‘Gays are going to hell’ School Responds To Comments Made To Students By Guest Speaker
Image: Image: Wikimedia Commons
A prominent Brisbane private school has launched a review of its guest speaker procedures after a Christian ministry trainee allegedly told students that gay people would go to hell.
Jonathan Vickers, a trainee associated with St Lucia Bible Church, addressed Year 7 and Year 8 students during a chapel service at St Peters Lutheran College in Indooroopilly last week.
However his comments did not go down well with all parents and students.
Complains lodged over anti-gay remarks by school speaker
The remarks, delivered to children aged about 12 and 13, prompted complaints and multiple communications from the school to parents. St Peters has since acknowledged the distress caused within its community and distanced itself from the message attributed to Vickers.
Head of College Tim Kotzur said the school regretted that parts of the presentation had caused genuine concern.
“The college recognises and regrets that some comments in the presentation caused genuine concerns for members of our community” he said in a statement.
He stressed that a person’s dignity and value were not conditional on their identity, sexuality, beliefs or circumstances writng “As a Lutheran school, we believe that every person is loved by God, and the dignity and worth of each person is not conditional upon their background, beliefs, identity, sexuality or circumstances.”
“The college does not support any message that could be interpreted as diminishing dignity, respect or belonging for any member of our community, nor do we believe faith should be communicated through fear or shame.
“We are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the service, including the processes for selecting external speakers, to ensure that messages align with the college’s values and educational philosophy.”
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie publicly condemned the comments at a press conference on Friday stating “I haven’t seen those reports and comments, but that’s completely inappropriate.”
Vickers is listed by St Lucia Bible Church as a Ministry Training Strategy trainee for 2026–27.
The church holds regular services at Ironside State School in St Lucia. However, it does not provide religious instruction at that school, and there is no suggestion Ironside was involved in the St Peters chapel presentation.
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of how religious schools communicate teachings about sexuality to young people.
In 2022, Brisbane’s Citipointe Christian College attracted national criticism after asking families to sign an enrolment contract containing provisions concerning sexuality and gender identity. The document described homosexual activity as sinful and asserted that gender distinctions would be applied according to biological sex.
Citipointe withdrew the contract following widespread opposition. The episode led to protests, staff and student departures and continuing debate about protections for LGBTQIA+ students in faith-based education.
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Matthew 7:1-3, New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?
and Matthew 7:7-12 then states:
‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
But then our Federal government aren’t interested in holding individual reactionaries accountable to their professed beliefs, let alone regulating Big Tech which allows this rot to fester and be emboldened on social media, but they will allow this kind of bigotry against LGBT+ kids and teachers. No problem.
GLORY BE!! To the parents & students, for not thinking twice about their disapproval at another tedious attempt at tweeting out the tired ole song & dance about us going to hell. I think by now Lucifer {if he/she/them/they/that/ m/it really ever existed} knows very well, whose been naughty & nasty “ up above the world so high up here!!! And to the school for standing up with them, not finding some pathetic pious loophole they think absolves their twisted immoralities!!!!!!