The sacking of Israel Folau by the ARU for his Instagram post has become the talk of the town. It seems everyone has an opinion and it will be interesting to see what the lawyer’s argue at the Fair Work Commission. At the very least this matter has put the combination of religion, tolerance and free speech on the public agenda.
In one way all churches are in the spotlight. But the issue is not what we believe as though we make our beliefs up and sell them to the highest bidder. It’s as though, in the market place of ideas, every belief is relative and must be weighed up by the majority. Those beliefs which are considered to be outliers, and therefore unacceptable to the majority, become contraband and anathema.
The assumption is that religion, rather than bringing us in touch with reality, is devoid of truth and must be tolerated. Since tribes within our society have differing views about “toleration” it will be left to the courts and ultimately to Parliament to decide.
Your presence in café church suggests you are not convinced by the radical agendas playing out on television, radio and the newspapers. Historically, Christianity has made a positive contribution to Western society. Our legal system was originally grounded in biblical principles of justice. Social reform and education have been led by the churches. (In the interest of balance, Christians have done some pretty silly things, but I’m looking at trends rather than the foolish actions of individuals).
What has changed over the years is not the content of the Bible but the people who read the Bible. As society has changed people have brought different assumptions to this timeless book. The results are radical re-interpretations and a growing intolerance of those parts which can’t be thrown away e.g. marriage between a man and a woman, and hell.
Café church is a place which takes the Bible seriously. The resurrection of Jesus confirms that faith intersects reality. We are Christians because we cannot ignore the implications of God raising someone from the dead. And while there are hard parts of the Bible, its message is crystal clear because God is more than capable of stringing a few meaningful sentences together.
Our speaker today is Warren Spooner from Compassion which is a Christian aid agency. Compassion is well known for its child sponsorship program which helps families living in poverty regardless of their beliefs, gender or background. Their love for all people flows from God’s love for all of us, a love intentionally and intensely expressed through the death of his Son.
Ultimately what matters is life and death and the choice that we face. All of us one day will face God’s judgement but he gives us a means of acquittal because he loves us. Don’t overlook his compassion. Now is the time to be reconciled to God.