from The Age
School religion classes probed
By Jewel Topsfield
May 13, 2011
THE Christian group that provides religious education and chaplains in Victorian government schools will be investigated after its chief executive told a conference: ''We need to go and make disciples.''
The remarks appear to breach guidelines governing school religious programs, which ban trying to convert students to any one religion.
The federal and state governments said last night they would investigate Access Ministries after a recording of the speech by Evonne Paddison was brought to their attention.
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Despite repeatedly denying that Access Ministries tried to convert students, the recording reveals Dr Paddison told the 2008 conference that ''without Jesus, our students are lost''.
''In Australia, we have a God-given open door to children and young people with the Gospel, our federal and state governments allow us to take the Christian faith into our schools and share it. We need to go and make disciples,'' she told the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion national conference in Melbourne. ''What really matters is seizing the God-given opportunity we have to reach kids in schools.''
Both governments have strongly backed the religion in schools programs.
Full Story: http://www.theage.com.au/national/school-religion-classes-probed-20110512-1ekr9.html
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Submitted by Gary - background, previous story, same organisation
School chaplain body says it has 'mission'
By Michael Bachelard
April 24, 2011
The Christian organisation that provides chaplains and religious instruction teachers in state schools has advertised its services as a ''mission'' in an area of Melbourne with a large Muslim population.
An Access Ministries advertising feature shows a Christian chaplain at multicultural Glenroy Primary School talking to two Muslim children wearing hijabs. The headline is: ''Your Community Our Mission''.
In the accompanying article, published last year, Access Ministries' chief executive Evonne Paddison wrote that: ''My prayer is that each child in Victoria, with your help will experience the transforming love of God and his son Jesus.''
Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-chaplain-body-says-it-has-mission-20110423-1ds9a.html
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Submitted by Gary - ABC hot to trot on this story..
from ABC News
Chaplains investigated over student 'disciples'
By James Bennett
Updated Fri May 13, 2011 8:57am AEST
The religious organisation that provides chaplains to Victorian schools appears to have breached federal guidelines that forbid it from trying to convert children.
Access Ministries provides chaplains to 280 Victorian schools and 96 per cent of special religious education classes.
The group received extra funding in this week's federal budget.
The national school chaplaincy code of conduct, which every chaplain must sign, stipulates they should not take advantage of their privileged position to try to convert children to their religious belief or denomination.
But on its website, the boss of Access Ministries outlines a strategy to "make students disciples."
Full story: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/13/3215690.htm
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Submitted by Gary - The next salvo, just a few hours later..
from ABC News
Disciple claim sparks call for chaplain funding freeze
By Monique Ross
Updated Fri May 13, 2011 2:35pm AEST
A prominent author and ethicist has called for an immediate freeze to school chaplain funding amid allegations a religious organisation is trying to make disciples of Victorian students.
Access Ministries, which received a funding boost in the federal budget, provides chaplains to 280 Victorian schools on the proviso it does not push religion onto students.
The organisation was today accused of breaching those guidelines after the ABC found a 2008 speech in which its head said chaplains "have a God-given open door to children" and "need to go and make disciples".
Access Ministries denies the claims, saying there have been no complaints it has breached any guidelines.
But Australian humanist of the year Leslie Cannold says the funding for school chaplains should be halted while the allegations are investigated.
"In the face of these persistent revelations that these organisations that provide chaplaincy services are taking advantage of the fact that children are away from their parents to try to convert them to Christianity, an immediate freeze on all the funds that are going to these organisations [is needed]," she said.
Full story: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/13/3216156.htm
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Submitted by Gary - But wait, there's more...
from ABC Radio's PM program
Investigation ordered into religious educator
By Liz Hobday
Friday, May 13, 2011 6:14pm
ASHLEY HALL: The debate over religion in government schools is intensifying, with the head of a Christian group hitting out at claims it tries to convert students during religious education classes.
The group, Access Ministries, provides chaplains and special religious instructors to Victorian schools. Its chief executive has been recorded telling a group of evangelical Anglicans to make the most of the school access to "go and make disciples".
Full audio report: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/pm/201105/20110513-02-schools-religion.mp3
Transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3216526.htm
