Support for prayer in Brisbane City Council
Strong public support shown for prayer to continue in Council meetings.
Read moreACL pushes back on calls to remove prayer from Brisbane City Council meetings – please sign our petition
A petition calling for the removal of the tradition of reading a Christian prayer in Brisbane City Council meetings has been gathering support and getting media attention.
Read moreSA: Amendment to allow prayer would shine some light
Please allow us to pray
On Wednesday, 22 July 2020, the SA Lower House will debate and possibly vote on the Health Care (Safe Access) Amendment Bill 2020.
The Bill will establish 70,000 square metre zones in at least 12 areas (possibly more) in South Australia where it will be against the law to communicate about abortion in a way that can be seen and heard by those entering or leaving a place where abortions are carried out.
Read moreCalling Christians to pray
From the Prime Minister's speech to parliament this morning, "And I'll say this, while you may not be able to go to church… I most certainly call on all people of faith for you to pray. I can assure you, my prayer knees are getting a good work out.”
Chairman leads nation in prayer for our leaders
On Saturday 22 February 2020, at the national Day of Prayer and Fasting, Jim Wallace led the nation in a powerful prayer for our leaders.
Read more2020 Parliament Ecumenical Service
Read moreHow you can pray...
Join us in prayer. See prayer points >>
Read moreNew President of Parliamentary Christian Fellowship
Louise Markus is the federal member for Macquarie and the new president of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship. In this interview with the ACL's Katherine Spackman she discusses what the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship does.
MR: Lord’s Prayer should remain a part of opening parliament
MEDIA RELEASE
For release: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
The Australian Christian Lobby believes the support of mainstream politics for the Lords’ Prayer in Parliament means the latest Greens’ push to remove it will fail.
ACL Managing Director Lyle Shelton said Labor and the Coalition have consistently told ACL, through its election questionnaires over the past three federal elections, that they support parliament opening with prayer and will not change this.
“It is disappointing the acting Greens leader Senator Richard di Natale wants to take away something of Australia's cultural heritage. We daily recognise indigenous heritage in parliament and prayer in parliament recognises western cultural heritage” Mr Shelton said.
”The Christian ethos underpinning western civilisation has fostered free and prosperous societies, including our liberal democracy,” he said.
“When people talk of separation of church and state it does not imply that Christian and/or religious ideas or worldviews do not have a place in the public square. That was not the intention of the drafters of the Australian constitution when talking about religion,” he said.
“The Lord’s Prayer has a legitimate place in parliament and should continue to be a part of the daily ceremonial opening,” Mr Shelton said.
Mr Shelton said the election commitments of both Labor and the Coalition meant that the Greens’ plan should fail.
For release: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
The Australian Christian Lobby believes the support of mainstream politics for the Lords’ Prayer in Parliament means the latest Greens’ push to remove it will fail.
ACL Managing Director Lyle Shelton said Labor and the Coalition have consistently told ACL, through its election questionnaires over the past three federal elections, that they support parliament opening with prayer and will not change this.
“It is disappointing the acting Greens leader Senator Richard di Natale wants to take away something of Australia's cultural heritage. We daily recognise indigenous heritage in parliament and prayer in parliament recognises western cultural heritage” Mr Shelton said.
”The Christian ethos underpinning western civilisation has fostered free and prosperous societies, including our liberal democracy,” he said.
“When people talk of separation of church and state it does not imply that Christian and/or religious ideas or worldviews do not have a place in the public square. That was not the intention of the drafters of the Australian constitution when talking about religion,” he said.
“The Lord’s Prayer has a legitimate place in parliament and should continue to be a part of the daily ceremonial opening,” Mr Shelton said.
Mr Shelton said the election commitments of both Labor and the Coalition meant that the Greens’ plan should fail.
Managing Director Jim Wallace attends Governor's Prayer Breakfast
ACL's Managing Director Jim Wallace attended the governor's prayer breakfast in Western Australia on Thursday.
The breakfast was a celebration of 20 years of the event. It is a time where Western Australia's leaders and the community get together for fellowship, to display unity across Christian denominations, and to express the needs and aspirations of the community.
This year's guest speaker was the Hon John Anderson AO, National party leader and later Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. You can listen to the audio of his speech here.
Speakers at the event over the last 20 years - of which Mr Wallace is one - were invited to dine with the governor the evening before the breakfast (please see attached image of attendees).