Australian Marriage Equality has welcomed a letter from 77 Clergy from across Australia calling on Australians to show their support for marriage equality by making submissions to the Senate Inquiry and the House Representatives inquiry into same-sex marriage. (Names of Clergy below)
This comes after 6 Victorian Catholic Bishops wrote to parishioners on the weekend asking them to oppose equality for same-sex couples. (Report here)
The supportive clergy come from Uniting, Baptist, Anglican, Jewish, Buddhist, and other faith groups and their letter sent to 60,000 supporters reads:
“As clergy from various different faiths and denominations in Australia, we believe marriage is a fundamental institution in our society. It fosters greater commitment between partners, provides children with a sense of security and stability, and strengthens ties with families and communities. Marriage is a blessing to be shared, so we encourage people of faith who support marriage equality to voice their support for the reform by responding to the House of Representatives inquiry on same-sex marriage today.”
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich, said the Clergy were sending a clear message to decision makers in Canberra:
“These Clergy value the security and recognition that comes with marriage, and are calling for this important right to be extended to loving and committed same-sex couples.”
Mr Greenwich said the letter was a sign of the growing momentum towards marriage equality:
“Some of the clergy were once opposed to marriage equality, but have gone on the same journey of acceptance that a majority of Australians have”.
“Despite the moves of the Victorian Catholic Church, same-sex couples and our families can be confident we now have strong support from religious leaders across the country”.
The Clergy who signed the letter are listed below:
- Rev Penny Jones, Anglican Priest, Queensland
- Rev Leigh Neighbour, Metropolitan Community Church, Brisbane
- Bishop-elect Timothy Mansfield, Apostolic Johannite Church Sydney,
- Rev Bill Crews, Uniting Church Sydney
- Rev Michael Hercock, Baptist Minister Sydney
- Rev Dr Paul Walton, Uniting Church Minister, Queensland
- Fr Rod Bower, Anglican Priest, Gosford NSW
- Rev Chris Bedding, Anglican Priest, Perth
- Rev Steve Thompson, Uniting Church Minister, South Australia
- Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky, Adelaide
- Rev Eileen Ray, Uniting Church Minister, Victoria
- Rev Shane Andersen DD, Senior Pastor, Outreach Ministries Church Fellowship, Sydney
- Rev Natasha Darke, Anglican Priest, Adelaide
- Rev Julie Leaves, Anglican Priest, Brisbane
- Rev Canon Dr Nigel Leaves, St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane
- Pastor Karl Hand, Metropolitan Community Church, Sydney
- Rev Dr Rowland Croucher, Baptist Minister, Victoria
- Rev John Clapton, Anglican Priest, Perth
- Rev Boris Kleiner, Church Of the First Creation, Queensland
- Rev Roger Munson, St James Uniting Church, Canberra
- Rev Dr Jonathan Inkpin, Anglican Rector of the Parish of St Luke, Toowoomba
- Rev Susan Pickering, Uniting Church Minister, Brisbane
- Rev Jonathan Chambers, Senior Anglican Chaplain, Victoria
- Rev Dr Ian Mavor OAM, Uniting Church Minister, Queensland
- Fr Thomas Leslie, Anglican Priest, Victoria
- Rev Dr Avril Hannah-Jones, Uniting Church Minister, Victoria
- Rev Dr Craig de Vos, Uniting Church Minister, South Australia
- Rev Tony Johnson, Uniting Church Minister, Victoria
- Rev Canon John Fowler, Anglican Priest, Victoria
- Rev Andrew Prior, Uniting Church, South Australia
- Rev Joan Riley, Anglican Priest, South Australia
- Rev Judy Redman, Uniting Church Minister, New South Wales
- Rev Murray Fysh, Uniting Church Minister, Queensland
- Rev Andrew Eaton, Anglican Priest, Victoria.
- Rev Dennis Webster, Anglican Priest, Victoria.
- Rev Josie Nottle, Uniting Church Minister, Queensland.
- Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, Senior Rabbi, New South Wales.
- Rev Tracey Gracey, Anglican Priest, South Australia.
- Rev John Maddern, Uniting Church, Past Moderator, South Australia.
- Rev Peter Weeks, Uniting Church Minister, Victoria.
- Fr Stephen Clark, Anglican Parish Priest, Blackwood, SA
- Rev Bruce Stocks, Anglican Priest, Adelaide SA
- Rev Caro Field, Uniting Church Minister, Victoria.
- Rev Dr Geoffrey D Scott, Uniting Church Minister (ret.), South Australia.
- Rev Bill Harris, Deacon, Uniting Church, South Australia.
- Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, Victoria.
- Rev Christine Garner, Uniting Church Minister (ret.), South Australia.
- Rev Dr Michael Godfrey, Anglican Priest, Northern Territory.
- Rev Leanne Jane Jenski, Uniting Church minister, South Australia.
- Rev Susan Wickham, Uniting Church minister, South Australia.
- Rev Brendan Byrne, Uniting Church minister, Victoria.
- Rabbi Paul Jacobson, New South Wales.
- Rev Andrew Mintern, Anglican Priest, South Australia.
- Rev Sandy Brodine, Uniting Church minister, Victoria.
- Rabbi Jacki Ninio, New South Wales.
- Rev Lucas Taylor, Church of Christ minister, Victoria.
- Rev Mark J Dunn, Uniting Church minister, Victoria.
- Rev Dr Christopher Page, Baptist minister, Victoria.
- Wilma Davidson, Clerk, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), ACT.
- Pastor Nathan Nettleton, Baptist minister, Victoria.
- Rev Narelle Oliver-Braddock, Parish Priest, United Ecumenical Catholic Church, Queensland.
- Rabbi Roy Freeman, Melbourne.
- Rev Ian Hunter, Uniting Church minister, South Australia.
- Prof Emeritus Rev Gary D Bouma, Anglican Priest, Victoria.
- Shaku Jo’on Gregg Heathcote, Shin Buddhist priest, New South Wales.
- Rev Matt Glover, Baptist Minister, Victoria.
- Rev Michaela Tiller, Uniting Church minister, South Australia.
- Rev Peter McDonald, Uniting Church minister, South Australia.
- Rev Don Catford, Uniting Church minister (past Moderator), South Australia.
- Rev David Hunnerup, Uniting Church minister, Tasmania.
- Rev Tony Duncan, Uniting Church minister, Tasmania.
- Rev Colin Gurteen, Uniting Church minister, Tasmania.
- Ms Ann Hamblin, Correspondent, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), WA.
- Ms Jennifer Hole, Correspondent, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), WA.
- Rev Ojitha Goonetilleke, Uniting Church minister, Victoria.
- Rev Dr Richard Mallaby, Baptist minister, Victoria.
- Rev Nigel Eynon, Universal Life Church minister, Queensland.
Additional quotes from Clergy in support of marriage equality can be found here.
Further information on Senate and House of Representative’s inquiries can be found here.
For further information please contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335.
Disclaimer: The personal support for marriage equality expressed by clergy listed above does not necessarily reflect the official position of their organisation as a whole. To find out where the organisation stands on marriage equality, please contact AME or the organisation itself.