Victorian Council of Churches

(18th June 2022)

The World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, in a statement on climate change, urged consideration by the WCC 11th Assembly and governing bodies “of the establishment of a new Commission on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in order to bring the appropriate focus to this issue in this pivotal period.”

The statement also condemns “the exploitation, degradation and the violation of Creation to satisfy the greed of humanity,” and urges “all member churches and ecumenical partners around the world to give the climate emergency the priority attention that a crisis of such unprecedented and all-encompassing dimensions deserves, both in word and deed, and to amplify their efforts to demand the necessary action by their respective governments within the necessary timeframe to limit global warming to 1.5°C, and to meet historic responsibilities to poorer, more vulnerable nations and communities.”

Among other actions, the WCC governing body also appeals “to all members of the global ecumenical family – churches, organizations, communities, families and individuals – to ’walk the talk’ and to take such actions as they are able in their own contexts, noting in a global context that the action or inaction of one country disproportionately negatively impacts vulnerable countries.”

The statement also encourages “efforts to promote climate-responsible finance in the affairs of all members of the global ecumenical family, by ensuring that through our pension funds, banks and other financial service arrangements we are not complicit in financing climate-destroying fossil fuel industries but are supporting the accelerated development of an economy based on sustainable renewable energy and mutual solidarity.”

Read the full statement here.

(text of media release, 7th June 2022)

Members of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria – the democratic voice representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the journey to Treaty – and the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, held a ceremony on June 7th to mark the agreement to establish a key part of the architecture to enable Treaty negotiations.

The agreement to establish an independent Treaty Authority to oversee Treaty negotiations and help resolve disputes was marked with a ceremonial signing at the Assembly’s Chamber Meeting held on Gadubanud Country of the Eastern Maar people in Lorne.

Assembly Co-Chair and Bangerang and Wiradjuri Elder, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, said the hard work of the last two years was starting to deliver tangible progress on the journey to Treaty.

“Ours is the oldest living culture on the planet. It’s clear that our lore and law has stood the test of time and I’m overjoyed and very proud to see it being embedded into the very core of the new institutions we’re creating to get Treaty done,” said Aunty Geri.

The Treaty Authority will be led by First Peoples and will sit completely outside of the usual Government bureaucracy and will not report to a Government Minister. However, the legislation tabled in Parliament on Tuesday is required to facilitate its creation – to allow it to employ people, lease an office, etc.

Assembly Co-Chair and proud Nira illim bulluk man of the Taungurung Nation, Marcus Stewart, said the establishment of the Treaty Authority was a positive and strong indication the Victorian Government was willing to do things differently.

“The reality is that since invasion, western systems have by and large inflicted serious harm on our people. If we want Treaty to deliver, if we want it to improve the lives of our people, we have to think outside the colonial system and instead put Aboriginal culture at the heart of all we do. I’m pleased to say this agreement does that,” Mr Stewart said.

The Authority will facilitate and oversee Treaty negotiations in Victoria and help resolve Treaty related disputes – including between Traditional Owners. It will have a funding stream detached from the standard politic cycles.

Authority Members – all of which will be First Peoples – will be appointed by a panel independent of government.

“We’re making great progress toward Treaty here in Victoria and I think there’s a lot of lessons to be drawn from our experiences as the national push for Voice, Treaty and Truth gathers momentum. The key thing is to make sure First Peoples are driving the process,” said Mr Stewart.

A copy of the agreement can be found here. 
An info sheet about the Treaty Authority can be found here.
Other links and resources can be found here.

Media contact

Adam Pulford | M: 0424 885 387 | E: adamp@firstpeoplesvic.org

A few days ago, Jane Caro published an opinion piece where she put the case that God should have no place in public schools. Her concluding remarks were, ‘Australia is a secular country. It supports and celebrates citizens of all faiths and none. Freedom of religion and freedom from religion are among our core values. Our public schools must reflect that’.

In response, John Dickson published an open letter to Jane Caro, published on the ABC website, called ‘What’s so offensive about Australia’s public school chaplaincy program?’

In his final paragraph, he writes:

‘Jane, you may have revealed your hand in the final lines of your article, when you write, “Freedom of religion and freedom from religion are among our core [secular] values”. Freedom “from” religion? No, a healthy secular democracy does not exclude religion – from schools or politics or wherever. It simply ensures that religious programs are never imposed, always voluntary, just like the public school chaplaincy program. Anything else seems driven by a personal distaste of religion’.

