Essendon — Thorburn resignation: Press Release from Presbyterian Church Leaders

Posted on October 7, 2022
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PRESS RELEASE

ESSENDON – THORBURN RESIGNATION

STATEMENT FROM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LEADERS

7^th October, 2022

The Presbyterian Church of Australia is deeply concerned at recent events surrounding the resignation of Andrew Thorburn as chief executive of the AFL’s Essendon Football Club. We believe that this marks a watershed moment in Australian history – the day we have departed from some well-established common law principles, where there was freedom of conscience and religion, to being a society where only certain views are permitted in public life.

While Israel Folau was discriminated against for his own beliefs, we note that Mr Thorburn was forced to resign from his post merely because of the particular church he belongs to. There is apparently now a religious test for significant employment posts in Australia.

We note that the ethical position Mr Thorburn’s church—City on a Hill—takes on the subjects of abortion and sexuality, are the same as that of the mainline Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths.

Will the Essendon Football Club now no longer welcome people who have sincere religious convictions from being involved with the club, at either an administrative, coaching or playing level? GWS player Haneen Zreika has announced she will be opting out of the upcoming AFLW pride round. Will she be hounded out because of her faith?

Essendon Football Club says it supports “wholeheartedly the work of the AFL in continuing to stamp out any discrimination based on race, sex, ‘religion’, gender, sexual identity or orientation, or physical or mental disability”, whilst at the same time forcing Mr Thorburn to resign because of his religion. This looks rather like speaking out of both sides of one’s mouth.

We are in a dangerous place as a nation when a premier can seek to impose his own personal ideologies on everyone else. Such behaviour is itself “appalling, hateful, bigoted, unkind and exclusive”.

The Presbyterian Church of Australia will continue to uphold the Bible’s teaching, that marriage should only ever be between a man and a woman, and that the lives of unborn babies must always be protected. This is for both the flourishing of families and all of human life. There is nothing loving about killing unborn children and promoting an anti-life view of marriage.

We pray for our political leaders and remind them that they, like us all, will one day have to give account before Almighty God. We also urge our people to pray, stand firm for the faith, and not give into the opposition from those who reject our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Finally, we ask those whom God has placed in authority over us in this world, for the freedom to live out our faith, without intolerant bullying.

Signed:

Rev Dr Peter Barnes
Moderator-General
Presbyterian Church of Australia

Rev David Maher
Moderator, Presbyterian Church NSW

Rev Peter Phillips
Moderator, Presbyterian Church Victoria

Download the Press Release PDF file.

Hezekiah, the early church, and learning how to live in the State of Victoria

Posted on October 6, 2022
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“The story surrounding the new and now former Essendon football club CEO, Andrew Thorburn, has entered the fourth day. The saga continues to dominate the news with a collation of new articles and opinion pieces in the newspapers and with interviews on radio and TV. …

As all of this is going on, I’m reading through the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles. I was struck by some key moments in this Bible reading, including how ‘right now’ the story feels. Let me share with you 2 encouragements and a warning.”

– Murray Campbell in Melbourne sees much encouragement in Scripture.

Video update: Anglican Aid Sponsoring Bible College Students in Africa

Posted on October 6, 2022
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From Anglican Aid in Sydney –

Watch how training Bible college students is strengthening the growing church in Africa. This short video features:

Bible college students in Tanzania and the Seychelles
Bishop Stanley Hotay from the Diocese of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Revd Berthier Lainirina, Principal of St Patrick’s Theological College, Madagascar.

Watch and download the video here. Also on Youtube. Ideal for showing to congregations!

What will it profit a man to retain his job but forfeit his soul?

Posted on October 5, 2022
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“How long will it be before they come for your job?

How long will it be before they come for your your church?

These questions have come very much to the fore with headline news coming to us from the nation of Australia.”

– Albert Mohler in the US weighs in on Essendon – in his The Briefing for 05 October 2022.

Football CEO dismissed for religious beliefs

Posted on October 5, 2022
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“The recently appointed new CEO of the Essendon Football Club in Victoria, Andrew Thorburn, has been pushed out of his job on account of views expressed by the church he belongs to and on whose board of management he sits.

Those views, which even the club itself accepts were not stated personally by Mr Thorburn and which had to be found by scouring a database of sermons back to 2013, represent views on moral issues that have been shared by Christians, Muslims, Jews and many other religious believers for a long time. They are not “radical” or “hateful” or “bigoted”.

It is arguable that the Club has breached Victorian anti-discrimination law. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster writes about the latest controversy – at Law and Religion Australia.

Andrew Thorburn Statement re. Essendon Football Club CEO

Posted on October 5, 2022
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“Yesterday was one of the proudest days of my life. To be offered the role of CEO of the Essendon Football Club – who I have followed since I was a boy – was a profound honour. …

However, today it became clear to me that my personal Christian faith is not tolerated or permitted in the public square, at least by some and perhaps by many. I was being required to compromise beyond a level that my conscience allowed. …

Despite my own leadership record, within hours of my appointment being announced, the media and leaders of our community had spoken. They made it clear that my Christian faith and my association with a Church are unacceptable in our culture if you wish to hold a leadership position in society.”

