Can kids tell other kids about Jesus at school?

Posted on April 19, 2017 
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“Astonishingly, the answer to the question posed here, recently provided by the Queensland Department of Education and Training is: No!

In their latest reviews of material used in Special Religious Instruction (SRI) offered in public schools in that State, they assert as follows:

While not explicitly prohibited by the [relevant legislation], nor referenced in the [Departmental published] RI policy statement, the Department expects schools to take appropriate action if aware that students participating in RI are evangelising to students who do not participate in their RI class, given this could adversely affect the school’s ability to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

(This statement is found both in the Report on the Review of the GodSpace Religious Instruction Materials, March 2017, at para 3.1.1 on p 5, and in the Report on the Review of the ACCESS ministries’ Religious Instruction Materials, Feb 2017, at para 3.1.1 on p 6.)

In this post I want to explain why this over-reaching bureaucratic imposition is not justified by the law governing the Department’s activities, and indeed is probably illegal. …”

– Posted a few days ago, Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law at Newcastle, gives his opinion on directives from the Queensland Department of Education and Training.

Easter meaning. C of E training. The faithful are deciding.

Posted on April 19, 2017 
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“… after the joy of the Easter service and the thrilling reminders of the Gospel truth, Chris found himself feeling very despondent three weeks later, sitting in his study with his two trainee lay readers. They were all having a debrief of the Lent and Easter season, and Karen and Michael were reflecting on their latest seminar with the Diocesan lay ministry training programme.

‘We heard, er, shall we say a very different take on the Road to Emmaus story, from the Dean, Reverend Doctor whatever his name is’, said Karen. ‘Yes – a good job you warned us beforehand’, continued Michael. …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, Andrew Symes illustrates the all-too-familiar story of liberalism in the Church of England. Tragically, similar stories could be told across Australia, as many of our readers could attest.

Queen’s Birthday Conference 2017

Posted on April 18, 2017 
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This year’s Two Ways Ministries’ Queen’s Birthday Conference will be held on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday, Monday 12th June.  Read more

Michael Kellahan to be Reader in Religious Freedom at Moore College

Posted on April 18, 2017 
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“The Principal has announced the appointment of the Rev Michael Kellahan as Moore College Reader in Religious Freedom. This new position will see the College working with Mr Kellahan to address one of the most pressing challenges of the moment in Australia and many other parts of the world. …

Michael has resigned as Senior Minister of Roseville East to take up a full-time role as Executive Director of Freedom for Faith, a legal think tank that exists to see religious freedom protected and promoted in Australia and beyond. …”

– Read the full announcement from Moore College.

‘Win for parents as Safe Schools is scrapped in NSW’

Posted on April 18, 2017 
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Here’s a media release from the Australian Christian Lobby –

Parents will no longer need to be worried that their child is being taught radical gender theory after the NSW Government announced the scrapping of the controversial Safe Schools program.

This is a positive step for NSW and the government is to be congratulated, says Australian Christian Lobby.  Read more

Secret tomb containing bodies of former Archbishops of Canterbury found under London museum

Posted on April 17, 2017 
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“Coffins containing the remains of five archbishops of Canterbury dating back to the early 17th century have been discovered in a secret tomb below a London church now used as a museum. …”

— Report from ABC News.

Painting of Abp Richard Bancroft via Wikipedia.

Related: Buried Archbishops “found by accident”? The CofE’s forgetfulness is galling – ‘Archbishop Cranmer’.

“Did the Church of England not know that there were at least five archbishops buried there? Couldn’t someone be bothered to check the records? Why was no archeological dig commissioned? This wasn’t just any old parish church: St Mary-at-Lambeth had been an adjunct to Lambeth Palace for centuries. Its flint and stone walls are 14th-century; its consecrated ground dates back to Edward the Confessor.”

The Message of the Resurrection

Posted on April 16, 2017 
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“There are several aspects of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ dwelt upon in the New Testament. It is profitable for us to consider two of them as we recall this outstanding event.

