Free speech and vilification in the marriage law postal survey

“Australia is involved in a debate about whether same sex marriage should be introduced. The question is being put to the electors in the form of a voluntary postal survey, the question in which is simply: ‘Should the law be changed to allow same sex couples to marry?’

The original intention of the current Government had been to put this question to the people of Australia in a compulsory plebiscite. This option being defeated twice in Parliament, the postal survey has been designed to be run without explicit authorising legislation. However, once it was decided that the survey would proceed, concerns were expressed that the debate might contain misleading and deceptive advertising, which would usually have been dealt with under the electoral laws (but since the survey was not being run under those laws, no such protections applied for the survey.) In addition, concerns were expressed about hateful and harmful speech on both side of the debate.

In response to these concerns, the Commonwealth Parliament today (in a rare example of swift bipartisan action) saw the introduction and enactment of the Marriage Law Survey (Additional Safeguards) Act 2017(which has now received the Royal Assent, and become Act No 96 of 2017). The Act will come into operation on Thursday 14 September, 2017 (tomorrow, as I write.) …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster has published some important information about legislation coming into effect tomorrow.

Anyone who plans to comment publicly on the plebiscite and related issues would do well to read it.

Praying together this Sunday

“Archbishop Glenn Davies has urged churches to set aside this Sunday as a day of Praying together for Marriage.

The Archbishop foreshadowed the initiative in this month’s edition of the Diocesan magazine, Southern Cross, which includes a prayer Dr Davies wrote for the day.

The Australian newspaper last week reported the initiative, set down for this Sunday, September 17th. …”

– Read the story from SydneyAnglicans.net, and please be encouraged to pray.

Related: Archbishop Davies’ prayer.

Church Society launches a Podcast

The first episode includes an interview with the Church Society’s President, Bishop Wallace Benn.

Reformation Rally 2017 — Dr Gerald Bray

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Dr Gerald Bray spoke at Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.

His topic: The Way the Reformers looked at the Work of The Holy Spirit.

Reformation Rally 2017 sermon — Dr Glenn Davies

Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, preached the sermon at the 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Morning Prayer Service. He speaks of the Scriptures as the very bedrock for understanding God.

It was part of Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.

John Chapman Preaching Conference, September 23

The next John Chapman Preaching Conference is coming up at Moore College on Saturday 23rd September.

Dr Bryan Chapell is considering the topic Application in Expository Preaching.

Details from the College.

Praying Together for Marriage

Archbishop Glenn Davies has written a prayer for marriage, and is also calling on Anglican churches in Sydney to pray.

The prayer was was printed in Southern Cross, September 2017, and we reproduce it here with permission:   Read more

Neil Foster on the Media release from the Wilberforce Foundation

“In the ongoing debates about same sex marriage in Australia (shortly to be the subject of a voluntary postal survey conducted by the Australia Bureau of Statistics, if it survives a High Court challenge), a number of professional organisations have decided to weigh in, in support of the ‘Yes’ vote.

The most recent such statement was issued by a combination of lawyers and doctors (see a press report of August 19 here, and the full text of the joint statement, by the NSW Bar Association president Arthur Moses, president of the Law Society of NSW Pauline Wright, and president of the NSW division of the Australian Medical Association Brad Frankum, is here.)

A number of lawyers around Australia, myself included, were concerned that this statement was not made after consultation with members of the various organisations, and in fact was misleading precisely at the point where one would expect a statement from lawyers to be accurate, in its statements about the law. …

Finally, speaking of a lack of consultation, as I prepare this post I see that WordPress seems to have decided to add a “rainbow banner” to the top of my page, without asking me if I would like such.”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster gives some background to the Wilberforce Foundation, and the Media release they have issued (PDF file).

(The header seen by WordPress users who are logged in to wordpress.com.)

Key posts from August 2017

Here are some key posts you might have missed. Not surprisingly, most of them are relevant to the postal plebiscite on proposals to change the definition of marriage:

CBMW releases Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality

“The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) announced August 29th the release of The Nashville Statement, an evangelical coalition statement on biblical sexuality. …

The statement, comprised of 14 affirmations and denials, addresses issues related to human sexuality, ‘in the hope of serving Christ’s church,’ according to the statement’s preamble.”

– Announcement from the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

Read ‘The Nashville Statement’.

From the Preamble –

“Evangelical Christians at the dawn of the twenty-first century find themselves living in a period of historic transition. As Western culture has become increasingly post-Christian, it has embarked upon a massive revision of what it means to be a human being.

By and large the spirit of our age no longer discerns or delights in the beauty of God’s design for human life. Many deny that God created human beings for his glory, and that his good purposes for us include our personal and physical design as male and female.

It is common to think that human identity as male and female is not part of God’s beautiful plan, but is, rather, an expression of an individual’s autonomous preferences.

The pathway to full and lasting joy through God’s good design for his creatures is thus replaced by the path of shortsighted alternatives that, sooner or later, ruin human life and dishonor God. …”

Related:

In today’s issue of The Briefing, Albert Mohler commends the statement and gives some background.

He explains the huge importance of speaking clearly about such matters. He also relates some of the early responses, and how they demonstrate the worldviews of the commentators. Take the time to listen.

Moore College and Cornhill Sydney in gospel partnership

In a new video from Moore College, Principal, Mark Thompson, chats with Gavin Perkins, Director of Cornhill Sydney.

They share how their organisations work together in helping form and equip gospel workers.

Presbyterian resources on Marriage

The Gospel, Society & Culture Committee of the Presbyterian Church in NSW has a number of resources concerning Christians and Marriage – on their website, and their Facebook page.

See also their resource paper: Engaging the Marriage Debate.

Hugh Palmer interview at Moore College

Hugh Palmer, Rector of All Souls Langham Place in London, recently visited Moore College.

He shares his impressions of Moore College, and speaks of the need for a thorough theological education.

Watch this 5 minute interview.

Archbishop Glenn Davies preaches on marriage at Moore College chapel

On Friday 25 August the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, preached in the Moore College chapel on the Bible’s teaching on marriage, focussing on Matthew chapter 19. Good to watch and share widely.

See it at the Moore College website.

How to ‘respectfully affirm’ marriage

“The case for same sex marriage touches on easily understood and widely shared feelings and aspirations.

Conversation with gay friends and family members quickly reveals that some wish to express a long-term commitment to the person they love, and they want to celebrate that, and invite the people who matter most to them, to celebrate with them.

So, when many Christian people have heard just such hopes expressed by their gay friends and family, and Christians want to ‘respect all people’ (1 Peter 2:17 ) and ‘do good to all’ (Galatians 6:10), why do many remain opposed to changing the definition of marriage to include couples of the same sex? …”

– Dean of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

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