Comments on: Canberra Declaration launched http://www.acl.org.au/2010/07/canberra-declaration-launched/ ACL - A Voice for Values Wed, 16 May 2012 11:36:43 +1000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Angela http://www.acl.org.au/2010/07/canberra-declaration-launched/#comment-2699 Angela Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:22:47 +0000 http://australianchristianlobby.org.au/?p=1591#comment-2699 Personally I don't understand the need for a declaration. If our churches aren't articulating this already then what's the point as a "declaration" has no legal, secular merit and this is what we believe anyway isn't it? I suppose it unifies Christians in our belief and gets dialogue going between denominations if there is disparity on these points, but one would think a good understanding of the bible and also of what secular society is based on: rule of law, magna carta, all equal before the law,freedom of speech and therefore religious freedom, civil rights etc., gives us a good basis as Christians to operate our lives upon as examples and articulates our views anyhow. If we defend those things, isn't that what it's all about anyhow? If we defend parliament and understand how and the way it operates as well as the rule of law I think this is what it's about. A declaration sends Christians off the track a bit don't you think? Getting involved politically, speaking out and living a radical life as Jesus did and defending our desire to do that is what it's about. What I think is most important is for Christians on a day to day basis to speak out an OPINION, please when it matters: down at the shops, with a neighbour or at the school about these issues of abortion, democracy, religious freedom, climate change, the enviroment. What I feel is there is little theological teaching LINKING these issues within churches to equip people to talk to secular society. So often people don't have a clue really about why they hold the beliefs they do and can't articulate an argument based on their relationship to Jesus and the bible engaging with secular views. As Jesus showed the personal is political. A declaration I think is okay but confusing. Personally I don’t understand the need for a declaration. If our churches aren’t articulating this already then what’s the point as a “declaration” has no legal, secular merit and this is what we believe anyway isn’t it? I suppose it unifies Christians in our belief and gets dialogue going between denominations if there is disparity on these points, but one would think a good understanding of the bible and also of what secular society is based on: rule of law, magna carta, all equal before the law,freedom of speech and therefore religious freedom, civil rights etc., gives us a good basis as Christians to operate our lives upon as examples and articulates our views anyhow. If we defend those things, isn’t that what it’s all about anyhow? If we defend parliament and understand how and the way it operates as well as the rule of law I think this is what it’s about. A declaration sends Christians off the track a bit don’t you think? Getting involved politically, speaking out and living a radical life as Jesus did and defending our desire to do that is what it’s about.

What I think is most important is for Christians on a day to day basis to speak out an OPINION, please when it matters: down at the shops, with a neighbour or at the school about these issues of abortion, democracy, religious freedom, climate change, the enviroment. What I feel is there is little theological teaching LINKING these issues within churches to equip people to talk to secular society. So often people don’t have a clue really about why they hold the beliefs they do and can’t articulate an argument based on their relationship to Jesus and the bible engaging with secular views. As Jesus showed the personal is political. A declaration I think is okay but confusing.

]]> By: Pastor Peter Leslie Rose http://www.acl.org.au/2010/07/canberra-declaration-launched/#comment-2698 Pastor Peter Leslie Rose Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:32:39 +0000 http://australianchristianlobby.org.au/?p=1591#comment-2698 I believe in openess and honesty from all our representatives in Government I believe we need a Christian belief and foundation to live by. I believe in openess and honesty from all our representatives in Government
I believe we need a Christian belief and foundation to live by.

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