Rev. Dr John Dickson is an author and historian and a priest in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. His most recent book is Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History. He is the host of the Undeceptions podcast.

An interesting conversation. It’s worth reading both articles.

An update in relation to the Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Act 2021(the Act), which was passed by the Victorian Government on 3 December 2021.

The majority of reforms under the Act commenced on 14 June 2022, with the exception of amendments to the religious exception in goods and services which will commence on 14 December 2022. The reforms commencing on 14/6 meant that religious organisations and schools cannot discriminate against an employee or school student, or potential employee or student, on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, lawful sexual activity or parental status.

Under the Act, religious organisations and schools will only be able to make employment decisions based on an employee’s religious beliefs where these are inherent to the job, such as a religious studies teacher, and the discrimination is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

Under the changes, religious schools can only discriminate based on a student, or potential student’s, religious beliefs or activities where the discrimination is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances and to do so would conform with the school’s doctrines, beliefs or principles of the religion, or the discrimination is reasonably necessary to avoid injury to the religious sensitivities of the school’s religion.

Religious bodies can still discriminate based on certain personal characteristics in other circumstances. However, there is a new requirement that the discrimination must be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances. There are no changes to religious bodies’ ability to discriminate when ordaining, appointing or training people to be priests or members of a religious order.

For further information, please see the factsheet available at this link https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/resources/equal-opportunity-act-religious-exceptions-reforms

Further information on the 14 December 2022 changes to the religious exception in goods and services will be provided at a later date.

If you need further clarification or wish to speak with the DJCS please contact Rachel Burrows on this email address –  consultation@justice.vic.gov.au
(The Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) is where this legislation is being coordinated).

Alternatively you could contact Vivienne Nguyen AM
Chairperson |Victorian Multicultural Commission
Level 3, 1 Macarthur Street, East Melbourne 3002
M: 0448 718 668 E: Vivienne.nguyen@vmc.vic.gov.au
www.multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au

Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (Melbourne panel) – Vacancy

Pastoral Care Member

Deakin University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (DUHREC) reviews research projects involving human participants. These projects are from all faculties: Arts and Education; Business and Law; Health; Science, Engineering and Built Environment. Research can include biomedical procedures to classroom learning studies, historical enquiries to health questionnaires.

The role of the Committee is to make sure that the rights of participants are respected and that no human research is approved unless it meets stringent requirements of integrity, justice and fairness.

If you have an interest in research and the time to take part in attending bi-monthly meetings, we have a current vacancy:

Eligibility criteria:

• Pastoral Care member: performs a pastoral care role in a community, for example an Aboriginal elder, a Minister of Religion. (National Statement: 5.1.30 d)

We are looking for members who preferably live or work locally, with a variety of life experience, not specific skills nor a research background.

Please note, membership of the Committee is determined by national guidelines and also includes Chair/Deputy Chair, Professional Carer (e.g. GP/nurse), Researcher, Lawyer and Lay Members.

Committee work is voluntary, however members receive a modest honorarium to cover any out of pocket costs. Lunch and car parking is provided for each meeting attended.

What does membership involve?

Committee members are usually appointed for a term of two years, which may be renewed at the end of the term. You will be/become familiar with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018), (the National Statement) which establishes requirements for Human Research Ethics Committees and sets out the principles by which decisions are made. New members begin by observing a meeting and attending Induction training, then attend bi-monthly meetings (in person) at the Burwood campus of Deakin University (on Monday afternoons). Committee members are provided training on an as-needs basis during meetings as well as invited to attend online training via the Victorian Ethics Network (VEN) throughout the year. Prior to committee meetings, members are asked to read and make recommendations regarding research applications and review the agenda.

Expression of interest

If you are interested in joining DUHREC, please email a one-page expression of interest (EoI) to: research-ethics@deakin.edu.au including how you meet the eligibility criteria (above). Please include a summary of your qualifications, work experience and a statement on why you are interested in joining DUHREC. If you have a current CV, you may wish to attach it.

For further information, please email research-ethics@deakin.edu.au .

In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

That’s it really – it’s as simple as that – we worship, we live, we act in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Yet our human understanding and experience of God – as Creator, Liberator as Father, as Jesus – the Messiah – the Son and as the Wisdom of God, the Life-giver, the Holy Spirit is so limited based on our limited understanding that it has caused divisions in the family of God.

The church has been divided on how we understand the Trinity – on the hierarchy, on the operationality and every other aspect of the Trinity – for 1700 years.

