Religion News Selection
April 17 – 24, 2022
A selection of religion news stories from Australia
(Research: Greg Spearritt)
ABUSE
Former Esther Foundation residents claim they faced mistreatment and abuse (ABC News)
Apr 21 – A rehabilitation facility at the centre of mistreatment and abuse allegations has gone into voluntary administration, effective from Wednesday.
ISLAM
‘Huge issue’: The athletes juggling faith and sport (The Age, Melbourne)
Apr 24 – Hakeem al-Araibi quietly arrived at St Albans Saints Soccer Club training after sunset, holding a date and a drink.
POLITICS
NSW Nationals candidate tells congregation of her aim to ‘bring God’s kingdom’ to politics (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 21 – The National party’s candidate for the marginal northern New South Wales seat of Richmond told worshippers at a Pentecostal church that her “ultimate goal” in politics was to “bring God’s kingdom to the political arena”.
Australian Christian Lobby faces complaints about flyers targeting MPs (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 23 – Australian Christian Lobby flyers targeting moderate Liberals who crossed the floor to amend the religious discrimination bill to protect LGBTIQ+ people have prompted complaints to the charities regulator that argue the material breaches rules on political campaigning.
RELIGION & SOCIETY
Hillsong: scathing internal letter denounces church response to Brian Houston’s leadership (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 22 – A senior member of the Hillsong church has written an explosive letter to the church’s global board criticising the handling of complaints against its former head Brian Houston and his leadership style.
Push to liberate religious swastika in NSW from its ‘indoor prison’ (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 23 – Surinder Jain has a dream: to normalise the swastika in Australia.
