| Church Leaders Urge Government to Condemn Denigration of Christian Faith |
Representatives of the Australasian Middle Eastern Churches ** “Christians seek no special treatment, only the same dignity and protection from religious hatred that should be afforded to every Australian.”
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Church Leaders Urge Government to Condemn Denigration of Christian Faith Statement from the Australasian Middle Eastern Churches (AMEC)
Re: Unholy/Divine
29 September 2026
The Bishops and representatives of the Australasian-Middle East Christian Apostolic Churches are deeply troubled and saddened by the continued governmental support for events that deliberately denigrate and sexualise the Christian faith and symbols.
Of particular concern are the three Unholy/Divine events to be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art during October 2026.
Organisers have advertised that these events will include processions, hymns, Adoration and Confession, each of which is sacred within the Catholic, Orthodox and Assyrian traditions we represent.
The freedom of every person to express themselves within the bounds of the law, including to criticise or even ridicule religious belief, is not in question.
However, it is deeply concerning that such expression has received financial and tacit support from the government.
While it has been reported that no additional government funding has been provided specifically for these events, they are being held at a venue that receives millions of dollars in government funding each year.
We are deeply disappointed that, with the exception of Dr Hugh McDermott MP, Member for Prospect, there has been no condemnation or criticism of the scheduled events from the Government.
With respect, we do not believe there would be similar silence if the organisers were ridiculing and sexualising another religious tradition.
We are not asking for government intervention to cancel these performances. We are asking for leadership and to stop this attitude of hate towards Christianity.
Christians deserve the support of government leaders who can simultaneously defend freedom of speech while also condemning bad and hate speech that deliberately denigrates people of faith and ensuring that public funding is not used to support it.
At a time when governments rightly speak about social cohesion and confronting hatred and intolerance, those principles must extend equally to Christians. Hatred and intolerance do not become acceptable simply because their target is Christian.
Christians seek no special treatment, only the same dignity and protection from religious hatred that should be afforded to every Australian.
Most Rev Robert Rabbat
Bishop of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
President, Australasian-Middle East Christian Apostolic Churches (AMEC)
Most Rev Antoine-Charbel Tarabay
Maronite Bishop of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios Kodseie
Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines
Most Rev Anba Daniel
Coptic Orthodox Bishop for Sydney and its Affiliated Regions
Most Rev Vardan Navasardyan
Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia and New Zealand
Most Rev Basilios Georges Casmoussa
Apostolic Visitor for the Syriac Catholic Church in Australia and New Zealand
His Eminence Metropolitan Mor Malatius Malki
Metropolitan Archbishop of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Australia and New Zealand
Very Rev Msgr Basil Sousanian
Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Catholic Church in Australia
Fr. Maher Gurges
Patriarchal Vicar of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand
Msgr Joseph Joseph
Assyrian Church of the East
Rev Fr Andrawos Faraj
Coptic Catholic Church of Australia |