– Andrew Thorburn, CEO of Essendon for a day, has released this statement.

New Essendon CEO Andrew Thorburn steps down – ABC News.

“The new chief executive of the Essendon Football Club, Andrew Thorburn, has resigned just one day after being appointed to the role.

Mr Thorburn’s resignation comes after it emerged the church he leads has published a series of articles critical of homosexuality and abortion. …

Mr Thorburn is chair of the City on a Hill church…”

Conversations: Featuring Douglas Murray, Author and Journalist – John Anderson.

Pivoting to Surrender: A Warning for All Christians – Albert Mohler, 4th March 2021.

“Every Christian and every Christian ministry will come to a reckoning – we must all decide here and now where we stand.

Will we pivot or will we hold fast to faithfulness and the hope of the gospel?”

‘Jesus Has Left the Building’: Scotland’s Secular Slide — and Signs of Hope

Posted on October 5, 2022
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“The Church of Scotland had it all — good theological heritage, good attendance, and good buildings. It also had the strong support — yet not the interference — of the government. …

Not long after, Scottish Christianity collapsed. In 60 years, the Church of Scotland plummeted from 1.3 million to 300,000 members. Meanwhile, the proportion of Scots who claim no religion has risen to nearly 60 percent.

Aberdeen is now the most secular city in Scotland, which is the most secular country in the United Kingdom. Her massive granite church buildings are restaurants and apartments and bars with names like Soul. A few years ago, a photographer documenting the shift called it ‘Jesus Has Left the Building.’ …

On Queen Street in downtown Aberdeen, near the police station, the city council offices, and the local newspaper, sits one of the largest church buildings in the city. Four years ago, it was sold — not to a nightclub or a retail store, but to a gospel-centered congregation.”

– At The Gospel Coalition, read this sobering, yet encouraging, account of what is happening in Scotland.

Also hear this interview with Sinclair Ferguson who has returned to Aberdeen.

Societas 2022 from Moore College now available

Posted on October 4, 2022
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The 2022 edition of Societas, the Moore College students’ magazine, is now available, including in electronic format for download.

It’s a great way to learn about – and to be informed to pray for – the students and faculty of Moore College.

Rod Thomas retires as Bishop of Maidstone

Posted on October 3, 2022
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Bishop Rod Thomas, set apart as a ‘flying bishop’ in the Church of England, has retired.

“Bishop Rod’s retirement on 2nd October 2022 was marked by a service of thanksgiving held at Oak Hill College on 1st October.”

– from his website.

Earlier:

Reform’s Chairman Rod Thomas to be Bishop of Maidstone – 05 May 2015.

At the time, Church Society’s Lee Gatiss responded–

“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?”

And other related posts.

Blasphemy on a Billboard: Governor of California manages to reach a new Low

Posted on October 3, 2022
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Is his The Briefing for Monday 3rd October 2022, Albert Mohler looks at the billboards sponsored by the Governor of California.

California just made it legal for minors to travel there from other states to get cross-sex drugs and surgery without their parents’ consent – Not The Bee.

‘Don’t be selfish. That’s the secret to being a husband’ — Al Stewart on The Pastor’s Heart

Posted on October 3, 2022
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Marriage is a great opportunity for selfishness. But Al [Stewart] challenges husbands and fathers to use power for the good of others, especially our wives and children.”

– Watch or listen here.

The past, present and future — Southern Cross October-November 2022

Posted on October 1, 2022
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From Russell Powell at Anglican Media Sydney:

“Southern Cross should be in your churches by this weekend [or next], seeking to encourage Sydney Anglicans about the past, present, and future.

The past is the great impact of John Chapman, through a new book on his ministry and influence from Dr Baden Stace.

The present includes stories on what happened at Synod and the new Album by Sydney’s own City Alight, with great new music for our churches.

The future is the new ministry areas in the Greenfields (as well as the changing face of Brownfields).”

You can download your PDF copy now at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net.

John MacArthur to the Governor of California on the slaughter of the innocents

Posted on September 30, 2022
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“Sir,

Almighty God says in His Word, ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people’ (Proverbs 14:34). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7). You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.

The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20)…”

– John MacArthur, Pastor of Grace Community Church in California, has released an open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom who has been promoting his state as a destination for those wanting abortions – and quoting the Bible in support. (Click the image to read the text on the billboard.)

The letter is a clear and blunt call to repentance. PDF version.

Can California Become Even More Pro-Abortion? Governor Newsom Signs 13 New Bills to Increase Access to Abortion – Albert Mohler’s The Briefing, 28 September 2022.

From silence to complexification to capitulation

Posted on September 30, 2022
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“I don’t often agree with David Gushee, the liberal Christian ethicist whose ‘battles,’ by his own description, have included ‘issues like climate change, torture, LGBTQ inclusion, and white supremacism.’ But he spoke the uncomfortable truth when he observed years ago that when it comes to LGBTQ issues, there is no middle ground: ‘Neutrality is not an option. Neither is polite half-acceptance. Nor is avoiding the subject. Hide as you might, the issue will come and find you.’…”