Bethlehem’s Child is Lord and God

In William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night, Malvolio says to Fabian, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Jesus Christ, whose birth Christians celebrate on this day each year, was great in all three ways.  King Herod referred to him as “the one who …

Father Chris Riley sells out

The founder of Youth Off the Streets, Father Chris Riley, has lent his support to a Clubs Australia advertising blitz targeting two million homes in NSW, as the gambling lobby intensifies its battle against the Gillard government’s proposed poker machine reforms. Father Riley, whose charity receives substantial donations from gambling venues, seems at the very …

ACL unrepresentative, say Victorians

In a direct attack on the Australian Christian Lobby, the Victorian Council of Churches this week expressed dismay at what it called “the one-sided portrayal of Christianity” in the Australian media. The Victorian Council of Churches described its role as “acknowledging a variety of emphases” and enabling “a safe environment to prayerfully discuss and discern …

Bill Crews supports pokies reform

The decision by Father Chris Riley to support Clubs Australia in its fight against the federal government’s poker machine reforms has prompted a strong response from the newly formed NSW Churches Gambling Taskforce. Rev Bill Crews, chair of the NSW Taskforce, said that counselling was an important part of helping people overcome addiction to poker …

The ACL does its job well

The Victorian Council of Churches has complained at what it sees as the one-sided view of Christianity portrayed in the Australian media. General Secretary Theo Mackaay said there was “growing concern amongst member churches that their voices are not heard or considered because of the media’s reliance on groups like [the Australian Christian Lobby].” Let’s …