Schools, same sex politics and religion in NSW
Posted on August 27, 2015
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“So there is no doubt the film is ‘political’, as dealing with a matter of highly charged debate in the Federal Parliament and in the public sphere. Yet the school was proposing to cancel classes and direct all students to attend, while also encouraging (if not directing) all of them to wear the colour purple as a mark of support for homosexuality…”
– at Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor in Law, Neil Foster looks at the controversy over the planned screening of a film at Burwood Girls’ High.
Related:
Gayby Baby imbroglio – Denials, fear and a lack of tolerance – Miranda Devine, The Telegraph, 28 August 2015.
“A department spokesperson was quoted in The Guardian on Wednesday, saying: ‘The school has not received any complaints from Burwood High School parents.’
That just wasn’t true…”
Redefining Sex & Marriage: talks available
Posted on August 27, 2015
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At Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living, the topic discussed on Wednesday night was “Redefining Sex and Marriage: how to think, live and speak as Christians when the world heads in a different direction”.
Sandy Grant and Tony Payne both gave addresses, and there was a question time.
The event was fully booked out, so we are grateful that the talks have now been made available online.
Ashley Madison and the Death of Monogamy
Posted on August 27, 2015
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“I wrote an essay on Ashley Madison as ‘Adultery Incorporated’ back in 2011, after Bloomberg Businessweek published a cover story on the business. Back then, it was clear that many people saw Ashley Madison as a joke. No one is laughing now…
Given the numbers involved, the exposures are likely to hit nearly every community, millions of families, countless churches, and just about every major corporation and institution…”
– Albert Mohler on the sobering story of Ashley Madison.
And Village Church in Annandale is offering hope to locals:
“Annandale has 455 Ashley Madison accounts according to the Sydney Morning Herald, which the newspaper describes as being 6.27% of the postcode …
If you are struggling, either you have hurt someone or been hurt, and you would like to see if it’s possible to fix things with God and your spouse then it’s possible we can help.”
‘NSW Education Minister bans school from screening gay film’
Posted on August 26, 2015
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“Public pressure appears to have forced a Sydney girls’ high school to screen a documentary on gay parenting after school hours, instead of during scheduled lesson time…” – Report from The Sydney Morning Herald. (School flier here. PDF.)
8th Planned Parenthood video + resources
Posted on August 25, 2015
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“C. S. Lewis once wrote in the preface to the Screwtape Letters,
The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid “dens of crime” that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices.
He could have been writing about Planned Parenthood and StemExpress.
Today (August 25, 2015), The Center for Medical Progress released its eighth video using undercover footage exposing the reality of what goes on behind these closed clinical doors…”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Justin Taylor has a description of the video, plus some resources for healing.
Bishops call for ‘climate justice’
Posted on August 25, 2015
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“Several bishops around the Anglican Communion have made short videos describing the impact and implications of climate change in their dioceses and calling for prayer and action…”
– Bishops call for ‘climate justice’.
(Photo: Bp Tom Wilmot, Diocese of Perth.)
Related:
“The Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, has called on Anglicans everywhere to join Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and other Christians in a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September…” – The Anglican Communion News Service.
Michael Stead to be next Bishop of South Sydney
Posted on August 24, 2015
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“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has announced he has chosen the Rev Michael Stead to be the next Bishop of South Sydney.
He will replace Bishop Robert Forsyth, who retires in December after 15 years in the position…
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney confirmed the appointment tonight (Monday 24th August).”
– News from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Shouting is not a debate
Posted on August 24, 2015
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“As the discussion around the proposal to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples is played out in the media and in the parliament, other larger questions have been thrown into stark relief.
Perhaps the most important of these is how we will deal with those with whom we disagree. Put in its starkest form, will we still allow our citizens the freedom to dissent without reprisal?
The signs at this stage of the debate are disturbing, to say the least…”
– Moore College Principal, Mark Thompson, has this opinion-piece in today’s Sydney Morning Herald.
See also: Homosexuality: Jesus deeply loved ‘the sexually broken’ – Murray Campbell, lead Pastor at Mentone Baptist Church. (Brisbane Times. h/t SydneyAnglicans.net.)
A taste of life at Moore College
Posted on August 22, 2015
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From Moore College: “Wondering what a theology student’s life looks like? Come along to our Open Events in August and September to find out!”
Open Night, Monday 31st August.
Open Week, Monday 31st August to Friday 4th September
Open Day, Saturday 26th September.
Phil Wheeler to head Evangelism and New Churches
Posted on August 21, 2015
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“The board of Evangelism and New Churches (ENC) has announced that the Rev. Philip Wheeler will be its new Director, to continue its work of evangelism and church planting.
Mr Wheeler replaces the Rev Bruce Hall who has directed the organisation for the past four years.
ENC grew from the well-established Department of Evangelism, run by the late evangelist John Chapman over four decades in the 20th century…”
– News from SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo from Anglican Deaconess Ministries.)
‘Religious instruction scrapped from [Victorian] curriculum’
Posted on August 21, 2015
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“Victorian schools will scrap special religious instruction from class time, with changes to the state’s curriculum throwing the future of the controversial program in doubt.
The Andrews government has ordered that the weekly 30 minute program move to lunchtime and before and after school in 2016 to make way for new content on world histories, cultures, faiths and ethics…”
– Report from The Age. More from Bible Society Australia.
Russell Moore on the Planned Parenthood videos
Posted on August 20, 2015
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Last week, Russell Moore spoke of what he hopes will be the end result of the release of the Planned Parenthood expose videos.
And today the seventh video has been released – Justin Taylor has the link and related material – however, please be warned that the subject matter is distressing and sickening.
See also:
- 5 videos every Christian should watch about abortion – Communicate Jesus.
- The Seventh Planned Parenthood Video: Ordinary, Everyday Evil – Stand to Reason.
NSW Summer School 2016 registration open
Posted on August 20, 2015
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Registration is now open for CMS NSW Summer School – coming up in January 2016.
GAFCON primates lead in corruption fight
Posted on August 19, 2015
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“GAFCON’s most senior leaders are taking a prominent role in the fight against corruption in Africa.
The Chairman of the Primate’s Council, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, was appointed late last year to chair Kenya’s Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee.
Among other measures, the committee will run nationwide public education campaign aimed at changing Kenyans’ attitude towards corruption.…”
– from GAFCON.
Two new faculty appointments at Moore
Posted on August 19, 2015
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“At its meeting on 18 August, the Governing Board of the College has approved the Principal’s nomination of two new members of the Moore College faculty.”
They are Dr Chase Kuhn and Dr Chris Thomson. Details here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…