Church News

The Anglican Church is urging the Government and Opposition to extend to asylum seekers in detention the bipartisan approach seen recently over Syrian refugees and people-trafficking.

The Church says a bipartisan approach could work in areas such as education, work-rights, and removing children and families from detention without encouraging people-smugglers.

Melbourne Bishop Philip Huggins has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten calling for “some kind of bipartisan amnesty”.

He says both parties’ policies are now similar, both supporting admitting an extra 12,000 refugees from Syria, both eager to prevent people-trafficking.

Asylum seekers now in Australia or off-shore detention centres could also benefit from a bipartisan approach, says Bishop Huggins, chair of the Anglican Church’s General Synod Working Group on Refugees and Asylum seekers.

“There is plainly no third country which will be taking these asylum seekers. It seems most are refugees and therefore can’t be returned to their original home-land,” Bishop Huggins wrote.

“It is cruel to leave their fate undetermined and to treat them, in effect, just as collateral damage from the previous effort to shut down people-trafficking. Unless you agree on a plan together, their current plight will continue. Some kind of bi-partisan amnesty is needed.”

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Sep 20th bulletin

The head of the Anglican Church in Australia, Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier, has written to new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today, wishing him well and assuring him of the support and prayers of the Church.

Dr Freier, who is the Primate of Australia, said in the letter: “I hope that you know the peace of God in Christ as you fulfil this demanding office”.

Dr Freier says Mr Turnbull is taking the reins at a challenging time in the nation’s history, including such issues as economic growth, climate change, asylum seekers and social justice. But Dr Freier hopes the change in the nation’s leadership will provide an opportunity to restore public confidence, and Australia’s leadership in international affairs.

Anglican churches pray for political leaders, among others, at their services every week.

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Sep 13th bulletin

Statement by the Anglican Primate of Australia, Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier

Congratulations to the Federal Government on today’s decision to allow 12,000 Syrian refugees into Australia above and beyond the expected humanitarian intake.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s change of mind from last week is surprising but welcome, and shows how the plight of the Syrian refugees has touched Australians.

I also welcome the decision to focus on persecuted religious and ethnic minorities, because their position will remain desperate no matter which side has the advantage in Syria’s civil war.

I am confident there will be strong community approval at this decision, and that Anglican parishes around the country will do all they can to help refugees and smooth their path.

Please let in 10,000 more Syrian refugees

4/09/2015
Media release

The Anglican Church in Australia is pleading with the Government to allow another 10,000 refugees from Syria into Australia before Christmas.

The church has today written to Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton offering to cooperate with the Government in any way it can to help resettle the refugees.

The letter is signed by Melbourne Bishop Philip Huggins, who chairs the national church’s Working Group on Refugees and Asylum seekers.

Bishop Huggins writes to Mr Abbott: “You will also be disturbed by the images from Europe of people fleeing the fighting in Syria. Given the lack of an immediate diplomatic or political solution to the crisis in Syria, can the Australian Government please make an additional allocation of 10,000 refugee places, specifically for people fleeing Syria? Would it be possible, via UNHCR, to bring these people to Australia before Christmas?

“You know that our Churches would want to cooperate with our Government to facilitate the settlement of these refugees as best we are able. The focus of Christmas would also provide an opportunity for exceptional generosity.”

Bishop Huggins concludes: “Be assured of my prayers and best wishes as you try to make the best decisions in difficult times.”

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Sep 6th bulletin

The September issue of TMA (The Melbourne Anglican) will be available at the close of the service on September 6th. This issue includes:

* TMA and Editor Roland Ashby win the 2015 Gutenberg Award for excellence in religious communication, the highest honour of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA);

* Archbishop Freier responds to SRI’s removal from class time;

* An interview with leading Church of England Missioner Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford, who says mission is “not about ‘scalp-hunting’ for Jesus”:

* A report and two viewpoints on the debate about same-sex marriage;

* A tribute to one of the great prophets of our time – the Revd Dr Martin Luther King Jr;

* A review by Barney Zwartz of Roy Williams’ latest book Post-God Nation? How religion fell off the radar in Australia – and what might be done to get it back on.

* The Revd Canon Professor Dorothy Lee reflects on the relationship between meditation, mindfulness and Christian Faith;

* A viewpoint on the theological implications of the discovery of the earth-like planet Kepler-452b, or Earth 2.0.

Roland Ashby, Editor, TMA

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Aug 30th bulletin

Wednesday’s conversation is at Federation Square, when inspiring young ChristiansFatima Measham and Benson Saulo will join Archbishop Philip Freier to talk about their faith and the challenges facing young Australians. The forum is at Deakin Edge, Federation Square and starts at 7.30am (morning, please note). Admission is free.

Fatima Measham is a consulting editor and columnist at Eureka Street and Benson Saulo is an Indigenous Australian and a former Australian Youth Representative to the UN. Benson says his faith is important in his work for justice and equality and gives him the courage and confidence to do the things he does. “One step behind me are my ancestors guiding me forward and one step in front is God,” he says.

I hope you can join us for what promises to be a very stimulating conversation, and also share this invitation with members of your parish, and your family and friends.

More information is available at http://www.melbourneanglican.org.au/Conversations, and please connect with Anglican Media on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanMediaMelb) and Twitter (@MelbAnglican) for news and updates. If you’re a Twitter user, you can be part of the Conversation on the day using the hashtag #MelbAnglicanConv.

 

Roland Ashby |  Director of Anglican Media and Editor of The Melbourne Anglican (TMA)
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne | 12 Batman Street, West Melbourne Vic 3003 | +61 3 9653 4215

rashby@melbourneanglican.org.au | http://www.melbourneanglican.org.au