Bishop of Grafton speaks on Israel Folau

“He claims that free speech gives him the right to say anything he wants and blames others for the offence they take.

While he is free to hold to particular religious views, how he expresses these views in public is another matter. Free speech is not hate speech and should not be used to vilify others. Threatening people in this way cannot be disguised as protected religious activity. …”

– Bishop of Grafton, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Murray Harvey, has issued this Media Statement. (PDF file.)

Related:

SMBC “Hot Topics” paper on “Religious Freedom in Australia” delivered by Associate Professor Neil Foster on 01 May 2019 (PDF file).

Reflections on the Israel Folau affair – Associate Professor Neil Foster, 14 April 2019.

“…the question seems to boil down to this: can a statement that ‘homosexuals’ (along with ‘drunks’ and ‘thieves’ and others) are destined for eternal punishment unless they repent, be said to be ‘hateful’ or ‘vilifying’?

Of course many in the community will reject the notion of a God who created the world, who cares about the behaviour of human beings whom he made in his image, who judges their rebellion, and who has graciously offered a way out of condemnation through sending his son Jesus Christ to die and rise again.

But those are doctrines that have been held by the majority of people who have lived and died in the Western world for thousands of years. … These are the clear teachings of the Bible…”

Photo: Diocese of Grafton.

Around the Anglican Church of Australia – Easter 2019

Here are a few news items of interest from around the Anglican Church of Australia this Easter –

Easter message from Bishop Mark Short, Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. (PDF file)

Easter Message from Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier.

North West Ministry program kicks off in Geraldton – Diocese of North West Australia.

Shore School Council Appoints Dr Timothy Petterson as Eighth Headmaster.

Thanking God for the Butlers – Top Centre, Magazine of the Diocese of the Northern Territory. (Issue 19.1. PDF file.)

Mark Short installed as Canberra/Goulburn Bishop

New Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn to be consecrated on Saturday (6th April)

Dr. Mark Short, elected last November as Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, will be consecrated and installed at St. Saviour’s Cathedral in Goulburn on Saturday 6th April.

Please do pray for Mark and the continued progress of the gospel in that area.

Related:

Dr Mark Short to be installed as Canberra/Goulburn Bishop – Goulburn Post.

“Dr Short said he was surprised to be approached to consider the role. But in many ways it was a ‘coming home’ to the diocese and the cathedral in which he was ordained a priest and a minister.

Born in Sydney, he lived in the Riverina until age five before his family moved to Sydney’s western suburbs. He attended Saint Andrew’s Anglican School where several teachers inspired him to follow Jesus. …”

Prayer for the election of a Bishop of Bathurst

According to the timeline published in the December 2018 edition of Anglican eNews, the steps to elect a new Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst include:

“Synod Members to be invited to propose names of prospective nominees: late February.

Nominations Open: 1 March.

Nominations Close: 31 March.

Interviews, Due-Dilligence and Discernment: April.

Election and Announcement: May.”

Doubtless, all in the diocese would be glad of your continued prayers during this time.

Related:

Sydney helps Bathurst – SydneyAnglicans.net

Bishop Ian Palmer’s farewell address to Bathurst Synod.

Tasmanian Parliamentary Year Commencement Sermon 2019

Dr. Richard Condie, Bishop of Tasmania, preached at the Parliamentary Year Commencement Service in St. David’s Cathedral Hobart on Tuesday 19th March 2019.

“The events in the past few days remind us of the importance of the task before us, and particularly the task before the Parliament of this State of Tasmania.

The senseless act of violence and murder last Friday in the peaceful city of Christchurch, where now 50 people, one as young as 2 years of age, lie dead as a result of gun rampage.

It reminds us of the sacred trust given to governments, to work for the safety and well-being of the people whom they serve, to provide protection for the vulnerable.

There is an instruction to Christians in the New Testament about prayer for people in positions of ruling authority …”

You can read his full sermon on the diocesan website.

Make a difference in a crisis

“Sunday in Inverell I gathered with people in the Town Hall to pray for rain. Council members and even a Senator joined the gathering and a personal letter from the Prime Minister was read. I was dressed like a civilian and no one knew who I was but everyone knew that people were hurting. With no control of the weather people fell to prayer. Where else does one turn but to God when hope cannot be found in ourselves?…”

– Bishop of Armidale Rick Lewers knows there is something you can do in a crisis.

