Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, Sunday 1 November 2009
9.00 am – Climate change hard hitters
This week two articles on climate change grabbed my attention.
One was a piece by Janet Albrechtsen commenting on a YouTube video of Lord Monckton, former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, warning that the draft Copenhagen agreement is a cover for the establishment of a new world government under the authority of the boffins over at the United Nations.
What the world needs at Copenhagen is consensus on appropriate measures to mitigate dangerous climate change. What we don’t need is a whole lot of other agendas slipping into the room which would never get a tick at the ballot box.
Let’s hope we are not all locked into a legal strait jacket with the promise of paradise when in fact what is delivered is a living hell. Over to you, Mr Rudd.
The other piece was by my colleague David Gushee, professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University. More on that at midday.
I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
12.00 pm – Creation care and sluggish thinking
David Gushee is professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University, in the U.S. This week he proposed five paradigm shifts he believes will help Christians become more ecologically aware.
First, the gospel is not just about me, but about the whole of God’s creation. What we see around us is more than scenery.
Second, we often focus on sin and redemption, forgetting that the context of the gospel story is a tangible creation.
Third, the focus on personal salvation must leave room for a sustaining and redemptive relationship between God and the entire world.
Fourth, our emphasis on other-worldly salvation must take into account the biblical teaching on the reign of God and the renewal of creation.
Finally, we should move from an ethic that is internal and interpersonal to an ethic that is social, structural and global.
Gushee calls us to challenge our presuppositions and enlarge our vision. Many will disagree, but that’s his point. I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
5.00 pm – Hillsong cuts ties with Mercy Ministries
Sydney Anglicans might be reeling from their investment woes, and the negative PR that brings, but Sydney’s Hillsong Church is having troubles of its own. For months its counselling agency, Mercy Ministries, has been a poisoned chalice for Hillsong, which moved this week to shut it down.
According to its website, Mercy Ministries helps young women suffering from eating disorders, self-harm, addiction and unwanted pregnancy. But according to disgruntled former clients, it engaged in cult-like activities such as control of clients’ money and movement, and instead of clinical intervention imposed Bible study and exorcism – the latter denied by management.
Christian organisations have a duty of care to their clients. Hillsong Church must take responsibility for what happens on its watch.
The negative fallout affects not only Hillsong but every church, and church-based counselling service, and brings disrepute on the gospel, which is all about truth and freedom and wholeness. We can all do better. I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
