MORE than 40 religious leaders have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging him to pursue free vote on marriage equality in parliament.
The leaders fear the campaign surrounding a plebiscite would cause harm to the LGBTI community, silence people of faith, and cause unnecessary division among broader Australian society.
Regarding the LGBTI community, the letter says: “After decades of legalised discrimination, and ongoing social stigma, LGBTI Australians will face an angry, drawn-out debate, one likely to multiply existing disadvantages and stigma.”
The letter comes days after the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) began pushing the federal government to “override” anti-discrimination laws during the upcoming plebiscite campaign.
ACL managing director Lyle Shelton told Fairfax Media that the ACL had pushed for “some sort of… setting aside of these [anti-discrimination] laws”.
Shelton has since been criticised by various public figures, including Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs.
The religious leaders’ letter also emphasises a fear that groups like the ACL would be seen to speak on behalf of other religious groups, when many people of faith “support the in-principle separation of law from confessional beliefs”.
“By uniting a confessional doctrine (on marriage) to a specific public policy, a plebiscite threatens to undo the social consensus central to Australia’s secular-religious harmony,” the letter says.
Reverend Angus McLeay, spokesperson for the alliance of faith leaders, said in a statement: “A national plebiscite has the potential to cause significant harm to Christians and others of faith through a highly politicised moral debate that polarises our communities and silences LGBTI people of faith.
“The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) does not speak for large sections of the Christian community.
“We are writing to the Prime Minister so that he is aware of the diversity of opinion within faith communities and the concerns held by many over the plebiscite path.
“ACL claim to be a voice for Christian values yet many struggle to see the grace and love of Jesus in their words.”
Signatories of the letter come from all over Australia and include Father Rod Bower, the priest of the well-known Gosford Anglican Church; Metropolitan Community Church pastor Greg Smith; Reverend Bill Crews, the founder of Exodus Foundation; Wayside Chapel founder and pastor Graham Long; and Reverend Margaret Mayman, the out lesbian priest of Pitt Street Uniting Church, Sydney.
Full list:
Rev’d Jean Shannon
Chaplain, Canberra, ACT
Rev’d Ben Gilmour
Superintendent Minister, Paddington Uniting Church, NSW
Rev’d Dr John Squires
Minister, Wauchope Uniting Church, NSW
Rev’d Robert Clark
Pastor, MCC Good Shepherd, Granville, NSW
The Venerable Rod Bower
Archdeacon, Gosford Anglican Church, NSW
Rev’d Greg Smith
Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church, Sydney, NSW
Rev’d Clive H. Norton
Priest, St Basil’s Anglican Church, Artarmon, NSW
Rev’d Laurie McIntyre
Minister (Canon Emeritus), Bowen Mountain, NSW
The Venerable Peter MacLeod-Miller
Archdeacon, St Matthew’s Anglican Church Albury, NSW
Gregg Heathcote Shin
Buddhist Priest, Newcastle, NSW
Rev’d Bill Crews
CEO & Founder Exodos Foundation, NSW
Rev’d Janet Dawson
Minister, Uniting Church NSW
Rev’d Michael Palmer
Rector, St Michael’s Anglican Church, Vaucluse, NSW
Rev’d Dr Keith Mascord
Benjamin Oh
Co-convenor, Rainbow Catholics InterAgency for Ministry, NSW
Honorary Curate, Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill, NSW
Father David Smith
Rector, Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill, NSW
Rev’d Graham Long
CEO & Pastor, The Wayside Chapel, Sydney, NSW
Rev’d Dr Margaret Mayman
Minister, Pitt Street Uniting Church, NSW
Rev’d Clare Brockett
Minister, Uniting Church, Sydney, NSW
Rev’d Dr Leigh
Neighbour Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church, Brisbane, QLD
Rev’d Penelope Jones
Priest St Luke’s Toowoomba, QLD
Rev’d Dr Ray Barraclough
Secretary, A Progressive Christian Voice Australia, QLD
Rev’d Susan Pickering
Minister, West End Uniting Church, Brisbane, QLD
Rev’d Dr Noel Preston
Minister, Uniting Church in Australia , QLD
Rev’d Colin Gurteen
Rev’d Canon John Fowler
Minister, Anglican Diocese of Willochra, SA
Minister, Kingston Uniting Church, TAS
Rev’d Damien Stevens
Co-Convenor, Uniting Network, Shepparton, VIC
Rev’d David Connolly
Vicar, St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Richmond, VIC
Prof Emeritus Rev’d Gary Bouma
Minister, St John’s Anglican Church, East Malvern, VIC
Rev’d Angus McLeay
Minister, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, VIC
Rev’d Noel Whale
Priest, Holy Trinity Port Melbourne, VIC
Rev’d Matt Glover
Counsellor, Ringwood, VIC
Rev’d Nathan Nettleton
Pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church, VIC
Rev’d Peter Weeks
Minister, Craigieburn & Wallan Uniting Church, VIC
Rev’d Dr Paul Tonson
Minister, Uniting Church Minister, VIC
Rev’d Dr Avril Hannah-Jones
Minister, Williamstown Uniting Church, VIC
Dr Muriel Porter
Anglican Lay Leader, Diocese of Melbourne, VIC
Father David Moore
Vicar, St John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell, VIC
Rev’d Cath McKinney
Minister, University of Divinity, Melbourne, VIC
Canon Dr Colleen O’Reilly
Vicar, St George’s Anglican Church, VIC
Rev’d Michelle Trebilcock
Minister, St John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell, VIC
Rev’d Carolyn Francis
Minister, Collins Street Baptist, VIC
Rev’d Tony Murray-Fiest
Chaplain, Anglican Church Perth, WA
© Star Observer 2022 | For the latest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, be sure to visit starobserver.com.au daily. You can also read our latest magazines or Join us on our Facebook page and Twitter feed.