An Australian version of the 2009 Manhattan Declaration in the United States and the 2010 Westminster 
Declaration in the UK, was launched last week in the Australian capital city of Canberra.
The Canberra Declaration, which affirms the need to respect religious freedom, traditional marriage and the sanctity of human life was read to the media outside the Australian Parliament House.
Dr. Graham McLennan, convener of the of the National Alliance of Christian Leaders in Australia, said that the Declaration was “ the work of many individual Christians, clergy and Christian ministries, representing a wide variety of denominations.
The Declaration says that for centuries, “to speak of Western civilization was to speak of Christian civilization. The two were in many ways synonymous”.
The Declaration acknowledges that it “follows on from the 2009 Manhattan Declaration and the 2010 Westminster Declaration.
It declares that “when Christian values are respected and allowed freedom of expression, not just confined to so-called sacred spaces but in the public arena as well, society is richer and healthier”.
It says: “We wish to emphasize three areas that demand particular attention in our contemporary Australian society, namely religious freedom, marriage and the family, and the sanctity of human life. Were we to undermine any one of these values, the social fabric of our nation would be seriously weakened, to our personal and collective detriment.
It notes threats to religious freedom from “anti-discrimination legislation, hate crime laws and legislation on religious and sexual vilification – each of which may be interpreted in a way that effectively works as a barrier to religious freedom and freedom of speech”.
The Declaration affirms “the basic necessity of freedom of conscience, having the liberty to speak publicly about one’s faith and beliefs, and having the right to practise the religion of one’s choice”.
“If these freedoms are removed – even in the name of supposed benefits – the prized values of democracy and liberty are seriously undermined,” it says.
Of marriage, it says: “No other social institution has done so much good for people and for nations, yet marriage is being undermined, to the detriment of children, individuals, and society itself.
“Lifelong marriage between a man and a woman guarantees children their biological birthright to a mother and a father and has a proven track record of providing them with protection, education, welfare, support and nurture. No other arrangement has improved upon the benefits of marriage.”
The Declaration also says that “the very heart of a humane and civilised society is based on the way it treats its most vulnerable and innocent members including the unborn and the disabled”.
“We therefore insist on the right of all persons, including those who are vulnerable or dependent, to protection from conception to natural death,” it says.
There is a website promoting the Declaration which can be accessed here [1].