The NSW Conversion Practices law, religious freedom and Government “guidance”
Posted on April 14, 2025
Filed under Culture wars, NSW Comments Off on The NSW Conversion Practices law, religious freedom and Government “guidance”
From Associate Professor Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia:
“The Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 (NSW) (“the Act”) is now in force, having commenced operation on 4 April 2025. I have previously posted a paper expressing concerns about the operation of the Act in relation to religious freedom. In this post I want to re-iterate briefly some of those concerns, and comment on “guidance” on the operation of the Act provided by NSW government officials.
I commend the previous paper to readers for more details. But the following are some extracts which may help to set the scene for my comments on the NSW government guidance. Below I will be referring to the “Frequently Asked Questions” (“FAQ”) page produced by “Anti-Discrimination NSW” (ADNSW)- the version I am commenting on was dated 7 April 2025. (ADNSW is the “online identity” of the body formally known as the “Anti-Discrimination Board” established under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW); the President of the Board receives initial complaints under the Act- see s 14- and the Board has a number of other functions under the Act.) …”
Do note his comments about the guidance published by Anti-Discrimination NSW.
Don’t let prayer be our last resort
Posted on April 14, 2025
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From Archbishop Kanishka Raffel:
“On Sunday, May 4, I have invited all of our churches to share in a day of prayer for the spread of the gospel across our Diocese – from the Hawkesbury to the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands to Wollongong and the South Coast, and Greater Sydney. A day of prayer for our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who don’t know Christ, to come to know him and his redeeming love. …”
– Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Ministry opportunities expand in Bathurst
Posted on April 13, 2025
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From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:
“Back in August when our bishop wrote an article for Southern Cross, he said we needed just 11 more ministers, so that each of our 28 parishes might just have one! As of now, we need 15! Two of our ministers have moved to Sydney multi-staffed parishes, one has retired, one moved to another role, and another had to leave ministry for personal reasons.
Perhaps if you’re in a multi-staffed city parish, you might consider our situation and the tremendous opportunities which await. Please email our bishop: bishop@bathurstanglican.org.au.”
– Facebook.
See also:
Bathurst Diocese Ministry Opportunities.
“Folded and complied” — Conversion Laws Dilemma For Melbourne Anglicans
Posted on April 12, 2025
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on “Folded and complied” — Conversion Laws Dilemma For Melbourne Anglicans
“Melbourne Anglicans face a dilemma. They must decide whether to obey state laws or the teachings of the Bible.
Their diocese demands that members sign a Code of Conduct that among many other rules, agrees not to seek to change or suppress a child’s gender — as dictated by Victoria’s conversion laws under the Change Or Suppression (Conversion) Practises Prohibition Act 2021.
Those who don’t sign the Code are banned from serving in the church or attending synods.
They include religious liberty analyst Elizabeth Kendal who laments that many church members have folded and complied with the code of conduct, ignoring Biblical teachings on gender and sexuality. …”
See also:
A Canary In The Anglican Coalmine – Mark Durie.
(Photo: St. Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne is the backdrop for an evangelist’s sign on Princes Bridge.)
Midwife to a Movement: The Legacy of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Posted on April 12, 2025
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“This week, TEDS [Trinity Evangelical Divinity School] announced a merger with sister school Trinity Western University in British Columbia. And the TEDS campus, 2,147 miles away in the Chicago suburbs, will close after the 2025–26 school year.
Select faculty and staff may follow to Canada. But a long and illustrious chapter in one of the most prestigious seminaries in the United States has come to a close.…”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Collin Hansen reacts to the news.
Image: TEDS announcement webpage.
Religious Activities by Foreigners in China: New Restrictions from May 1
Posted on April 11, 2025
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“On April 1, the State Administration for Religious Affairs published its Order no. 23, which offers a new comprehensive regulation of the religious activities of foreigners in China.
Most of what is included in Order no. 23 confirms provisions that were already in force …
Bringing books and religious materials from abroad is severely limited. If foreigners preach sermons in China, even if duly invited in accordance with the regulations, they should submit their ‘main content’ beforehand to Chinese authorities for approval. …”
– From Bitter Winter via Anglican.ink.
