Francis Macnab
Encyclopedia
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
.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia
for his contributions to Psychotherapy and Religion.
. He has honorary doctorates from the University of Melbourne
and RMIT
in psychology and applied science.
In 1961, Dr Macnab opened the Carinmillar Institute, a clinical psychological centre, the largest in Australia, which is now the largest training body for psychologists and counsellors in the country. He continues as its Executive Director
Dr Macnab also founded, and is the Director of the Australian Foundation for Aftermath Reactions, which provides trauma treatment and training. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.
Following a ministry at Prahran Presbyterian Church from 1961 until 1970, he was made minister of the then Collins Street Congregational Church in 1971. The church became a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia at its inception in 1977.
During his ministry he has created "Mingary - the Quiet Place" a contemplative space at St Michael's open for members of the public to enjoy a meditative and reflective experience. Mingary also offers low cost counselling under the supervision of the Manager Psychologist 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.
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Dr Macnab told the 16 September 2008 edition of the Age, "The old faith is in large sections unbelievable. We want to make the new faith more believable, realistic and helpful in terms of the way people live". The new faith was launched 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.
Video of the New Faith Lecture
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 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.
Scots' Church
a member of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
and located across the road from St. Michaels, 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.
In an address on 5 October Dr Macnab defended his comments, including against suggestions they were offensive to Jews, citing his study in undergraduate and postgraduate work in Hebrew language and history, including distinctions, and saying "Some of the comments have been knee-jerk reactions, uninformed and heavily overloaded with bad manners." He also stated, "While I have no intention of denigrating the Ten Commandments as a sacred symbol of the Jewish Torah and the Old Covenant
, I say they are negative." He gave 8 reasons why he believes the Ten Commandments to be negative, and outlined his alternative 10 Commandments, which he described as "positive, plausible and powerful":
with pictures of Florence Nightingale
, Martin Luther King, Jr.
and MacNab. St Michael's
website says that while Nightingale "gave people faith in the future that kept their spirits alive" and King "started a movement that shaped attitudes of acceptance of others," Macnab "speaks to us about how a new faith can energise our bodies and spirits that is necessary to accept ourselves in a greater way, and also accept others in a spirit of generosity and open-mindedness." The Age
newspaper reported that Macnab had posted the billboard "with pictures of Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King and himself as model leaders." It also reported accusations of self-promotion.
St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne
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...
, a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia
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....
in Collins Street
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...
, 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...
, and a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar
Jesus Seminar
The Jesus Seminar is a group of about 150 critical scholars and laymen founded in 1985 by Robert Funk under the auspices of the Westar Institute....
.
Personal
He was born to J D Macnab and Mary Anne Louisa Hughes on 21 June 1931. He married his wife Sheila in 1958 and they have 3 children, 2 daughters and a son.He was made a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for his contributions to Psychotherapy and Religion.
Training and psychological work
He holds a Doctor of Divinity from the University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. He has honorary doctorates from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and RMIT
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
in psychology and applied science.
In 1961, Dr Macnab opened the Carinmillar Institute, a clinical psychological centre, the largest in Australia, which is now the largest training body for psychologists and counsellors in the country. He continues as its Executive Director
Dr Macnab also founded, and is the Director of the Australian Foundation for Aftermath Reactions, which provides trauma treatment and training. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.
Ministry
During his ministry he has created "Mingary - the Quiet Place" a contemplative space at St Michael's open for members of the public to enjoy a meditative and reflective experience. Mingary also offers low cost counselling under the supervision of the Manager Psychologist 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.
"A New Faith"
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.
Video of the New Faith Lecture
Reaction
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, 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 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.
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...
a member of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
and located across the road from St. Michaels, 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.
Dr Macnab's response
In an interview with Stateline Victoria, Dr Macnab replied to criticism saying that he was in agreement with others inside Christianity who, "are asking the traditional church to re-examine and renew their basic thinking about what faith can be, because millions of people do not find the old faith meaningful to their lives." He said he "would expect that kind of reaction from people who take the scriptures far too literally."In an address on 5 October Dr Macnab defended his comments, including against suggestions they were offensive to Jews, citing his study in undergraduate and postgraduate work in Hebrew language and history, including distinctions, and saying "Some of the comments have been knee-jerk reactions, uninformed and heavily overloaded with bad manners." He also stated, "While I have no intention of denigrating the Ten Commandments as a sacred symbol of the Jewish Torah and the Old Covenant
Old Covenant
The Old Covenant was the name of the agreement which effected the union of Iceland and Norway. It is also known as Gissurarsáttmáli, named after Gissur Þorvaldsson, the Icelandic chieftain who worked to promote it. The name "Old Covenant", however, is probably due to historical confusion...
, I say they are negative." He gave 8 reasons why he believes the Ten Commandments to be negative, and outlined his alternative 10 Commandments, which he described as "positive, plausible and powerful":
Self-promotion
In February, 2010, a billboard was posted on the Monash FreewayMonash Freeway
Monash Freeway is an urban freeway in Victoria, Australia linking Melbourne's CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. The entire stretch of the Monash Freeway bears the designation...
with pictures of Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
and MacNab. St Michael's
St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne
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...
website says that while Nightingale "gave people faith in the future that kept their spirits alive" and King "started a movement that shaped attitudes of acceptance of others," Macnab "speaks to us about how a new faith can energise our bodies and spirits that is necessary to accept ourselves in a greater way, and also accept others in a spirit of generosity and open-mindedness." The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper reported that Macnab had posted the billboard "with pictures of Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King and himself as model leaders." It also reported accusations of self-promotion.