The Bible and Same-Sex Marriage: A Response to Robyn Whitaker and Amy-Jill Levine

Posted on August 29, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Theology Comments Off on The Bible and Same-Sex Marriage: A Response to Robyn Whitaker and Amy-Jill Levine

“Christians seeking guidance in the upcoming same-sex marriage ballot will naturally turn to the Bible. But what does the Bible actually say about marriage and sexuality?

It can be confusing when there are so many claims circulating about biblical scholarship on these matters. However, the Bible itself is clearer than often claimed. The real question is not simply what the Bible says, but rather what we do with what it says.

Last week, the ABC republished an article by Robyn Whitaker, claiming to be a ‘summary of critical biblical scholarship on the issue.’…”

– ABC’s Religion and Ethics has published this response by Dr Lionel Windsor to claims published by the ABC last week.

Network Ten admits doctoring controversial footage

Posted on August 29, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Network Ten admits doctoring controversial footage

“Network Ten has admitted to digitally doctoring footage for a news item on the alleged spitefulness of the same sex marriage debate, digitally superimposing a homophobic image sourced online onto a stock image of a random bus stop. …”

– The Australian. (Subscription.)

See also:

Commentary from The Herald Sun. 28 August 2017.

Media Watch, ABC TV. 28 August 2017.

Screenshot of the stock image for purchase from Getty Images.

Constitutional challenge to anti-discrimination laws

Posted on August 28, 2017 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars Comments Off on Constitutional challenge to anti-discrimination laws

“Two preachers subject to a complaint for preaching against homosexuality and same-sex marriage have launched action to halt the case on constitutional grounds, in a challenge that could invalidate state anti-discrimination laws.

A complaint against Hobart Pres­byterian pastor Campbell Mark­ham and street evangelist Da­vid Gee was accepted last month by Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Com­miss­ioner Sarah Bolt. But the preachers have filed a Supreme Court application seeking to strike out the complaint on the ground the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act is unconstitutional…”

– Story by Matthew Denholm in The Australian. (Subscription)

Related:

I was born in a free country – Campbell Markham.

Why I fight for free speech – Campbell Markham.

Same sex marriage: Christian Lobby makes bias complaint against ABC

Posted on August 28, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Same sex marriage: Christian Lobby makes bias complaint against ABC

“A complaint of bias has been made against the ABC after a news presenter appeared to suggest gay marriage opponents had no right to cheer gay athletes, such as Ian Thorpe. …”

– Story from The Australian. (Subscription.)

Watch the full interview in question here. Image: ABC TV.

Archbishop Glenn Davies preaches on marriage at Moore College chapel

Posted on August 25, 2017 
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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.

Religious freedom and rights

Posted on August 25, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Religious freedom and rights

Yesterday, 2GB’s Chris Smith spoke with Associate Professor Neil Foster, from the University of Newcastle, about the repercussions of same sex marriage and the necessary protections.

Listen here. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net.)

Reformation Rally, Saturday 26th August

Posted on August 25, 2017 
Filed under Encouragement, History Comments Off on Reformation Rally, Saturday 26th August

Be sure you don’t miss the Reformation Rally at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Saturday.  Read more

The Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture

Posted on August 25, 2017 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on The Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture

“The Church Catechism, as well as the general tone of evangelical thinking and preaching, has taught us that we believe ‘in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God’.

That is to say, the Holy Spirit has been given an association with the holiness of the believer, or rather, with the believer’s experience of holiness, which has almost excluded other functions ascribed to Him, and which has certainly distorted the perspective of biblical teaching on the Third Person of the Trinity. …”

– Church Society has republished this article by Alec Motyer, first published in Churchman in 1964. (PDF file.)

GAFCON in the Midst of Missional crisis

Posted on August 24, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON Comments Off on GAFCON in the Midst of Missional crisis

“We’ve looked at how GAFCON came to be and why it matters. Here we’ll unpack the challenges GAFCON and orthodox Anglicans face as we seek to be a missional movement to win people for Christ.

In what kind of landscape does the GAFCON movement now find itself? In what kind of environment do Orthodox Anglicans find themselves living day to day and doing ministry? To steal a phrase from the General Secretary of GAFCON, we find ourselves in the midst of a missional crisis. That is, in 2017 we are faced with a decision: how will we relate to the culture of our times and do mission within this culture?…”

– At The Australian Church Record, Caitlin Hurley concludes her brief series on GAFCON.

Hard truth about soft power

Posted on August 24, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, Opinion Comments Off on Hard truth about soft power

“How has the Anglican Communion managed to more or less stay together and even at times give the appearance of growth despite nearly twenty years of doctrinal and ethical chaos?

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s presence in Khartoum, Sudan, for the inauguration of the 39th Province of the Anglican Communion on July 30th illustrates the point. …”

– Charles Raven, Membership Development Secretary of GAFCON, takes a look at some of the ways power is used within the Anglican Communion.

Marriage redefinition: What does Romans 1:26-27 really have to say?

Posted on August 23, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Theology Comments Off on Marriage redefinition: What does Romans 1:26-27 really have to say?

“Today, an article appeared on the ABC News website by Dr Robyn Whitaker, a lecturer in biblical studies at Trinity College Theological School, Parkville, Melbourne. The article is titled: “Same-sex marriage: What does the Bible really have to say?”.

Whitaker looks briefly at six key passages in the Bible that are relevant to the question of homosexuality. She argues that these passages cannot be used straightforwardly in the same-sex marriage debates, because they do not directly address the issue of same-sex marriage. She also argues that there are only a small number of passages about homosexuality in the Bible, compared to the many passages about other topics such as love and justice.

Close to the start of her article, Whitaker claims the following…”

– At Forget the Channel, Moore College’s Dr. Lionel Windsor examines a number of claims made in the article on the ABC News website. Read it all here.

How to ‘respectfully affirm’ marriage

Posted on August 23, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on 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.

Is Jesus good news for the LGBTI community?

Posted on August 23, 2017 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Is Jesus good news for the LGBTI community?

Sam Allberry spoke at Village Church, Annandale, last weekend to explore the question “Is Jesus good news for the LGBTI community?”. Very relevant and very helpful. Watch here.

See also:

Looking forward to Jerusalem 2018

Posted on August 23, 2017 
Filed under GAFCON Comments Off on Looking forward to Jerusalem 2018

“As I write, invitations to the next Global Anglican Future Conference are beginning to go out to people around the Anglican Communion. The first Jerusalem Conference occurred in 2008. The second was in Nairobi in 2013.

The Primates are summoning representatives from all around the Communion to Jerusalem in June 2018. …”

– Dr Peter Jensen shares a personal testimony in the run up to Jerusalem 2018.

How should Christians engage the Same-Sex Marriage debate?

Posted on August 22, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources, Theology Comments Off on How should Christians engage the Same-Sex Marriage debate?

“So we’ve got a voluntary ‘Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey’ (commonly known as a plebiscite) coming up in September.

The future definition of marriage is likely to be decided in the next few months. And while most Christians I know are happy to vote in the Postal Survey (plebiscite), questions are being asked about how to engage the SSM issue – and whether we should engage at all.

There’s uncertainty: should Christians ‘force their views’ onto other people, especially a vulnerable minority like LGBTI? Is opposing the redefinition of marriage contrary to what Jesus would do? Is it unloving?

These are important questions to think through.

Here are 11 things we should understand – beginning with a basic overview of political theology …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Akos Balogh helps us think through engaging in the same-sex marriage debate.

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