Francis Macnab (21t June 1931 – 27t Apryle 2023) wis an Australian Christian meinister. He wis the executive meinister o St Michael's Unitin Kirk, a kirkfowk o the Unitin Kirk i Australie in Collins Street, Melbourne, til Desemmer 2016. He wis a fellae o the Jesus Seminar.[1]

Macnab in 2012

"A New Faith" eedit

File:STM10Comm(1).jpg
Banner proclaiming the "10 Commandments are the most negative document written"

I the 16t Septemmer 2008 edition o The Age, he said at "The auld faith is i lairge sections wantrewable. We want tae gar the new faith trewabler, raelisticker an helplier in terms o the wey fowk live". The new faith wis lencht wi a $120,000 adverteisin campaign includin posters at rade, "The Ten Commandments, yin o the maist negative documents eir written."[2][3] Macnab descrived Moses as a mass murtherer, Abraham as concockit an Jesus as a Jewish peasant an certies nae God.[2]

In a spik on the 5t October, Macnab haudit aff his observes, includin agin proponements at thay wis ill-faured tae the Jews, citin his study in unnergraduate an postgraduate wark i the Hebrew leid an history, includin distinctions, an sayin "Some o the observes haes been knee-jerk reactions, uninformed an heivie owerlaidit wi ill laits."[4] He forby statit, "While I hae nae will o denigratin the Commans as a sacred symbol o the Jewish Torah an the Auld Covenant, I say they are negative."[4] He gied aucht raisons whitfur he trews the Commans tae be negative an ootlined his alternative ten Commans, whilk he descrived as "poseitive, fair-farran an stootrif".[4]

The New Commans eedit

Commandment 1

Believe in a Good Presence in your life. Call that Good Presence: God, G-D - and follow that Good presence so that you live life fully - tolerantly, collaboratively, generously and with dignity.


Commandment 6

Be magnanimous and excessive in your support of good causes, and use your affluence and material goods and scientific skills in altruistic concern for the future of the world.

Commandment 2

Believe in a God-Presence in your life that will lift you constantly to live harmoniously in yourself and with others, always searching for your best health and happiness.


Commandment 7

Study ways to encourage and sustain the dignity, hope and integrity of all human beings and study ways to help all human beings embrace their dignity, hope, and integrity.

Commandment 3

Take care of your home, your environments, your Planet and its vital resources for the life and health of people in all the world.


Commandment 8

Be alive to new possibilities, new ways, and to the unfolding mysteries and wonders of life and the world.

Commandment 4

Be kind and caring of the animals, the birds, and the creatures of land and the rivers and the seas.


Commandment 9

We often focus our lives on many things and pursuits that promise our fulfilment. Study the deeper things of the Spirit, and the things of ultimate concern for all human beings. Be part of an evolving life-enhancing Faith that will also bring a new resilience to the future.

Commandment 5

Help people develop their potential and become as fully functioning human beings as is possible from birth, through traumas and triumph to the end of their days.


Commandment 10

Take time to worship the great Source of all the positive transforming energies of life, and search to be at one with "the spirit of the good, the tender and the beautiful."

Honours eedit

Macnab wis mackit a memmer o the Order o Australia fur his contreibutions tae psychotherapy an releigion.[1]

References eedit

  1. a b "About Dr Macnab". St Michael's Uniting Church website. St Michael's Uniting Church. Archived frae the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008.. St Michael's Uniting Church website. St Michael's Uniting Church. Archived from the original Archived 2008-10-15 at the Wayback Machine on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
  2. a b Barney Zwartz (16 September 2008). "New faith throws out the Ten Commandments". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
  3. Hall, Cheryl (5 October 2008). "Controversial clergyman advertises his new faith on billboards". Stateline Victoria. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived frae the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  4. a b c Francis Macnab (5 October 2008). "The New Faith and 10 New Commandments". St Michael's Uniting Church. Archived frae the original on 4 November 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.

External links eedit