How many times have we heard an anti-gay religious person or leader protest "I am not homophobic". We hear it constantly in Australia and overseas. I hear it from the lips of church leaders and Christians I speak to as they tell me that they "love the sinner but hate the sin". How frequently do [...]
I know my bible pretty well. I used to read it for personal devotions from Genesis to Revelation at least once a year for twenty-two years. In addition there’s all the additional study I did as a preacher. So when I read of Christian individuals and organisations refusing service to LGBT because of their Christian [...]
This presentation was initially given at A Different Conversation Conference 27 February - 1 March 2014 L to R Anthony Venn-Brown, Rev Rod Bower, Rev Matt Glover Introduction I is a challenge. A huge challenge. Of all the things that I have done I think working in the space of shifting the churches understanding of [...]
I just came across this article by Bradlee Dean titled HOMOSEXUAL MANIFESTO: SATIRE OR REALITY? Bradlee Dean is an ordained preacher, talk-show host of the Sons of Liberty Radio, and has a ministry, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International. He speaks in high schools and College campuses all over America and produced a documentary "My War". Dean's [...]
A troll is a person who posts deliberately provocative messages with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument. They exist in the cyberspace worlds of Twitter, Facebook, comment threads and message boards. The other day I tweeted: @gayambassador #HICHURCH NB I don't fight with conservative anti-gay christians. Instead of fighting I overcome ignorance and [...]
This article orginally was published Jan 27, 2009 but I have just updated it with a relevant video at the end. Everyone has an opinion about a Pride March such as the annual Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras; often very strong opinions. Predictably, conservative Christians condemn it. Rev Fred Nile, leader of the Christian [...]
Society has forever tried to tell homosexual people what they can and can't be. You can't exist and we will take your life. Indeed the last hanging of a gay man in the British Empire happened in Australia in 1867. Some African and Middle Eastern counties still have the death penalty for homosexual men. We [...]
Amplify 2012 Conference Hong Kong 24-26 June Asian Christianity has it's unique challenges for LGBT people. Many LGBT people have not only cultural and family pressures but religion can compound the issues. I am thrilled that I have been invited to speak at the Amplify 2012 Conference and will be the only representative from Australia. [...]
Many Australians have been walking away from formal religion for some time. The Christian Research Association has found that attendance at traditional Uniting churches across Australia has declined by 30 percent over the past ten years, while parishioner numbers at Catholic churches have dropped by 19 percent. Anglican numbers are also dropping. “The steep decline [...]