Forums

Banned from speaking this Sunday

Page:   1 2
 
 

Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 24, 2009, 15:39

As you would have read in the newsletter sent out today I was invited to speak at Holy Trinity http://www.holytrinity.org.au/ this Sunday at the 9am service.


Apparently that won’t be happening now.


I’ve just had a call from a very upset minister Father Dave. The Archdeacon Ian Cox called to say that under no circumstances was I allowed to speak in the church. No valid reason has been given but as it is Sydney Diocese we can rightly assume its because I’m gay.


I don’t want to cause Father Dave any unnecessary drama but he wants to still go ahead as he believes this decision by the Diocese is not in harmony with true Christian teaching. I’m used to this kind of silliness (banned from speaking in Bible Colleges, my autobiography banned from Christian bookshops, Rev. Fred Nile issuing decrees against me, email campaigns to try and discredit me by Christian Activists groups) but this brave move could have quite drastic complications for Father Dave though.


So at Father Dave’s invitation I will still be attending the 9am service and he has organised for me to speak in the parish hall at 11am.


If you live in Sydney it would be wonderful if you could show up for the service or come to the 11am meeting in the church hall.


I will still be speaking on the topic. ‘Life has no detours – a spiritual journey’. I guess now it will be even more relevant.


Please come and support Father Dave as he takes this brave move to make his parish http://www.holytrinity.org.au/ a place where all are welcome no matter what their age, gender, culture, race, colour or sexual orientation.


You can’t silence truth.


Hope you can make it and please share this with others who might be interested amongst your facebook friends.


Thanks for your support.


Always in a spirit of graciousness and service….and remember …the enemy is not individuals, political parties or churches or even Sydney Diocese….the enemy is ignorance.

Anthony Venn-Brown

Gay Ambassador (amongst other things)



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
July 25, 2009, 07:42

Far out ๐Ÿ™„ at least you didnt get banned from speaking altogether, still sad it turned out this way for the time being. Can we hear the outcome?



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 25, 2009, 12:31

just to update you. it seems the situation is that


” Mr Brown is not an Anglican and has not been licensed by the Archbishop to preach in an Anglican church service. It is the expectation that all Ministers in charge of churches would seek the Archbishop’s approval before inviting a non licenced person to speak in an Anglican church service. ”


Not so sure that this is always strictly adhered to though…but is useful to keep those who are not in line with the culture and beliefs of Sydney Diocese….out.


I wonder what would happen if a request was made by the Archbishop …….possibly the same outccome.


Not so sure I was going to preach tomorrow anyway…more speak and share ….is that the same thing?


I’m in good company though……Bishop Spong couldn’t get licensed to preach in Sydney Diocese either….hehe.



iplantolive
 
Joined in 2008
July 25, 2009, 15:53

I would loooove to come on Sunday but I’ve come down with the flu so unfortunately won’t be able to make it ๐Ÿ˜ฅ I know it will be a success 8)


I’m reading a preview of Father Dave’s book “Sex, the Ring & the Eucharist” … this guy certainly knows what growing up in inner Sydney is all about ๐Ÿ˜ฏ The following paragraph really made me sit up and take notice. You could almost replace the word “fight” with “GLBT”;


“The fight community, as far as I can see, has very little idea of what the church is on about. I donโ€™t mean that fighters arenโ€™t spiritual guys. On the contrary, some of the most godly and inspirational men I have met have been fighters. And yet they have no point of contact with the established church. The two groups just donโ€™t understand each other at all.”


Sound familiar?



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 27, 2009, 12:23

very familiar



Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
July 27, 2009, 22:38

Personally, I don’t blame the GLBT community for not understanding the established church. When you look at all the different demoninations and all the differences in opinion within those denominations its not hard to see why some people would see the “chruch” as a bunch of people who, really, have no idea what they themselves are on about. We can’t even agree amoungst ourselves, how are we supposed to convince other people, espically GLBT people, that we are not only sane but have it right?


I’d be wary of anyone who gives “established chruch” one simple defintion. There are about a thousand established Christian “chruches” who all believe something different–probably more. I think we need to start building bridges in the Christian faith before we can even hope to present an “understandable” religion to anyone, no matter what their experience with it.



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 28, 2009, 00:42

yep…..I agree Sandy….its quite arrogant to speak about the church as though we are the church and everyone else is in error. I dont really feel one denomination has the licence on truth.


always good to hear from you.



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
July 28, 2009, 08:56

Yep sooooooo agree, have been involved in a church that thought it was “it”………howdy Sandy ๐Ÿ˜€



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
July 29, 2009, 11:12

http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2009/07/28/gay-christian-banned-from-preaching/14808


Front page…..leading story out today.


I look forward to the day when I have a front page news story with an announcement of acceptance instead of being controversial.



iplantolive
 
Joined in 2008
July 29, 2009, 21:05

I’d be wary of anyone who gives “established chruch” one simple defintion. There are about a thousand established Christian “chruches” who all believe something different–probably more. I think we need to start building bridges in the Christian faith before we can even hope to present an “understandable” religion to anyone, no matter what their experience with it.


I think what Father Dave is expressing here, and from my interpretation of his writing, is organised christianity in general. I agree that we need to start building bridges to heal the obvious doctrinal differences that exist. For too long, organised christianity has been fragmented and uncooperative in its attempts to portray itself as a “solution” to humanity’s woes ๐Ÿ˜• Only when these issues are addressed in the broadest sense can we ever hope to expect that organised christianity will be “understandable” as you put it Sandy ๐Ÿ™‚


Page:   1 2
 
WP Forum Server by ForumPress | LucidCrew
Version: 99.9; Page loaded in: 0.07 seconds.