Bishop Ian Palmer’s farewell address to Bathurst Synod

“In his Presidential Address to the Synod of Bathurst Diocese, Bishop Ian Palmer has reflected on the challenges and changes of the past six years and pointed to a more positive focus for the future. …

He reviewed the steps that Synod had taken last year that, in conjunction with decisions of the Synod of Sydney Diocese, have provided a more secure future for the Anglican Church in Central & Western NSW. …”

– We missed this story when it was published a few weeks back. We are sure that all in Bathurst Diocese would be glad of your prayers.

North West Network December 2018

The latest issue of North West Network, the newsletter of the Diocese of Northwest Australia, is now available for download from their website. (1.1MB PDF file.)

Be encouraged, and be encouraged to pray!

Anglican Church of Tasmania finalises list of properties for sale

“The Anglican church has finalised its list of properties for sale, with 73 set to be closed and sold-off.

Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend Richard Condie, said the church had listened and responded to community feedback. …”

– Report from The Advocate.

See also: One third of Anglican Church properties removed from sale list – Diocese of Tasmania.

New Bishop for North Queensland

“Anglicans from all over Diocese of North Queensland including the Torres Strait and the West met in Townsville on Saturday November 24th to elect a new Bishop following the retirement of Bishop Bill Ray in September.

The Very Reverend Dr Keith Joseph is the seventh Dean of Darwin. He holds a PhD in philosophy, in the area of applied ethics, and prior to ordination worked as a lecturer in philosophy, but also was a soldier and officer in the Australian Army, and an administrative officer with the Australian Federal Police. In the Army he was a logistics contracts manager, and had a similar role in the Solomon Islands with the Peacekeeping Force from 2004 to 2006. He was ordained as a as a priest in the Diocese of Central Melanesia in 2006 when he took up full-time ministry, remaining in the Solomon Islands.

At the end of 2010 he returned to Australia from Melanesia, and was a parish priest in the Diocese of Newcastle. He took up his current ministry as Dean of Darwin in November 2013 and began his role on the board of Anglicare in December 2013. …”

– From a Diocese of North Queensland press release.

David Ould provides some further background:

“Dr Joseph is an outspoken supporter of same-sex marriage, the key matter of contention facing the Anglican Church of Australia today. …”

Photo: Anglicare NT.

Failure for Newcastle Diocese challenge of Sydney Affiliated Churches Ordinance

“The Appellate Tribunal of the Anglican Church of Australia has today issued an opinion on a series of questions put to it by the Diocese of Newcastle about the Diocese of Sydney‘s Affiliated Churches Ordinance.

The Ordinance allows for non-Anglican churches to affiliate with the Diocese of Sydney and so obtain a number of administrative and other benefits while not being recognised as Anglican. …”

– David Ould has the details and links.

Canberra-Goulburn Elects Dr Mark Short as New Bishop

This news from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn:

“The Reverend Dr Mark Short has been elected as the eleventh Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. …

Mark Short is currently National Director, The Bush Church Aid Society, and was formerly Rector of Turvey Park and Archdeacon of Wagga Wagga in this Diocese. …”

– More at the diocesan website.

Canberra and Goulburn Electoral Synod begins Thursday

“The name of the new Bishop for the Anglican Diocese of Canberra/Goulburn should be known after this weekend.

Up to 500 people are expected to converge on Goulburn on Friday and Saturday for an Episcopal Synod for the election of the new bishop.

The person will replace Bishop Stuart Robinson who retired in March after 10 years in the role. …”

– This story in The Goulburn Post reveals there are five nominees to be considered by the electoral synod.

Last week the Chair of the Episcopal Election Nominations Committee, Archdeacon David Ruthven, wrote,

“After a lot of behind the scenes work, we‘re thrilled to distribute to members of Synod a fine list of Nominees. …”

While the identity of the nominees is not yet public, please do be encouraged to pray for them and the synod members. The synod begins on Thursday 8th November and concludes on Saturday 10th.

Melbourne Synod: Women must have equal representation on diocesan council

“Archbishop Freier rebuked Synods over a number of years for failing to follow his lead in trying to diversify those involved in the governance of the diocese.

‘On different occasions, I have nominated all women… all people from non-English-speaking backgrounds and I’ve been dismayed that you, the members of Synod, when it comes to the ballot, have not seen (fit) to pick up that lead at all,’ Dr Freier said. …”

– Report from The Melbourne Anglican on the Melbourne Synod’s decision that that women must have equal representation on diocesan council.

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