Social service has been an essential expression of the Christian faith since the earliest days of the Christian community.
In Acts 6, we see a church finding a new structure that allows worship, prayer and teaching to continue while also ensuring the care of those in need.
People of good standing were given the role and responsibility of this caring work.
Mercy, justice, humility and honouring God have been essential expressions of faithful living for thousands of years (see Micah 6:8).
In contemporary Anglicanism, these commitments are expressed in two of the Five Marks of Mission.
Anglicans understand that following the way of Jesus requires them to respond to human need by loving service and to transform unjust structures of society, challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation.
Through care for people who are sick, poor or vulnerable, Anglicans seek to embody the presence of the Kingdom of God. This reflects the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbour and demonstrates that service is central to faith.
We understand that we must engage in individual works of charity while also addressing the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression and conflict. This requires us to engage with the political, economic and social systems that shape human lives.
Research published by Deloitte Access Economics in 2018 found people who began attending religious services as adults were more likely to volunteer and make donations than people who had never attended religious services.
Religious faith has long encouraged people to give their money and time for the wellbeing of others, especially those in need.
Philanthropy Australia has highlighted the influence of social expectations on giving. People who live in communities where giving is understood as a duty or expected behaviour tend to give more.
Ever since Anglican Christians came to the region in 1804, they have sought to put their faith into action. We acknowledge that, at times, some of our actions have been seriously misguided or poorly executed.
We have expressed lament for our participation in policies and practices that added to the harm experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Stolen Generations. We have expressed deep apology for our failures of care for children and young people that resulted in their harm.
Anglicans have historically expressed their faith by providing donations, engaging in fundraising, undertaking community advocacy and devoting their time to promoting human flourishing as an expression of God’s love.
This is true of the visionary Anglicans who acquired a site at Booragul and sought to provide suitable housing for older Australians. 70 years on, Anglican Care in 2026 builds on that desire to assist older Australians.
While our work through Samaritans builds on a century-old concern for young people and a longstanding commitment to advocacy.
Samaritans, in its own right and as part of Anglicare Australia, continues to raise issues of housing affordability with governments and the wider community.
Yet the call to promote human flourishing requires Christians to make judgements about justice, dignity and the common good. Those judgements are not always shared.
Christians living out their faith are not free from disagreement and contest. Christians can be found across a broad spectrum of views about what represents justice and holiness.
For example, we see Christians holding different positions on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. We also see Christians holding different positions on the contribution people should make to access essential services such as health care.
Our broader community is clearly seeking to redress the harms experienced by LGBTI+ people. Laws and social policies increasingly prohibit discrimination and seek to promote equality and equity. Christians have responded in different ways.
Some have strongly supported them, while others have questioned whether they are consistent with Christian teaching.
Our diocese is currently wrestling with these questions. Our Synod and Diocesan Council recently made this clear statement:
Newcastle Anglican affirms all people are created equal. Our community is a place of inclusion and belonging for all persons. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment, acknowledging the uniqueness of everyone regardless of their additional needs and abilities, age, race, gender, sexuality, LGBTIQ+ identification and preferences, religion, culture, physical and mental abilities and socio-economic background.
Our recent Synod affirmed “its commitment to the dignity, faithfulness, and full participation in the life of the Church of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) people.”
A majority of the Synod would like to see LGBTI+ people who are married take their place in the ordained ministry of the Church. There is a significant alternative view. The Synod therefore acknowledged “that questions concerning marriage, sexuality, and ordination remain matters of theological diversity and ecclesial complexity within the Diocese and the wider Anglican Communion.”
The Christian calling to loving service and justice requires us to act upon disagreements with mercy, justice and humility. We must listen carefully, speak honestly and continue to recognise the dignity of every person.
As Newcastle Anglicans, we will continue to build on the vision and generosity of those who have gone before us. We will also acknowledge where the Church has caused harm, learn from those failures and seek to act differently.
This requires more than good intentions. It requires practical care, thoughtful advocacy and a willingness to examine the structures and attitudes that diminish human flourishing.
Our commitment to belonging is part of this work. Inclusion will continue to be discussed and contested, but it cannot be treated as separate from our calling to love our neighbour.
The way we care for older people, support young people, stand alongside those who are vulnerable and welcome those who have experienced exclusion reveals something about the faith we proclaim.
This work is an essential part of the life of the Church. It is part of our worship and witness. It is one of the ways in which we seek to follow Jesus and make the love of God known.
– Bishop Peter Stuart
