FESTIVAL OF LIGHT AUSTRALIA A Christian ministry to the nation promoting true family values

4th Floor, 68 Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000 phone 8223 6383 fax 8223 5850 email

MEDIA RELEASE SUNDAY 31 AUGUST 2003

Religious freedom in our Brave New World

Bishop Paul Barnett of Sydney, keynote speaker at the Festival of Light Annual Review in Adelaide on 31 August, called on all religions to be open to free discussion. Bishop Barnett was Rector of Holy Trinity Church Adelaide from 1973 - 1979, in the early days of Festival of Light.

The bishop noted that religious freedom is fairly recent from a historical point of view. "As an Anglican, I take no pride in the attack on the Puritans and others in what became under Elizabeth I a virtual theocracy, as it remained until modern times," Bishop Barnett said. "During those years, Methodists and other non-conformists as well as Roman Catholics suffered significant negative discrimination."

Religious freedom has become widely accepted in more recent times. Citizens of Western nations feel free to belong to any faith or none, and the Christian and faith is widely discussed, debated and attacked.

But some other faiths are less open to free discussion - and in the name of "social cohesion", some governments have passed anti-vilification laws to stifle open debate.

"The censorship implied by these measures is inconsistent," Bishop Barnett said. "It does not extend to the realm of politics or art. The presentation of Jesus in a bottle of urine in 'Piss Christ' was deeply offensive, and blasphemy is heard daily in movies and even TV programs."

For more details, contact:

Festival of Light research officer Mrs Roslyn Phillips

Bishop Paul Barnett: