letter from Australia
Why are Sydney Anglicans in decline?
David Robertson
Sydney Anglicans are often (rightly) held up as a bright light in an otherwise darkening denominational structure. But is the light beginning to dim?
In a revealing, insightful and helpful report to the Sydney Anglican Synod, the facts on church size were revealed and analysed. The report is worth reading in detail, but in summary it shows that over the decade 2013–2023 the number attending Sydney Anglican churches declined by 7% (or 14% if you measure it by the size of the growing population). In 2013 adult attendance was 47,801. By 2023 this had declined to 44,592. Meanwhile the population of Sydney continues to grow – from 4.76 million people in 2013 to 5.26 million in 2023. It is expected to grow by another million by 2041.
letter from Australia
State-funded evil?
David Robertson
Australia is a nation of states. And they are different states, with a different ethos. Although all seem to be heading in the same regressive/progressive direction, the state of Victoria seems to be leading the race to the bottom. Indicative of this is ‘Rising’, Melbourne’s third annual taxpayer-funded arts festival, held in June 2024.
Amongst the good arts projects, and the bad, there was also the downright ugly. For example, you could listen to ‘queer Filipino ghost stories’. Then there is Anito – a ‘megafauna dance deep time from Sydney’s underground quest and diasporic club scenes’. Or you could go to Crip Rave Theory, ‘a disability-led party and a political statement which draws on disabled/crip knowledge to create more intersectionally-accesible party spaces’. Crip stands for cripple. Until five minutes ago this would have been regarded as grossly politically incorrect, but apparently some academic in some humanities department, probably in the US, has decided to reclaim the language and so ‘cripple’ moves from being an insult to a political badge – doubtless soon to have its own flag!
letter from Australia
Islamic terrorism cited as number one risk
David Robertson
The head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Mike Burgess (pictured), warned at the end of February this year that Islamic terror was the top threat facing the nation.
He said: ‘We have seen heightened community tensions that have translated into some incidents of violence connected to protest activity … Sunni violent extremism poses the greatest religiously motivated violent extremist threat in Australia.’
Gossip is no longer just local – it’s global
The woman was horrified… “You wouldn’t dare do that”. She was a member in the church and had just been told by the pastor that she was likely to be disciplined for her continual sinful behaviour, unless she repented. What had she done? Adultery? Theft? Abuse? No – she was a persistent gossip, continually slandering people within and beyond the congregation.
It’s not often you hear of that – and yet the Bible speaks strongly about the sin of gossip. “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Prov.26 v20 NIV) “You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbour: I am the Lord” (Lev.19v16 ESV). “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it” (James 4v11NIV).