EXCLUSIVE-Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has called on the NSW Government to withdraw public funding from Divine Playhouse organisers after the controversial arts venture announced three events at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
The open letter to NSW Arts Minister John Graham argues that the UNHOLY / DIVINE program appropriates and denigrates Catholic beliefs, symbols and rituals.
Promotional material for the October events refers to “processions,” “hymns,” “adoration” and “confessions.”
Divine Playhouse previously operated from a deconsecrated former church in Kent Street before its lease was terminated in July following protests by Christian groups. It received a reported $100,000 grant from Create NSW.
The MCA describes the events as a celebration of “difference, dissent and creative expression.”
Archbishop Fisher said the move from the former church to the MCA did not resolve concerns about the treatment of Christian beliefs.
“They’re basically ridiculing Catholic sacraments and sacred practices,” he said in a video message.
“I think they’re deliberately trying to provoke Catholics and other Christians by this behaviour.
“It’s extraordinary to me that this attack on religion is actually being funded by the government, by the state government, through an arts grant.”
The letter acknowledges the importance of artistic freedom and says it does not seek to prevent artists from expressing controversial views.
However, it asks whether public money should support the “appropriation, sexualisation, ridicule or deliberate degradation” of the sacred beliefs and rituals of any religious community.
“Freedom of artistic expression is important, but it does not follow that every artistic project must be financially supported by public funding,” the letter reads.
“The Government cannot credibly call for religious tolerance and social cohesion, while quietly funding intolerance and division based on religious belief.
“For many members of the community, the issue is therefore not simply the existence of a controversial artistic production. It is the fact that public money is being used to support programming that deliberately mocks and degrades Christians.”
Responding to claims that the program celebrates queer culture and reflects hurt experienced by LGBTQ people in churches, Archbishop Fisher said people of diverse sexualities who were also Christians had told him they were offended by the performances.
“It doesn’t have to be us versus them in everything in life,” he said.
I know this is right throughout our culture at the moment; but we should be trying to build bridges and to be friends and to work together for justice and for respect for everybody.”
The archbishop said he remained a strong advocate for freedom of speech and accepted that protecting the church’s freedom to proclaim the Gospel required allowing others space to express opposing views.
But he called upon the organisers, venue and funding bodies to exercise that freedom responsibly and “bring down the temperature.”
Archbishop Fisher encouraged Catholics and others concerned about respect for religion to also sign the letter at sydneycatholic.org/dpp.
Those who chose to protest outside the events should do so peacefully, he urged.
“Please do it in a way that is loving but also expresses your perfectly proper anger that your God and your faith, your church, are being mocked.”
The letter asks Graham to undertake that government funding will not be allocated to projects ridiculing religious belief.
“Our faith is not a prop, a punchline or a source of sexual entertainment,” it concludes.