An aspect which is frequently overlooked in these days is brought prominently under our notice by St. Paul’s speech at Athens. Addressing Epicureans and Stoics Paul declared,

‘God commandeth all men everywhere to repent; Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead’ (Acts 17:30-31).

The Resurrection is a guarantee of judgment as it is an endorsement of the claim of our Lord to be the judge.”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this timely message from Archdeacon T.C. Hammond.

Easter message from Archbishop Foley Beach

Posted on April 16, 2017 
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Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Foley Beach, encourages Christians to cut to the chase, this Easter.

If Christ is Not Risen…

Posted on April 16, 2017 
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“I’ve always had something of an aversion to the ‘if Christianity is not true what do you lose’ sort of apologetical approach — precisely because Scripture is God’s word and because it is perfect in all that God reveals in it.

To raise the question almost seems to inadvertantly jeopardize the veracity of it. Nevertheless, that is precisely the kind of reasoning that the Apostle Paul utilized in 1 Corinthians 15 after he appealed to the clear teaching of Scripture about Jesus’ death and resurrection …”

– Nick Batzig writes at Reformation21.

The offence of the cross: Why extremists attack churches at Easter

Posted on April 15, 2017 
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“On Palm Sunday jihadists attacked Churches in the Egyptian cities of Alexandria and Tanta killing at least 49 and injuring many others. In India Christians were targeted by Hindu extremists in at least five separate locations on the same day. …”

– Barnabas Fund points out that it is the Cross which many find so offensive.

A Legal Evaluation of the Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus

Posted on April 14, 2017 
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“On this Easter long weekend, as Christians around the world are remembering and celebrating the key events of the faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, readers may find a paper I wrote a little while ago helpful in evaluating the legal status of the various pieces of evidence supporting the fact of the resurrection. …”

– Our thanks to Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia for these resources.

If there is no Resurrection – you’re following a Dead Christ

Posted on April 14, 2017 
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“I am always sceptical of surveys but the notion that 17% of people in Britain believe in the literal biblical account of the bible is for me quite astonishing…and encouraging. The fact that one in ten non-religious people believe the Easter story in some form is interesting – to say the least.

But perhaps the most fascinating and saddest statistic is that 25% of those who identify as Christians do not believe in the resurrection and only 31% believe in the literal biblical story. What is going on?”

– At The Wee Flea, David Robertson in Dundee responds to this week’s BBC poll on the beliefs of British ‘Christians’.

Related:

You can’t be Christian if you don’t believe in the resurrection, says former Queen’s chaplain – Telegraph.

“A former chaplain to the Queen has said that the quarter of Christians who say they do not believe in the Resurrection ‘cannot be Christians’.

The Rev Dr Gavin Ashenden said in a letter to the Times that a survey which found that one in four self-proclaimed Christians do not believe in Jesus’s Resurrection ‘made the mistake of confusing British culture with Christianity’.  …”

Glorifying God with infertility

Posted on April 13, 2017 
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“Pip and I married in 2009. We discussed trying for children after one year of marriage. We saw children as a blessing from God (Ps 127:5), and we wanted to have them while we were relatively young and bring them up knowing Jesus – a testimony to the goodness of God’s purpose for children. …”

– Mike Taylor, member of the ACL Council, shares the goodness of the Lord in the midst of questions and tears. Take the time to read it, and be encouraged.

At GoThereFor.com.

Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Easter Message 2017 — Rescuing Australia

Posted on April 13, 2017 
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Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney 2017 Easter Message

Archbishop’s Easter Message 2017 from Sydneyanglicans.net on Vimeo.

Text below:  Read more

Archbishop Davies welcomes SRE Review

Posted on April 12, 2017 
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“I welcome the recently released review of SRE and SEE in New South Wales. I am pleased that the report confirms Special Religious Education has overwhelming support, is working well and is an integral part of the holistic education offered by New South Wales public schools. …”

— Archbishop Glenn Davies has released this statement on the release of the NSW SRE Review.

The Australian has this story.

The Review can be read here.

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