St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
St. Michael’s Uniting Church is a Uniting Church in Australia
church in Collins St
in central Melbourne
, Australia
. Originally the Collins Street Independent Church, a Congregational Union of Australia
church, and later Collins Street Uniting Church, it has become well known as a centre of liberal theology and political radicalism under its outspoken minister since 1971, Dr Francis Macnab
, currently Executive Minister. The church became a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia at its inception in 1977.
(now the state of Victoria
). The original church was demolished in 1866 to make way for the larger church now on the site. The church was designed by Joseph Reed
, who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall
and the Royal Exhibition Building
. The church is classified by the National Trust of Australia
.
The interior of the church was designed in accordance with the principles of the Congregationalist Church, as a place where all members of the congregation could both hear and see the preacher. It features a sloping floor with tiered seating and a gallery to increase the capacity of the church. The church underwent major renovations in the 1970s. It is now undergoing further renovations to its exterior structure.
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In September 2008, Dr Macnab of St Michael's Uniting Church launched what he called a "new faith" with a $120,000 advertising campaign including posters reading, "The Ten Commandments, one of the most negative documents ever written." Dr Macnab described Moses
as a mass murderer, Abraham
as concocted and Jesus
as a Jewish peasant and certainly not God.
The Synod
of Victoria and Tasmania voted to request St Michael's Uniting Church to remove advertising for its new faith and apologise to Jews, Christians and Muslims for the comments it contained about the Ten Commandments. The Uniting Church did not move to discipline Dr Macnab because no formal complaint had been received.
The Kirk Session of Scots' Church
published a reply defending the Ten Commandments from "[t]he most incredible publicity war... being waged against the historic Christian faith." They installed a poster outlining the influence of the Ten Commandments on their Russell Street frontage facing towards St. Michael's.
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
church in Collins St
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
in central Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Originally the Collins Street Independent Church, a Congregational Union of Australia
Congregational Union of Australia
The Congregational Union of Australia was a Congregational denomination in Australia.Two hundred and sixty of its congregations joined the Uniting Church in Australia, which was formed in 1977 by the union of congregations of the Congregational Union, Methodist Church of Australasia, and...
church, and later Collins Street Uniting Church, it has become well known as a centre of liberal theology and political radicalism under its outspoken minister since 1971, Dr Francis Macnab
Francis Macnab
Francis Macnab is the Executive Minister at St Michael's Uniting Church, a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia in Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia, and a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar.-Personal:...
, currently Executive Minister. The church became a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia at its inception in 1977.
History
The first church on this site was built in 1839, one of the first churches in the Port Phillip DistrictPort Phillip District
The Port Phillip District was an historical administrative division of the Colony of New South Wales, existing from September 1836 until 1 July 1851, when it was separated from New South Wales and became the Colony of Victoria....
(now the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
). The original church was demolished in 1866 to make way for the larger church now on the site. The church was designed by Joseph Reed
Joseph Reed (architect)
Joseph Reed , a Cornishman by birth, was probably the most influential Victorian era architect in Melbourne, Australia. He established a practice, Reed and Barnes in Melbourne in 1852. The practice now known as Bates Smart is one of the oldest continually operating in the world.Reed's buildings...
, who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall is the central municipal building of the City of Melbourne, Australia, in the State of Victoria. It is located on the northeast corner of Swanston and Collins Streets, in the central business district. It is the seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Melbourne...
and the Royal Exhibition Building
Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...
. The church is classified by the National Trust of Australia
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
.
Architecture
The building is in the Lombardic architectural style, with multi-coloured exterior brickwork, open cloisters on the side of the building and Romanesque arches.The interior of the church was designed in accordance with the principles of the Congregationalist Church, as a place where all members of the congregation could both hear and see the preacher. It features a sloping floor with tiered seating and a gallery to increase the capacity of the church. The church underwent major renovations in the 1970s. It is now undergoing further renovations to its exterior structure.
Psychological services
Opened in 1991, "Mingary - the Quiet Place" is a contemplative space at St Michael's. Mingary also offers low cost counselling under the supervision of the Manager Pyschologist Dr Lynette Kramer. Mingary is run in conjunction with the Cairnmillar Institute and the Australian Foundation for Aftermath Reactions, both of which Dr Macnab founded. The minister since 1971, Dr Macnab holds degrees in psychology and is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.Theology
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
as a mass murderer, Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
as concocted and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
as a Jewish peasant and certainly not God.
Reaction
The Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Rev Kioa described Dr Macnab's comments challenging the divinity of Jesus as questioning some of the faith's most basic beliefs, turning away from 2000 years of "orthodox Christian belief." Other members of the Synod published their concerns.The Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Victoria and Tasmania voted to request St Michael's Uniting Church to remove advertising for its new faith and apologise to Jews, Christians and Muslims for the comments it contained about the Ten Commandments. The Uniting Church did not move to discipline Dr Macnab because no formal complaint had been received.
The Kirk Session of Scots' Church
Scots' Church, Melbourne
The Scots' Church, a Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia, was the first Presbyterian Church to be built in the Port Phillip District . It is located in Collins Street and is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
published a reply defending the Ten Commandments from "[t]he most incredible publicity war... being waged against the historic Christian faith." They installed a poster outlining the influence of the Ten Commandments on their Russell Street frontage facing towards St. Michael's.