Anglican Parish Of Gosford

The Anglican Parish of Gosford, in terms of worship style, is modern, family friendly, yet retains elements of distinctly Anglican traditions.

As for the social stance of its parish priest, the Venerable Rod Bower, it must be understood in the context of Anglican geopolitics: the parish is in the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, next to the powerful and conservative Anglican Diocese of Sydney. Fr Bower's progressive interpretation of the Bible is thus a response to the conservative dogmatism of Sydney Anglicans, and is indeed one of the very few significant voices to counter the conservative stranglehold over the secular politics and media in Australia.

Traditionalist's who take the bible as more than an allegory will struggle - progressive and forward thinking, concerned with inclusivity which is what Australia needs to celebrate It's cultural diversity. His teaching transcend bigoted media and yes, whilst very left wing this Church encourages unity above all else - what religion is all about...

Not a real church, just a Marxist brain washing centre. All father Rob preaches about is cultural Marxism and wants to promote leftist agenda. A real church would not behave like this. Don't waste your time here.

This church strives to make the Church relevant to Australia and the world, towards a more peaceful, compassionate and forward looking world that honours God with all our warm hearts. In this church I truly feel God loves all of us.

It appears Bowers Hypocrisy knows no bounds He doesn't know anything about Articles 19 or 30 of the UDHR either but what else would you expect ??

When I first came to this church, I was immediately amazed at how welcoming and friendly the members were. I was really impressed. I've been to this church many times and I recommend this church to everyone. I sadly haven't been here for a while as I have started working on the weekend, but I told Father Rod and he understands.

This church strives to make this church relevant to Australia and the world, towards a more peaceful, compassionate and forward looking world that honours God with all our warm hearts. In that church I truly feel God loves all of us.

Very anti-Australian, alot of deformation preached about Australians I didn't feel welcome it's a very hateful place

It felt Islamic.

Alot of lies and deformation on the notice board.

In this #homelessnessweek learn to practice hospitality.

It’s not really a matter of freedom of speech; it’s just that some subjects no longer need to be discussed. Let's take gravity for instance; if someone turned up at a university campus wishing to put the case against gravity it would not be seen as a denial of that person’s freedom of speech to refuse them. The argument regarding gravity has pretty much been settled and no sane person feels the need to revisit it.
The same can be said for extreme right wing ideologies. There ...have been thousands of studies written on them, the results of these ideologies have been observed for long periods of time, we know that they lead to extreme human suffering and the destruction of society. There is no need to discuss them further.
And yet media outlets continue to afford such discredited ideologies a voice. This is clearly done for the benefits of sensationalism and ratings. However it backfired in the most sensational way for Sky News.
I recently had occasion, for the purposes research, to read the inaugural speech of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1933. The speech, for the most part, is deceptively reasonable and could be delivered by contemporary right wing politician without raising an eyebrow. This is where Sky News made their mistake, they went too far.
There is no doubt that the Murdoch empire have an ideological agenda that goes beyond financial gain and they usually manage to ply their manipulation without tripping the wire of consciousness, but every now and they slip up and this was such an occasion.
Sky News made the mistake of letting us see the shadow and we don’t like that.
Some commentators believe that the airing of such extreme views normalizes racism but I don’t think that is the case. In fact what normalizes racism is the deceptively reasonable rhetoric of ‘respectable’ politicians and news outlets. We should be grateful for the occasions when they slip up and accidentally show us the dark core of their being.
It is good that occasionally a right wing extremist slips through the carefully controlled propaganda filter, it is good that we are outraged; it is not good that this repugnant ideology is unobtrusively seeping into national consciousness.
Because like gravity there is only one way this ideology will force our society. DOWN!
Fr Rod.
See More

Should we cut our foreign aid budget to help our farmers? It’s the wrong question. We have enough to help both groups of people. The bigger question is: how we will we live? Trapped by affluenza and believing in the myth of scarcity? Or daring to believe in a world of abundance, generosity and sacrifice? Only one of these world views resembles the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth.

The real miracle at the feeding of the 5000 was the shift in consciousness from one of lack to one of abundance. This mindset is essential for the creation of a just society. It is not until we understand that there is enough for all that we will share our resources with equity. Fr Rod.

View Fr Rod's recent #TEDxSydney talk here. pre order his new book here: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/outspoke n-9780143788409

We are now nothing less than a Rogue State. #Auspol

Being a 'Jesus person' is more than 'Christianity. It is being a transformed person transforming the world. That is a possibility for all humanity seeking fullness. Fr Rod

Central Coast for Social Justice makes the New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/…/australia-ref ugee-policy-protest.…

Who says the Christian voice is being pushed out of the public sphere? Fr Rod has been named at #4 on the 100 most influential list of Central Coast residents. (you may hit a paywall and not be able to view the article)

The Prime Minister must have a very low opinion of the Australian people indeed. To play the ‘race card’ says everything about what he thinks of us. To so blatantly, and in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, vilify a marginalized group of Australians for political gain, can only mean that he thinks we are no more that unthinking vassals able to be manipulated by our base instincts.
Sadly there is emerging evidence that he may be correct.
It is certainly distu...rbing that politicians now feel justified in appealing to our reptilian brain rather than our better angels. This is not leadership but simply crass manipulation which if we collude with it will inevitably lead to our societies self-destruction.
Yet what is even more disturbing is that we now seem, within our communal soul, far more acquainted with our demons than our angels, hence our ability to bring out the worst in our politicians.
We can no longer blame our elected leaders for diminishing our nation, we elected them, and they are only playing to the gallery as they see it. They are in fact holding up a mirror so that we can see who we have become.
My greatest fear is that the PM may be right, that his low opinion of us is in fact a valid reflection of who we have now become.
I hope he is wrong. I hope I am wrong.
Fr Rod.
See More

Today's Google Doodle recognizes one of my great heroes Fr Georges Lemaitre. Theologian and physicist. It almost had to be a theologian who came up with the Big Bang theory. Fr Rod

Guest speaker Joel McKerrow – writer and performance poet. Joel shares stories about faith and doubt. “God rid me of God. I’ll never seek to define you again. I’ll not speak of you again in words that are not metaphor,... that are not these poetics where similes drip from my tongue to speak of that which cannot be spoken. God rid me of God. Till I find you in the silence of my breath.”
See More

Great to be with friends Mahmoud and Nahid at the Gosford Art Gallery both in person and in paint celebrating the rich diversity of the Central Coast. http://www.s.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/…/ who-we-are-helen-mor…

An honor to be with the Aunties for #Naidoc2018 Because of her we can.
For us to have a healthy spirituality in Australia there requires a deep listening to the songs that have echoed through this land for 65000 years.
Fr Rod

Tim Blair has noticed I've lost weight. Thanks Tim. As for photo shopping no one is better than Tim https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/…/808 b4cec2582e9f427760aa…. BTW when you have a book to sell any publicity is good publicity. Thanks Tim cheers Fr Rod

Thanks to the awesome Marcus at Otis Studios for recording the audio book for Outspoken https://www.penguin.com.au/books/outspoke n-9780143788409

Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the Muslim community at the death of His Eminence the Grand Mufti of Australia Sheikh Abdel Aziem Al-Afifi.
Sheikh Al-Afifi was committed to interfaith dialogue and an harmonious multicultural community. He will be deeply missed by all who work for a better Australia.
Fr Rod.