BIG day today! Mega.

I had the privilege of joining with Tasmania’s church leaders to present The Salamanca Declaration to the Honourable Mr Michael Polley MHA, Speaker of the House of Representatives, on the steps of parliament. What’s the big deal, you ask? This statement unites the churches of Tasmania, representing more than 170,000 people of faith, to affirm the classical Christian values of life, liberty and legacy. At a time when these values are under relentless attack, that’s significant!

The launch of The Salamanca Declaration, Tuesday April 9.

Here’s the summarised version of The Salamanca Declaration:

{Life}

All human life is precious and the sanctity of life should be upheld regardless of race, gender, age, religion or stage of development because every human being is endowed by our Creator with equal and inherent dignity.

{Liberty}

Every person has the right to worship God individually and in a faith community. The worshipper has this liberty as a God-given freedom. It entails freedom of conscience, and freedom to speak, gather, worship and generally act in accordance with the beliefs of their faith community. Those with religious convictions share the common democratic liberties which guarantee the freedom to publish, express, or proclaim their views in order to help shape our democracy.

A family is a God-given privilege which establishes an invaluable legacy for those involved and for the benefit of society generally. It is best embodied in the birth and development of children within a stable, loving home built around the marriage of a mother and father, and supported by the wider community. 

(read more and indicate your support by visiting the website, believeintasmania.com or like the Facebook community)

…and some history

The Salamanca Declaration was conceived when five church leaders representing the state’s major denominations met in Salamanca in October 2012 to discuss the social issues eroding sanctity of life, freedom of faith and the family unit. Over the course of six months these men, with input from leading constitutional law expert and former Federal Justice Minister, Professor Michael Tate, penned the document. Key author Dr Andrew Corbett (Pentecostal) drew on the Manhattan Declaration while ensuring a uniquely Tasmanian aspect by liaising with Rev. Will Briggs (Anglican Church), Mr Adrian Lacey (Catholic Church), Rt. Reverend David Jones (Presbyterian Church) and Mr Eric Locket (Baptist Church) in the document’s creation.

The suits! The bold and brave leaders of Tasmania’s churches and church networks who signed The Salamanca Declaration (must admit, I felt a smidge out of place, the token woman and layperson!)

Yep – The Salamanca Declaration proves that the church can unite on this common ground. It was signed this morning by Tasmanian Church leaders including the Catholic Archbishop, the Anglican Bishop, the head of the Australian Christian Church, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, Apostolic Church, the Salvation Army and more. Exciting stuff. And just the beginning.