Rod Bower (activist)

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Not to be confused with the Australian cricketer, Rod Bower.
The Venerable
Rod Bower
Born
Newcastle, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
OccupationPriest
Known forHuman rights activism
Criticism of the Christian right[1]
Liberation theology
Political partyIndependents For Climate Action Now

Father Rod Bower is an Australian Anglican priest and social activist. He is currently the Rector of Gosford, Archdeacon for Justice Ministries and Chaplaincy in the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle and lives on the NSW Central Coast. He is popularly known for his controversial church signs which advocate progressive causes.[2]

He was the leading candidate for the Independents For Climate Action Now during the 2019 Australian federal election.[3][4]

Activism

Rod Bower is known for his controversial political activism in which he promotes progressive causes through the Gosford Anglican Church's message sign. He has promoted issues relating to gay marriage, refugee rights, gun control, anti-nationalism, and anti-Rupert Murdoch's media monopoly.[5][6][7] He supports Islam.[8]

He has stated his views have been inspired by the liberation theologist Dom Helder Camara.[9]

Bower first began his activism in 2013 when he put up "DEAR CHRISTIANS, SOME PPL ARE GAY. GET OVER IT. LOVE GOD" after delivering the last rites to a dying man whose family hid the man's partner due to fear of the Church's stance on homosexuality.[9] After an image of the sign became viral online, he continued using it as a method of activism.[2]

In 2017, Bower was criticised for a controversial sign in which he labelled Peter Dutton, the Australian Immigration Minister, a Sodomite.[10] In the same year, he chained himself to Kirribilli House to protest the Manus Island detention centres.[11]

His controversial signs relating to multiculturalism and anti-nationalism has led to counter-demonstrations by right-wing groups. In 2016, The Party for Freedom interrupted his service clothed in Islamic dress to protest his "social justice agenda".[12] In April 2018, after putting up a sign stating "Lest we forget Manus & Nauru", he received a threat by a member of the Australian Defence Force that they'd "set that church on fire".[13] Later in the same year, a group interrupted the service wielding fake weaponry.[14]

In 2018, Bower announced he would run in the 2019 federal election for a New South Wales senate seat to "to give a voice to the marginalised".[15] He has expressed an emphasis on policies surrounding "climate change, refugees and basic human rights".[16]

In 2019, Bower was criticised by the Australian Jewish Association for comparing the Nauru processing centre to the Holocaust.[17]

Bibliography

  • Outspoken: Because Justice is Always Social (Sydney: Ebury Australia, 2018)

References

  1. ^ McCarthy, Joanne (30 August 2018). "The hungover 'epiphany' on the way to the priesthood". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b Bowden, Tracy (30 August 2018). "What drives the priest behind those controversial church signs". ABC News. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Gosford Anglican | OUR TEAM". anggos. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. ^ Now, Independents for Climate Action. "Rod Bower". ICAN Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  5. ^ Mao, Frances (19 May 2018). "A priest and his political billboards". BBC News. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  6. ^ Schafter, Monique (26 August 2014). "Priest addresses social issues in eyebrow-raising signs". ABC News. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Australian priest on gun control: 'Thoughts and prayers are not enough'". 9Honey. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  8. ^ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/priest-defends-in-islam-what-he-attacks-in-christians/news-story/f985504b08abdbb5746a86a62297e420
  9. ^ a b Steger, Jason (14 December 2018). "When I look at Jesus' message, it is a political message: Father Rod Bower". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  10. ^ Whitbourn, Michaela (30 September 2017). "Anglican Priest Rod Bower brands Peter Dutton a 'Sodomite' in social media post". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Father Rod Bower among Manus protesters released after chaining themselves to Kirribilli House". SBS News. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  12. ^ Karp, Paul (15 August 2016). "Far-right protesters interrupt Anglican service clothed in mock Islamic dress". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  13. ^ Maley, Jacqueline (30 April 2018). "Threat to church after Anzac Day message echoing Abdel-Magied's post". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  14. ^ Hitchick, Merran (21 May 2018). "Far-right activists who invaded mass would be charged with terrorism if Muslim, rector says". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Father Rod chases Senate seat". The Australian. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Outspoken Anglican rector Rod Bower announces Senate bid". SBS News. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  17. ^ Morton, Rick. "Outspoken priest Rod Bower raises ire of Jewish groups". The Australian. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
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