A Christian journalist is no longer a contradiction in terms if a landmark gathering in Sydney today is anything to go by.
Christians in the Media, based at Annandale Anglican Church, is hosting the inaugural Access All Areas national media conference at the Hills Lodge in Castle Hill today and tomorrow.
Over 120 journalists have journeyed interstate and from as far away as Norway, South Africa, India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the USA for the two day conference.
They will focus on the questions "who we are (in God’s eyes)' and "what are we doing (in the public eye)'.
Conference organiser and Senior Minister of Christians in the Media, the Rev Dominic Steele says the event is "the most significant gathering of Australian Christian media workers this decade'.
"Journalists, editors, producers and executives in the print, broadcast and online media all face the same underlying questions," he says.
"They are: how do we learn, grow, share and make a difference for Christ in our media workplaces? How do we keep our passion for God and our passion for the media in harmony? How do we use the opportunities and responsibilities of being in the public arena to know and serve God and our community?
"At this conference media workers will have the opportunity to discuss these issues with like-minded colleagues."
Australian presenters include Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd, ABC Chairman Donald McDonald, Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, Sky News presenter Leigh Hatcher and ABC NewsRadio's Russell Powell.
Overseas speakers include former senior correspondent for Time magazine David Aikman who is also the author of Jesus in Beijing and chairman of the international Christian journalists group Gegrapha.
He will be joined by Religion Writer for the Washington Times Julia Duin, and political reporter for India Today, Steven David.
The conference coincides with a board meeting of Gegrapha, the first ever to be held in Australia.
A seminar on Islam and Christianity will be chaired by Arne Fjeldsted, CEO of Middle East Media and Journalism Fellow at the International Institute for Communications Excellence in Oxford.
Christians in the Media will hold a special night on Sunday August 28th at Annandale to pray for the work of the gospel around the world.
David Aikman will speak on the meteoric rise of Christianity in China at a free seminar at 3pm on Sunday.
He will be joined by Joshua Ng, pastor of the Fellowship of Overseas Christian University Students at the University of New South Wales.
For more information call (02) 9660 2444.
Photo courtesy Jim Rosenthal/Anglican World
