Gordon Cheng
Encyclopedia
Gordon Cheng is an Australian Christian author and writer. He is currently Campus Director with the Cumberland Campus of Sydney University, employed by Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students
. For several years he was the Resources Editor of Matthias Media
(a non-denominational Christian publisher based in Sydney
),. He is also an Anglican presbyter (or priest) in the Diocese of Sydney
.
descent, Cheng was ordained in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
.
at the University of Melbourne
, and then ministered at a number of churches in Sydney. He was employed by Matthias Media
from February 2004 to January 2009 to work on Matthias Media's resources other than its flagship magazine, ['The Briefing
.
Cheng is also an active member of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. He currently ministers at St Paul's Anglican Church, Carlingford
, and from 2004-6 he was involved in the Cumberland University Church, ministering to the Cumberland Campus of Sydney University.
, and has edited several of his books.
Since the mid 1990s, Cheng has also written numerous articles for The Briefing
, a popular evangelical journal distributed in Australia, England
and the United States
. He is a critic of the ordination of women to the priesthood and homosexuality, and has written on the priority of Christian ministry over secular work.
A a well-known contributor to online and print media in Sydney, Cheng has had numerous letters published in the Sydney Morning Herald and other newspapers, and he posts regularly on many websites and forums, including the Sydney Diocese's own Sydney Anglicans website, where several of his articles have also been published. He has also posted on the Ship of Fools
website. In March 2006 some of these posts, in relation to a lawsuit involving the sacking of a lay worker in one Anglican church in Sydney, were republished in the Sydney Morning Herald as a defence of the Diocese's actions. More recently, Cheng has been a guest opinion writer for Sydney's Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers, writing opinion pieces on religious and ethical issues, including Lent
, euthanasia
, and racism
, In late 2006 he was also enlisted by Daily Telegraph columnist Piers Akerman
to be a guest writer for a Muslim-Christian debate run by the paper on multiculturalism
; others participating included Lebanese
Muslim
representative Keysar Trad
.
Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students
The Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students is an evangelical Christian parachurch organisation that aims to encourage university students to believe in and follow Jesus Christ...
. For several years he was the Resources Editor of Matthias Media
Matthias Media
Matthias Media is an award winning Australian evangelical Christian publisher. The business grew out of the ministry of Phillip Jensen and Tony Payne at St Matthias, Centennial Park, Sydney under the name St Matthias Press and Tapes. Many resources now published by Matthias Media were developed as...
(a non-denominational Christian publisher based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
),. He is also an Anglican presbyter (or priest) in the Diocese of Sydney
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
The Diocese of Sydney is a diocese within the Anglican Church of Australia. The majority of the diocese is Evangelical and low church in tradition and committed to Reformed and Calvinist theology....
.
Early life
Of Swedish and ChineseChinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
descent, Cheng was ordained in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Victoria in the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese includes the urban cities of Melbourne and Geelong and also some more rural areas. The cathedral church is St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne...
.
Work
He worked for 10 years as a senior staff worker with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical StudentsAustralian Fellowship of Evangelical Students
The Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students is an evangelical Christian parachurch organisation that aims to encourage university students to believe in and follow Jesus Christ...
at 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 then ministered at a number of churches in Sydney. He was employed by Matthias Media
Matthias Media
Matthias Media is an award winning Australian evangelical Christian publisher. The business grew out of the ministry of Phillip Jensen and Tony Payne at St Matthias, Centennial Park, Sydney under the name St Matthias Press and Tapes. Many resources now published by Matthias Media were developed as...
from February 2004 to January 2009 to work on Matthias Media's resources other than its flagship magazine, ['The Briefing
The Briefing
The Briefing is an evangelical Christian magazine published by Matthias Media in partnership with The Good Book Company . It is printed monthly, and is circulated in Australia, North America and the United Kingdom...
.
Cheng is also an active member of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. He currently ministers at St Paul's Anglican Church, Carlingford
Carlingford, New South Wales
Carlingford is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Carlingford is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the The Hills Shire, Hornsby Shire and the City of Parramatta...
, and from 2004-6 he was involved in the Cumberland University Church, ministering to the Cumberland Campus of Sydney University.
Writings
Cheng is the author of several books and other resources published by Matthias Media, including the Pathway Bible Guides Bible study series, and his first book/multimedia publication with Matthias, the Six Steps to Encouragement course. He is an associate of the Anglican Dean of Sydney, Phillip JensenPhillip Jensen
Phillip Jensen is an Australian cleric of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and the Dean of St Andrew's Cathedral. He is the brother of Peter Jensen, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.-Education and ministry:...
, and has edited several of his books.
Since the mid 1990s, Cheng has also written numerous articles for The Briefing
The Briefing
The Briefing is an evangelical Christian magazine published by Matthias Media in partnership with The Good Book Company . It is printed monthly, and is circulated in Australia, North America and the United Kingdom...
, a popular evangelical journal distributed in Australia, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is a critic of the ordination of women to the priesthood and homosexuality, and has written on the priority of Christian ministry over secular work.
A a well-known contributor to online and print media in Sydney, Cheng has had numerous letters published in the Sydney Morning Herald and other newspapers, and he posts regularly on many websites and forums, including the Sydney Diocese's own Sydney Anglicans website, where several of his articles have also been published. He has also posted on the Ship of Fools
Ship of Fools (website)
Ship of Fools is a UK-based Christian website. It was first launched as a magazine in 1977. The magazine folded in 1983 and was resurrected as a website on April Fool's Day, 1998. Subtitled "the magazine of Christian unrest", Ship of Fools pokes fun and asks critical questions about the Christian...
website. In March 2006 some of these posts, in relation to a lawsuit involving the sacking of a lay worker in one Anglican church in Sydney, were republished in the Sydney Morning Herald as a defence of the Diocese's actions. More recently, Cheng has been a guest opinion writer for Sydney's Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers, writing opinion pieces on religious and ethical issues, including Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, In late 2006 he was also enlisted by Daily Telegraph columnist Piers Akerman
Piers Akerman
Piers Akerman is a right-wing commentator and columnist for The Daily Telegraph.-Brief biography:Born in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, Piers Akerman was raised in Perth by his parents, John, an Australian Government doctor, and Eve Akerman , a newspaper columnist and reviewer in Western Australia. He...
to be a guest writer for a Muslim-Christian debate run by the paper on multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
; others participating included Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
representative Keysar Trad
Keysar Trad
Keysar Trad is a spokesperson for a section of the Australian Muslim community.- Background :Trad was born in Lebanon and came to Australia at the age of thirteen under the Australian government's family reunion program. He met and married his wife, Hanifeh, when he was in his early twenties...
.