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Pavlou
 
I recently wrote about Queensland University student Drew Pavlou.  He was in deep trouble, facing expulsion from the university for speaking out against what is happening in China. 
 
Last year, Drew Pavlou and 15 of his fellow students organised a pro-Hong Kong democracy protest, calling for an end to Queensland University’s close ties with the Chinese government. Twenty percent of the university’s students are from China, and the university relies on the high fees they pay.

Drew Pavlou’s protest was peaceful, but he was attacked by several big men in dark glasses – punched in the mouth and knocked to the ground. He also received hundreds of death threats. Yet Brisbane’s Chinese Consul-General issued a statement praising the Chinese thugs’ “patriotic fervour”. 
 
Disturbingly, Queensland University does not seem to have taken action against those who attacked Pavlou. Rather, it charged him with 11 offences – many of them trivial – and ordered him to attend a disciplinary hearing on 20 May. 
 
The result was announced last Friday. Drew has been suspended from the university for two years. 
 
He had been a top student and was due to graduate with a BA at the end of this year. His suspension has put an end to that – all because he spoke out in favour of democracy in a university that is supposed to promote freedom of speech.
 
That fundamental freedom is probably more at risk in Australia today than ever before. Last year, Rugby Australia sacked Israel Folau for quoting Bible teaching in an Instagram post. While he was able to settle out of court with the help of a top lawyer, he did not get his job back.

Last year Dr Peter Ridd, a physics professor at Townsville’s James Cook University, publicly questioned the quality of Great Barrier Reef research by some of his colleagues. Instead of checking whether Ridd’s claim was correct, the university sacked him.
 
A Federal Court judge found that Dr Ridd had been unfairly dismissed and awarded compensation – but the university is currently appealing that decision. His future, and freedom of speech in Australian universities, hangs in the balance.

Israel Folau has a strong Christian faith. I do not know whether that is true for Drew Pavlou or Dr Ridd, but all three are made in the image of God. Like the rest of us, they should be able to speak their views as long as they do not defame or threaten violence – whether or not we agree with them.

Not only is the right to speak about politics or science at stake, so is the freedom to share the gospel.
 
Peter Downie - National Director, FamilyVoice Australia

Rev Ade Omooba MBE one of the claimants in the letter 4

Prominent UK churches have demanded that the government urgently revise lockdown laws that discriminate against churches.

The letter of demand sent to the government argues that the restrictions against churches are unlawful and unnecessary, and discriminate against them in the official ‘exit-strategy’.

The church leaders warn that they will pursue legal action if the government fails to prioritise religious freedom.

The letter states that “churches have been given the most unfavourable treatment possible.”

“Churches have been placed in the bottom category of the most dangerous and least important services, subjected to severest restrictions for the longest period of time.

“Those restrictions are imposed by means of formal legislation with a criminal sanction; unlike many other organisations and individuals, churches are not trusted to follow advice.”

The letter argues that the government’s forced closure of all churches is disproportionate, interfering with Article 9 of the European Declaration of Human Rights (freedom of belief and religion).

According to the eleven high profile church leaders, the government should recognise the importance of churches and church ministries to society and allow churches to open up earlier than at the very last stage of the easing of restrictions.

Pastor Ade Omooba MBE, one of the claimants in the letter, said: “It cannot be right that at present it is lawful to go to a bike shop, B&Q, visit a chiropractor or dry cleaner, and not be allowed to receive Holy Communion or engage in silent prayer in a church. Churches have traditionally been at the centre of the communities, able to offer counsel, prayer and comfort at times of national crisis. They are at the heart of our communities helping to combat mental health problems, addictions, risk of suicide, domestic violence, poverty and risk.

“Churches deliver an essential service to the community. The government should not be putting churches as the lowest priority services for re-opening from the lockdown. We look forward to the response from the government to this letter and hope that we can engage with the government to see church ministry prioritised as we start to exit the lockdown.”

The UK letter signatories, many of whom lead churches in some of the most deprived communities in the UK, include:

  • Rev Ade Omooba MBE and Dr David Muir, Co-Chairs of the National Church Leaders Forum, A Black Christian Voice;
  • David Hathaway, President, Eurovision Mission to Europe;
  • Revd Dr Brad Norman, Salvation For The Nations Intl. Churches
  • Chris Demetriou, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone
  • Bishop Lovel Bent, Presiding Bishop, Connections Trust
  • Pastor Sunday Okenwa, Regional Overseer, Deeper Christian Life Ministry
  • Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, President, Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue
  • Canon Yaqub Masih MBE, Secretary General, UK Asian Christians; Secretary General &
    Founder, New Horizons
  • Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor, Kingsway International Christian Centre
  • Bishop Alfred Williams, Presiding Bishop, Christ Faith Tabernacle International Churches
  • Dennis Greenidge, Senior Pastor, Worldwide Mission Fellowship.

