Brazil to view the work on the field and to ordain Rev Justino, the first-ever native to the diaconate. …”

– Great encouragement in this brief video from Guinea Bissau and GAFCON.

Save the date: Gafcon Australasia Conference 2022

Save the date for the Gafcon Australasia Conference 2022: August 15-18 in Canberra.
More details coming soon.

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