EMU’s INVOLVEMENT IN THE SEXUALITY DEBATE: THE STORY SO FAR The Uniting Church in Australia officially came into being on June 22 nd , 1977 when the Methodist Church, (most of) the Presbyterian and the Congregational Churches agreed to unite to further the cause of the gospel. The term 'uniting' was used to signal a work in progress. In 1981 a candidate for ordination in the Yarra Valley Presbytery in Victoria informed the Students Committee that she was living in a lesbian relationship. The Students Committee asked the Assembly Standing Committee (ASC) for guidance. In 1982 The Assembly Commission on Social Responsibility endorsed a paper written by Rev. Chris Budden named “Sexuality: A gift from God”. The book encouraged the church to stop talking about homosexual people and talk to them. It also challenged the argument that homosexual people must remain celibate. The issue of the ordination of homosexual people had now been formally raised in the councils of the church. The March ASC meeting advised the Yarra Valley Presbytery ‘that in its view the sexual orientation of a candidate is not and has not been in itself a bar to ordination. A decision on the suitability of a candidate may of course depend among other things on the manner in which his or her sexuality is expressed.’ (Resolution 81.12) From this time on there has been a blurring of the concepts of orientation and behaviour which has been used in the UCA to advance the cause of the normalization of homosexual relationships, the acceptance of practicing homosexual clergy and same-sex marriage. On the basis of the ASC advice the Yarra Valley Presbytery Students Committee recommended the candidate for ordination in August 1981. The Presbytery then referred the matter to the Victorian Synod Standing Committee, which requested that the ASC reconsider the issue at its September meeting. The ASC re-affirmed resolution 81.12 and explained it further in an expanded statement. (Resolution 82.101) By March 1983 the ASC became aware of concerns being raised about its position and it established “The Committee on Homosexuality and the Church” to ‘undertake a study of the nature of homosexuality’. This committee submitted the “Interim report of the Committee on Homosexuality and the Church” to the March meeting of ASC in 1984. The Committee was asked to consider whether homosexuals can be members of the UCA. In 1985, the report “Homosexuality and the Church” was released. The Committee stated its opinion that homosexuality should not in and of itself make a person ineligible for membership, but was divided on the question of ordination. At the 4 th Assembly of the UCA which met in July 1985, a motion was proposed to establish that ‘celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage’ is the standard for sexual ethics of the Uniting Church in Australia. After some debate, the Assembly voted that the question not be put. During 1986 over 500 written responses were made to the report “Homosexuality and the Church”. These were summarized in another report in 1987. In 1987 the ASC ‘affirmed that all baptised Christians belong in Christ’s church and are to be welcomed at his table, regardless of their sexual orientation’. Later in the ASC resolution it states: “in the matter of ordination it affirms that the existing procedures provide adequate opportunity for Presbyteries to exercise their responsibility in discipline and pastoral care. The ASC believes that each Presbytery will select candidates and approve for ordination only those whom it believes are suitable for ministry, notes the report 1 EMU’s INVOLVEMENT IN THE SEXUALITY DEBATE: THE STORY SO FAR “Homosexuality and the Church: Responses”, helps to clarify some of the issues involved, including that the Church’s expectation that its ministers will adhere to the standards of celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage.”(Resolution 87.46) The Report was released in 1998 prior to the 5 th Assembly. At the 5 th Assembly which met in July 1988, a motion was presented to establish that ‘celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage’ be the standard of the Uniting Church in Australia. Again, after some debate, the debate was effectively gagged by the successful use of a procedural motion known as “moving the previous question”. In April 1990 in an article in New Times, the newspaper of the South Australian Synod, a youth worker and member of the Synod Standing Committee was quoted as saying that through faith he has ‘dared to think that God might accept me for being "gay".’ By June the South Australian Synod Standing Committee was asked: ‘Is it appropriate for the Children, Youth and Young Adults Department to consider the issue of homosexual practice as a valid criterion on which decisions about leadership are made?’ The SA Synod Standing Committee decided that it ‘has been unable to confidently discern the will of God on the issue’. The South Australian Synod meeting was held in October and focused on the issue of homosexuality. It decided not to legislate on the issue, rather to encourage each church council to seek the leading of God in each situation. In 1991 the ASC released ‘Sexuality: Making Decisions as Christians’ to provide guidance to the church on matters of sexual ethics. There was significant protest about this book from evangelical members of the church. In June a homosexual man from Adelaide applied to candidate for the Ministry of the Word. He had the support of his parish and the presbytery Pastoral Relations Committee. In July at the 6th Assembly a motion calling for ‘celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage’ failed to gain support. The Assembly refused to withdraw the book ‘Sexuality: Making Decisions as Christians’ from sale. The Assembly resolved to create a Task Group on Sexuality to explore the whole area of Christian sexual ethics and bring a report to the 1997 Assembly. Assembly President Rev. Dr D’Arcy Wood wrote a pastoral letter on sexuality, calling on ‘all members of the church to continue to pray and work in a spirit of Christian unity as we address these important issues’. In September the Adelaide North West Presbytery decided to defer the youth worker’s application indefinitely. It was during this year of controversy that Evangelical Members within the UCA came into being in South Australia. The issue of the ordination of homosexual people had come to fore again and it was obvious to many evangelicals that the agenda was to create a paradigm shift which would make it acceptable for practicing homosexual people to be ordained and to exercise ministry anywhere in the UCA. EMU was formed out of the realization that for too many years, the evangelicals within the UCA had abdicated from their responsibilities in the councils of the church. Now they could see the consequences of their neglect. In April 1992, Friends of Unity was created in South Australia as a support network and early in 1993 an interim national steering group was established by gay and lesbian Uniting Church members and their friends. In 1994 the Assembly Task Group holds a Year of Listening to enable the church to discuss issues of sexuality and sexual ethics. In May a three day conference 2 EMU’s INVOLVEMENT IN THE SEXUALITY DEBATE: THE STORY SO FAR “Daring to Speak...Daring to Listen”, the first national gathering for gay, lesbian and bisexual people and their friends, families and supporters in the Uniting Church, was held in Adelaide. In August 1994 a lesbian applied to candidate for the ministry of deacon in Westernport Presbytery (Vic). She was supported by her presbytery but her application was rejected by the Synod Selection Panel. In September the ASC reminded the Church that applications for candidature are to be decided by presbyteries on an individual basis. A homosexual man applied to be a candidate in the Fleurieu Presbytery (SA). He withdrew his application when his congregation adopted a policy to never approve a gay person for nomination. He entered the Adelaide College of Divinity as a private student. A homosexual man applied to candidate for the ministry of the Word in Canberra Region Presbytery (NSW). The Presbytery decided to explore the issues. Another homosexual man applied to candidate for the ministry of the Word and eventually his application was rejected by Maroondah Presbytery (Vic). In September 1994 the ASC was asked by the Synod of Tasmania to clarify previous resolutions in respect to the application for candidature by homosexual persons. The ASC noted previous resolutions and the Assembly’s reluctance to make a policy decision and stated that presbyteries may choose to take it into account when assessing an applicant’s suitability. The ASC acknowledged that doctrinal matters are among the issues which underlie the question of suitability and acceptance of homosexual persons as candidates. However the ASC was of the view that the Church is not ready to make declarations through the Assembly on the doctrinal matters. The ASC promoted a time of listening, meeting and discussion. (Resolution 94.78.3) On 16 th May1996 the Assembly Task Group released the Interim Report on Sexuality for discussion. However in a mistake of judgement it chose to release the report to the media prior to making it available to ministers and congregations. What ensued was an unexpected deluge of responses to the Interim Report — more than 8,000 of them. A detailed analysis of responses was commissioned by ASC and completed by February 1997. The responses were overwhelmingly negative (88% )and represented 21000 members of the UCA. The report and its direction were criticized for biblical and theological reasons and for starting with society's changing patterns rather than with of the received Christian tradition.