Religious Freedom in Australian Schools

 With any talk of religious freedom, sexuality and racial discrimination, the tensions can run high. Can a religious school uphold a particular value system that may be at odds with someone else’s view? And to what extent? When do the school’s freedom to express their long-held beliefs impinge on the freedom that one has to be express their own sexuality or agnostic values or atheistic views? When has a Christian school overstepped the line?

 The conversation hit the airwaves when the Principal of Citipointe Christian College in Queensland, had amended their school contract asking students to formally reject homosexuality and transgenderism. As the ABC report says, “Brisbane's Citipointe Christian College withdraws sexuality contract after backlash”. The Principal has since stepped aside amid an onslaught of angry and deeply disappointed teachers and parents.

This is the extreme case of a contentious and divisive discussion. The Christian schools I know of are welcoming of all people, irrespective of their gender, their sexuality, their race and religion. All are welcome. And all are welcome to be curious learners, to be stretched in their education, to develop their learning toolkit that would prepare them for the life they have ahead of them.

Though, at some point, there will always be a clash of cultures and beliefs; there’s no getting around that. Some believe the earth was formed in 6 large periods of time. Some believe it was six literal days. Some believe in theistic evolution, others remain agnostic and hold to the view that it’s impossible to know whether a deity was actually involved. Some are supporters of the big bang, without a deity in the picture. You get the point. There are numerous viewpoints and this is just one issue: creation.

 A myriad of views

There are a number of viewpoints on any such topic as human sexuality, race relations, the political direction of the country, refugees and global migration and even whether you should drink Pepsi or Coke (or stay away from sugary drinks!).

 I believe we all should have freedom to believe what we want. Though even that has limits. If you believe in the right to not be vaccinated, does that mean you can still galivant the countryside during a pandemic without any consequences?

While I believe in the freedom to believe what you want, there is still boundaries around that freedom. When your value system impinges on the safety and security of another person, then one has the right to question that belief system.

In a 21^st century, pluralist society, you and I walk around the earth with differing views on many issues. Though I hope that when I wander around, the inherent thrust of what I believe might rub off on another person. I make a difference in the world through my presence in this world. I don’t therefore have to impose my beliefs on another person.

I can tell you what I believe if you want to hear. I believe all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I believe Jesus died for our sins and those who believe in him will receive forgiveness of sins. I believe that too much alcohol ruins your brain cells. I believe that too much social media isn’t good for your mental health. I believe the church has had a complex history of loving people some days and then excommunicating people on other days.

 You and I need to learn to live in peace with one another (see Romans chapter 12, verse 18). Let your light shine in such a way that, instead of imposing your values on another, people inherently want to live the way you do because of who you are and how you behave.

That’s the crux for Christian schools. They should be watering holes of grace and peace, that seek to raise up resilient, intelligent and active students that want to bring restoration to the world we live in. When we abuse the religious freedom we have by dictating what someone must believe, we look outdated to the world around us, we hurt people and we put barriers up to the very Christ that we seek to emulate.

* First published here: https://christiantoday.com.au/news/religious-freedom-in-australian-schools.html 

Words from Scripture that Inspire

Sometimes all you need are some words of Scripture to inspire. So take a moment now and reflect on these gems from the Word of God:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deuteronomy 31:8).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

"The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knows them that trust in him" (Nahum 1:7).

Whether you are a church leader, an early childhood educator, a parent trying to raise three kids or a business leader trying to turn over a decent profit: This Scripture is God-breathed and worth pondering today.

I've been reminded lately, that the Word of God is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. So if you want clarity on what direction you should be heading, well... start with a word that brings a light to your path. These are words from Scripture that inspire - it's the inspired Word of God.

Reach out if there is anything you would like our team to pray about for you. God bless.

The Salvation Army is shake, shake, shaking...

There's a significant, seismic shift happening in The Salvation Army in these days. One may suggest that's true across the church more broadly, but I'll allow others to witness to that. 

I've heard some describe it as a 'shaking' of the church. Others have said, it's the start of a new reformation. Someone told me recently, "I think we're on the brink of an awakening". 

