ACL 22nd May 2014

22 May 2014

Although foreign aid was the single biggest saving in this year’s federal budget, the Coalition upheld its election promise by extending funding for the National School Chaplaincy Program– a win for the emotional wellbeing of Australian students.

In an interview with ACL’s Daniel Simon this week, Managing Director Lyle Shelton speaks about the federal budget, including the issues of foreign aid and chaplaincy.

ACL’s Lachlan Macquarie Internship (LMI) is a unique course aimed at fostering a greater appreciation of the relevance of a Christian worldview to public policy.

In this week’s ENews, LMI’s program director Nick Jensen writes about the past and present foundational role the Church plays in public policy.

Applications for the next term of LMI, running from August 17th to November 21st, are now open. If you or someone you know is considering a career in public policy, we encourage you to send in your application. Applications close June 20th.

In other news, ACL’s Victorian Director Dan Flynn was interviewed by 3AW’s Neil Mitchell recently about the use of Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue to promote sports betting in the upcoming World Cup. See the media section to listen to the interview.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to register for ACL’s Q & A panel event in Brisbane, on this coming Monday 26th May. There’s a great line up of speakers including the Hon Tracy Davis MP and chairman of Teen Challenge Dr David Hunt who, along with other speakers, will be discussing alcohol-fuelled violence and the Carmody Report into the safety of children.

Seats are limited so be sure not to miss out.

ACL Team

Budget a first world problem compared to plight of Christians in Middle East

By Lyle Shelton, Managing Director

As we worry about the budget’s impact on our standard of living, our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle East fear for their lives. Reports of murder, kidnapping, forced conversion and church destruction at the hands of Muslim extremists are common in places like Syria, Iraq and Egypt.

Recant or die – Christian mother sentenced to death in Sudan

A Sudanese court has sentenced a 27-year-old Christian woman to death for the alleged crime of converting from Islam.

Apostasy is a crime punishable by death in Sudan. She has also been sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery because the nation’s Islamic law doesn’t recognise her marriage to a Christian man.

Click here to make a stand for Meriam by emailing Sudan’s ambassador and Cc’ing Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

The State needs the Church

By Nick Jensen – ACL Leadership Development Director

It seems that now whenever there is a problem, it is the government’s responsibility to do something about it. Even Christians often fall into this trap. We treat the government as Saviour and put our hope in its sovereign arm. The reality is, however, that the State needs the Church.

School chaplaincy program gets funding boost

The Coalition has upheld its election promise by extending funding for the National School Chaplaincy Program, a decision welcomed by the Australian Christian Lobby. The Coalition pledged before the election to continue the National School Chaplaincy Program in Schools to support the emotional wellbeing of students.

Economist Chris Richardson talks about the federal budget

Chris Richardson is an economist with Deloitte Access Economics, and a well-known commentator on economics. In this interview with ACL’s Daniel Simon, he discusses the Coalition’s first federal budget, handed down by Treasurer Joe Hockey last week.