In the USA, the Alliance Defending Freedom has launched actions in a number of states against measures targeting churches.

“Singling out churches for special punishment while allowing others to have greater freedom isn’t just illogical, it’s clearly unconstitutional,” said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker.

black wooden church budakirkja PK352CR 2

A legal group has filed a lawsuit against the Governor of Washington over his COVID-19 order which penalises meetings of churches but allows marijuana and alcohol shops to operate.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Washington-based Christ’s Church of Mt Spokane, says the church does not have the staff or money to live-stream services.

The ADF is seeking an immediate halt to enforcement of the order which labels churches as “COVID-19 ‘superspreader’ events” and restricts church gatherings to fifty persons or a quarter of church capacity, whichever is less. Under the Governor’s plan restaurants can open at 50% capacity but churches are restricted to 25% or fifty persons, whichever is less.

“While responding to crises can be difficult, this case doesn’t need to be,” said ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner.

“The same Washingtonians who can be trusted to comply with social-distancing and other health guidelines in secular settings can also be trusted in religious settings.

“The Constitution simply doesn’t permit Gov. Inslee to assume the worst when people meet to worship but assume the best when those same people go to work, do some shopping, eat at a restaurant, or go about the rest of their daily lives.”

The church plans to adopt strict health and safety protocols, including encouraging the wearing of masks, spacing, and the use of hand sanitizer.

“Singling out churches for special punishment while allowing others to have greater freedom isn’t just illogical, it’s clearly unconstitutional,” said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker.

“Gov. Inslee has called cannabis retailers and breweries essential but prohibits pastors from ministering in-person to their congregations—a strategy that poses obvious constitutional problems. We support government leaders’ efforts to prioritize the public’s health and safety, but people of faith should be free to assemble if other groups are free to assemble.”

NSW restrictions meme for website4

Pressure is building on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to end her discriminatory COVID-19 church crackdown.

Over six thousand people have signed a petition launched by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney on May 27.

Presently in NSW fifty people can meet at hospitality venues. But as few as eleven people are prohibited from meeting at a church.

“Churches have cooperated at every stage with the Government’s public health directives during this pandemic,” Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP said.

“We understand that the shutdown was necessary to flatten the curve, but it came at a cost – not only to the economy, but also to the spiritual and mental health of our people.

“They miss gathering for worship and praying in a sacred space. I am at a loss to explain to Catholics in Sydney why our reasonable requests to the government are not being granted. 

“Contrary to what has been said throughout this pandemic, we do not consider church attendance to be non-essential; indeed, nothing is more essential than the practice of our faith,” reads the petition.

“Catholics are not asking for special treatment, we are asking for equal treatment.

“This unequal treatment of religious worship leads us to ask whether the Government is listening to the concerns of Catholics and other people of faith or indifferent to the effect the closure of our churches is having on people during these difficult times.

“The freedom to practice faith is necessary for human flourishing and a great contributor to the common good.” 

FamilyVoice Australia National Director Peter Downie said, “Governments have been heavy-handed and unjust in their treatment of churches during the COVID-19 crisis.”

black wooden church budakirkja PK352CR 2

A legal group has filed a lawsuit against the state of Oregon over a COVID-19 order which prohibits meetings at churches with 26 attendees.

The Alliance Defending Freedom says that it is also looking at putting a motion to temporarily restrain enforcement of the order pending the outcome of the lawsuit.

Under the order, pastors can be penalised with a fine of over $1,000 and jailed for up to a month.

The ADF says this is a double standard as the same number of people and more can eat in a restaurant without penalty.

“While responding to crises can be difficult, this case is not,” said ADF spokesman Caleb Dalton.

“There is no legitimate justification for banning church services of 26 or more—with responsible social distancing and health and safety protocols—while allowing malls, gyms, restaurants, and retail establishments to fill to social-distancing capacity.”

The church plans to adopt a number of health and safety measures when it re-opens to mitigate risk of the spread of the coronavirus.

“Singling out churches for special punishment while allowing others to have greater freedom not only makes no logical sense, it’s clearly unconstitutional, just as others have warned the governor,” said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker.

“Gov. Brown has had plenty of opportunity to correct the obvious constitutional problem with issuing a church-specific ban and has chosen not to.

“We support authorities’ efforts to prioritize the public’s health and safety, but people of faith should be free to assemble if other groups are free to assemble.”