It's near impossible to tell you what it's all going to look like 20 years from now. What will The Salvation Army look like in 10 years? God only knows. I don't even know what the world is going to look like in 12 months! 

The shaking is the only word I can think of, to describe what God seems to be doing. Every little thing, God is shaking it. Does it matter? Is it about the Kingdom of God? Is it bringing light into the world? Is it a man-made construct that holds people back in religious institutionalism?

Old ways of doing things: Shake, shake, shake.

A formal uniform in a post-militaristic society: Shake, shake, shake.

A Sunday gathering that expects the unsaved to come to them: Shake, shake, shake.

A Bible study that has shut the door to people that aren't like them: Shake, shake, shake.

Fail to treat everyone the way God would have us: Shake, shake, shake.

Music that is old and stale that expresses nothing new to an inquisitive world: Shake, shake, shake.

All that matters is your stats: Shake, shake, shake.

A form of Christianity that celebrates conformity and religious duty: Shake, shake, shake.

A Christian who can't worship Jesus, unless the minister wears a tie: Shake, shake, shake.

God must think anything is permissible: Shake, shake, shake.

Any form of evangelism that doesn't look at holistic salvation of an individual: Shake, shake, shake.

Maybe God's ok with sin? Shake, shake, shake.

You don't have your hair up when you preach: Shake, shake, shake.

Now, I'm not trying to stir the pot (even though I probably offended many in the last few paragraphs). I think you can blame God for the shaking. See, I'm actually quite afraid. Scared even. A little anxious. Even at the age of 39, I hold dear to many things. I already have a few decades of Salvation Army history under my belt. I have precious memories. I have rich stories of the Spirit of God working in different Salvation Army settings. 

But despite that, God is shaking things. Some of the methods might stick and be around in a generation or two, but I sense the shaking that God is doing right now, is causing some ways of thinking and doing to become irrelevant and superseded by the new thing God is wanting to do.   

So, if you've come this far with me, you may agree that the holy discontent among Salvationists is at an all-time high. We are discontent. And that's not because of some leader, or even some bureaucratic process that frustrates us. It's because we aren't who we're meant to be (yet). And we're trying to discover it. 

God is helping us along by shaking the very foundations of our movement. The foundations that became somewhat set in stone some years after William and Catherine went to be with the Lord. 

God is not finished with The Salvation Army. God is refashioning us. God is remolding us; reshaping us. And while we celebrate all that God has done through many a faithful believer in years gone by, (There is much gratitude for all their work), we know God is up to something.

The core belief we have is that God is love. So we trust, what Christ has in store. We trust, through faith, that the shaking is not just for our benefit, but for the salvation of the world.  

We must allow God to make new wine in new wineskins. The problem is, we're trying new things and putting it back into old wineskins. We try to squeeze innovative ideas for the Kingdom, into the frameworks that we created decades ago. Take a new idea, birthed by the Spirit of God, and allow it to ferment and exist within a new way of operating. A new framework. A new, God-inspired way of working. Don't put new wine into an old wineskin. 

There's a detangling happening. Some of us, are navigating our way through change, and learning to detangle ourselves from the expectations of man, and learning to live and serve for an audience of one. No power struggles. No unrealistic expectations upon the shoulders. No backstabbing other leaders. No putting down another colleague. Just a raw, authentic work of God, that is calling us back to the boundless salvation found in Jesus Christ. 

I'm learning to trust the Lord in these days. I'm learning to have faith in what he's doing. I'm choosing to not be afraid. The words in Psalm 46:1-2 sum up some of my thoughts:

"God, you're such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You're a proven help in time of trouble ~ more than enough and always available whenever I need you.

So we will never fear. Even if every structure of support were to crumble away. We will not fear even when the earth quakes and shakes, moving mountains and casting them into the sea.

For the raging roar of stormy winds and crashing waves cannot erode our faith in you." (The Passion Translation)

The Salvation Army is shake, shake, shaking... Will you embrace what the Spirit is doing? Will you be courageous enough to embrace an awakening within the people of God, that will absolutely transform the world around us, with the incredible mercy and love of Jesus?  

[All views are my own and don't necessarily represent any official position of The Salvation Army]