September 2006 Letters to the editor

Webmaster | 29 August 2006

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An intelligent designer
In reply to Harry Bullock (SC, Aug), no judgement of man has ever overruled a judgement of God. How helpful it is for all of us to remember that God at His ‘dumbest’ is so infinitely superior to man at his ‘cleverest’ (1 Cor 1:18-31).
The Rev Geoff Taylor
Camden, NSW

Harry Bullock seems to dismiss Intelligent Design on the basis of a court ruling. I’m not sure that we should defer to the District Court of the Middle District of Pennsylvania on matters pertaining to the origin of the universe. If the judgement was that ID is an ‘untestable belief’ then this tells us nothing about whether it is true. The same charge can be levelled against evolution.
Phil Kneale
Baulkham Hills, NSW

Heavenly call for singles
Haydn Sennitt (SC, May) puts forward Proverbs 18:22, that marriage for either sex is the preferred option to being single. Simon Flinders quotes from Genesis and 1 Corinthians for his position that there was no single answer to this issue with both finding scriptural support.

I would refer them both to Matthew 19:10-12 which Jesus supports both positions, teaching that some may be called to singleness “because of the kingdom of heaven”. It is not a case of either/or but discerning God’s will.
Graham Pike
Wentworthville, NSW

Giving sorrow words
Thank you for the article ‘How to care at a time like this’ (SC, Aug). As Shakespeare said, ‘Give sorrow words’. May I suggest everyone makes a perfect cup of tea and read the article again.
Coral Patricia Reid
Kirribilli, NSW

Ignore obligations at own risk

In response to Ron Bower’s letter ‘Lost sight of main game’ (SC, Aug), Mr Bower is right in saying that our main focus is to reach people with the saving message of Jesus Christ.

However, in doing this, one of the things we must be concerned about is ensuring that people are kept safe when they come onto our properties or are involved in local church activities. Causing injury to people can adversely impact on the mission of our churches.

The Parish Risk Management Program helps churches to develop a plan to minimise the risk of personal injury. Managing a situation where injury has occurred is usually a greater interruption and threat to ministry than the effort required to implement a plan to avoid the injury.

The program has been prepared after wide discussions, which have involved the archdeacons, representatives of our churches and advisors. A key aim has been to try to ensure that the Program does not impose impractical burdens upon our churches.

Mr Bower is also right when he refers to the increasing range of administrative and regulatory obligations affecting our churches. We cannot ignore those obligations since we need to be, and be seen to be, good citizens of our communities.

The Parish Services Division of the Secretariat is seeking to provide resources to support our churches to minimise, so far as is possible, the impact of those obligations.

Mark Payne
Parish Services Manager,
Sydney Diocesan Secretariat

‘Values’: a help or a hindrance?

Michael Jensen’s article, ‘The fight over Aussie Values’ (SC, Aug), is confusing and unnecessarily defensive. Yet it raises important issues. He urges Christian educators to ‘resist the temptation of “values”’. To talk of ‘values’, he argues, is to omit love of God, to endorse middle- class aspirations and to offer an emaciated moral vision. This is nonsense. Values can do such things, but they don’t have to.

The confusion stems from failure to define what is meant by values. In this context, values are the priorities, the worth, the importance we assign to beliefs. Thus, we all have values, and as educators it is impossible to avoid the arena of values because everything we do or say conveys our values.

Jensen reveals his own values very clearly. What he is really objecting to is not ‘values’ as such, but the seduction of secular culture. The remedy for the Christian educator is not to abandon any mention of values but to ensure they have clear Christian content.

By contrast with the defensiveness of this article, there is a long history of Christian leaders in education who have positively influenced thinking on values such as Professor Brian Hill (see his Exploring Religion in Schools, 2004).

The question is, can ‘values’ allow Christian schools to express their faith and purpose so that others may consider it too?

Alan Watson
Assoc. Professor of Education, UNSW

Thanks to SC for the excellent series of articles on education and values. One thing that was not mentioned was the value Anglican and other Christian schools place on Sunday activities. In particular, what appears to be the increasing practice of scheduling school events such as rehearsals, sports training and auditions on a Sunday. On several occasions over past months I have heard Christian and non-Christian parents complain about this trend. Should we be concerned that teaching – and school life for students – is at risk of becoming a ‘24/7’ activity to the detriment of family, church and spiritual life? Do appropriate boundaries need to be set? It would be interesting to hear the views of teachers, parents, principals and school council members on this matter.

Phillip Pogson
Putney, NSW

Building on error

The loss of St Barnabas’, Broadway’s church building is a sad one. It was an important part of the memories of generations of Christians. There are several church buildings which feature fondly in my memories, where God’s word was taught, people were converted, where we, and others, were married. I have seen at least one of them replaced, and there is a sadness associated with this.

However, to admit that a building has significance for us and holds dear memories, even if those memories are of God working in people’s lives, does not justify thinking of the buildings as ‘consecrated space’, as Bishop Robert Forsyth puts it (SC, Aug). This is not a New Testament concept, and only encourages a wrong attitude to church buildings. If St Barnabas’ was consecrated space, then so too are all the homes where parents have taught their children about God, the loungerooms where Bible study groups are held, the campsites where many have responded to the gospel, the open-air venues where Billy Graham and others have preached. Let us not bend our theology to suit our sentiment.

Ros Brennan
Leumeah, NSW

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