We have churches today who focus only on the Sovereign “Father God as King over everything, or focus only on the name of Jesus, or focus only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

One way of understanding the Trinity comes from the Greek word Perichoresis, being-in-one another, referring to the fact that we exist in relation to one another.

The relationship within the Trinity is divine equality, mutuality and reciprocity – which we as the image of God are to express in our own relationships with each other.

Why is it important we have a Trinitarian understanding of God anyway?

If we only focus on God the Father, a supreme judge and absolute Lord, we are in danger of maintaining a patriarchal thinking that legitimises that might is right, maintains vertical, dominant power relationships.

If we only focus on God the Son, it is easy to reduce Jesus to a charismatic, wonder-working heroic, humanitarian, leader figure or only on sacrificial aspect of the Atonement.

If we only focus on God the Holy Spirit, we can develop an inward looking spirituality – our main relationship is with our inner self – this leads to anarchy and fanaticism (the Spirit blows where and however it wants).

When we lack a trinitarian understanding of God – when we don’t experience God as in communion – in relationship that is based on equality, mutuality and reciprocity –in other words – love – we end up with an oppressive image of God, dominating leaders and pastors, and the danger of chaos – which, because we live in a society – becomes the way our society operates.

But if we place an equal emphasis on the relationship that binds the Trinity together, that flows between them, if we understand God as expressing unity in diversity and equality within the Trinity – we find liberator Father God who hears the cry of the suffering and oppressed today as he did to the Israelites in Egypt. We can follow the expression of love and healing to the weak and outcast by the Son, Jesus who also entered in to solidarity with them, joining us with their suffering. The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, empowers us with the gifts that enable us, on behalf of the community, to boldly undertake a truly prophetic and liberating action.

Ultimately what we celebrate on Trinity Sunday is relationship:
We celebrate God who is relationship.
We celebrate God who is in relationship with us.
We celebrate God who expresses this relationship in love – by being love – by loving.
We celebrate that, as created in the image of God – we are created in relationship.
We are created in and to love.
To be a human being is to be in relationship.
To be a human being is to love.
To be Church/ to be Christian is to be in relationship – to be Church/ to be Christian is to love.

Of course we often struggle with relationships – we often struggle with community also. It’s difficult to express that divine equality, mutuality and reciprocity – in our lives.

In our Gospel reading today (John 16:12-15), we are reminded by Jesus of this relationship within the Trinity. We are also reminded that our faith in a Triune God calls us to orient our life to the practice of love, reorient our relationships to be based on equality, mutuality and reciprocity.

Paul puts it another way (Romans 5:1-5). Jesus as the pathway to enter into a loving relationship with the Triune God and that love is poured into us by the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us that divine grace is ultimately how we experience the relationship with God. Love is the manifestation of the Triune God.

The reading from Proverbs (Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31) reminds us of the existence of the Spirit before the world was created – God Creator, God Word that called forth Creation and God Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep and participated in the act of Creation.

Today’s psalm (Psalm 8) beautifully reminds us of our relationship with both God and the rest of God’s creation.

Let us remember that to be the body of Christ is to be in relationship with the Father and the Spirit.
Let us remember that to be the body of Christ is to be in relationships guided by love, and defined by equality, mutuality and reciprocity.
Let us remember that to be the body of Christ is to be in relationship with all people, and with all creation.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Amen.

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev James Bhagwan, General Secretary, Pacific Council of Churches, on Trinity Sunday 12th June 2022)

“Only a Christian community that is whole, united and unifying, free of dominion and oppression, and only humanity that is whole, united and unifying, free of class domination and dictatorial oppression, can claim to respect the Trinitarian God. This is a world in which human beings are characterised by their social relationships and not by their power or possessions. This is a world in which human beings hold everything in common and share everything except their personal characteristics.” (Jurgen Moltmann)

Thursdays in Black is a global movement for a world without rape and violence, a project of the World Council of Churches.

In every country, gender-based violence is a tragic reality. This violence is frequently hidden, and victims are often silent, fearing stigma and further violence.

We all have a responsibility to speak out against violence, to ensure that women and men, boys and girls, are safe from rape and violence in homes, schools, work, streets – in all places in our societies.

The campaign is simple but profound. Wear black on Thursdays. Wear a badge to declare you are part of the global movement resisting attitudes and practices that permit rape and violence. Show your respect for women who are resilient in the face of injustice and violence. Encourage others to join you.

Often black has been used with negative racial connotations. In this campaign Black is used as a color of resistance and resilience.

Share your Thursdays in Black photos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, using hashtags #ThursdaysinBlack and #WCC!