Moore College Missions 2025
Posted on April 10, 2025
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From Moore College:
“As the year begins students from all year groups in the Bachelor of Theology and Masters of Theology are preparing to go on mission together across Sydney, across Australia and overseas. We thank you for your prayers as the students and the receiving congregations plan for great opportunities of connection and sharing of God’s word.
The 2025 Moore Mission teams will be out in the field from 6 – 13 April.
To pray and keep up to date join the Moore Mission Missions Facebook and Instagram for regular prayer updates prior to and during mission. …”
– See the full list of teams here – and pray as the missions continue this week.
Photo from the team working with Cudgegong Valley Anglican Parish – from the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page.
Using Artificial Intelligence
Posted on April 10, 2025
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“The [British] Prime Minister said recently that ‘Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country’ and that he wants to ‘turbocharge’ the industry and make Britain a world leader in this area.
Growth in this arena has really taken off and caught the public imagination in the last few years, and naturally that has led many Christians to be curious and ask questions about it.
So I decided to dig into AI, and did a bit of training…”
– At Church Society’s blog, Lee Gatiss looks at AI.
The Image of God Reconsidered — Two Ways News podcast
Posted on April 9, 2025
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From Phillip Jensen:
“One of the most profound and widely quoted verses of the Bible is the creation of Man in the image of God. So, this week Peter and I went exploring some of its implications. It is such a fruitful concept by which to understand humanity, not the least because in the New Testament we find Jesus is “the image of the invisible God”. But before we get there, we need to understand how we are as individuals, male and female, in the image of God as well as how humanity, as a whole, is in his image.
There’s so much fruitful discussion to be had on this passage, we hope our conversation will stimulate yours. …”
– Listen (or read the transcript) here.
The seed that will bear fruit has been planted
Posted on April 9, 2025
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“At the turning point in John’s Gospel, Jesus makes a seemingly obscure reference to his death. As we get ready to celebrate Easter, let’s take a moment now to explore a powerful yet often overlooked verse to see in a fresh way what Jesus endured and the life he has won for us.
The moment comes in John 12, when some Greeks visit Jesus shortly after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem. …”
– Callan Pritchard writes at The Australian Church Record in the lead up to Easter.
Marshall Ballantine-Jones: Pastors helping parents to talk to teens on social media, the internet and porn
Posted on April 9, 2025
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From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The addictive nature of social media, the mental health impact on teens, distorted identity and comparison, the way the attention economy undermines discipleship.
Parents (and pastors) so often feel out of their depth.
Marshall Ballantine-Jones created the Digihelp school curriculum addressing sexualised media, and the Resist Recovery Program.”
– Watch or listen here – with links.
Diocese of the Northern Territory Prayer Cycle 2025
Posted on April 8, 2025
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If you would like help in praying for the work of the gospel in the Northern Territory, see the recently-published Prayer Cycle for 2025.
– Download your copy here. Direct link to PDF file.
The Link – Autumn 2025 – from the Diocese of Armidale
Posted on April 8, 2025
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Published online a few weeks ago, the Autumn 2025 issue of The Link from the Diocese of Armidale has local stories and food for prayer.
Available here. Or direct PDF file link.
The stats which show Australia’s new relationship with Christianity
Posted on April 7, 2025
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From Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net:
“One in ten Australians who said they were non-religious in the 2016 census said they were Christian five years later.
That’s not a statistic that we heard in media reporting of the census results, which, if it mentioned religion at all, focussed on the ‘no religion’ category.
However, research company McCrindle, has taken a deeper look at the official statistics as well as its own research …”
– Read here – with information about an upcoming webinar.
Pastoral Care that Commends the Gospel, with Sarah Condie
Posted on April 7, 2025
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A Gospel Coalition Australia podcast with Jonathan Holt:
“One key part of the ministry we share as the body of Christ is the pastoral care we extend one another. In this episode we are joined by Sarah Condie to talk about how our pastoral care might commend the good news of Jesus.
How do we fulfill the many one-another verses in the New Testament, especially when we often feel burdened with our own concerns, or very aware of our own limitations.
Sarah works with her husband Keith, for Anglican Deaconess Ministries, at the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute.”
– Most encouraging. Photo: Keith and Sarah Condie.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…