UNITY NEWS
THE ASC & SEXUALITY REFERENCE GROUP MET IN ADELAIDE, June 3, 2003.
     Report by Wal Anderson from his participation in the Uniting Network Executive meeting, June 4, 2003.

EMU Representatives  say "NO" to living with diversity. 

In reporting to Uniting Network Executive, representatives of UN at the Assembly Standing Committee consultation reported that EMU has said NO to continuing to live with diversity.
On Tuesday, June 3, 2003, representatives of Uniting Network met with the ASC and its Sexuality Reference Group and other invited persons from across the UCA to discuss issues relating to living with diversity with respect to issues of sexuality and faith.  Other groups included representatives from Evangelical Members of the Uniting Church [EMU], Ethnic communities, rural folk and Synod and Presbytery representatives.  In reporting to the Uniting Network Executive on Wednesday evening, our representatives reported a frank and detailed meeting.  A full report is being prepared by the Secretary of UN, Paul. 

Mutually Exclusive Positions Defined

At the Consultation, both UN and EMU were asked to state their views of what they understood the last Assembly (July 2000) had decided and what they would like the next Assembly (July 2003) to do.  After these presentations, the ASC group then made some statements and asked for responses. They said...

  1. that people of faith had wrestled with Scripture with integrity on the issue of sexuality  and had come to differing conclusions which were mutually exclusive. 
  2. They acknowledged that it was difficult for people to remain in a church where widely divergent views were held on this issue. 
This summary of understanding was agreed to be the position.  Each group was then asked to respond to two questions, "Can we live together in this kind of a church? ie one in which there are widely divergent views on some issues around sexuality.  What is necessary  to make it possible for you to live in such a church where mutually exclusive positions are held ?"  After reflection, representatives of Ethnic communities and Uniting Network representatives replied "Yes" to the first question, although some pain was recognised by UN in doing so.  The EMU representatives replied negatively, in that they could not continue to live with diversity with respect to matters of sexuality and could not live in such a church that sought to do so!  It was reported that EMU clearly expected limits to diversity to be set in place that would limit ministry and participation of homosexual persons to conditions acceptable EMU but not to UN and others.  With respect to the second question, UN and other represented groups identified several concerns requiring clarification by the Assembly.  The ASC was asked ...
  1. to clarify the position of the UCA on sexuality; [ Ed. EMU still maintain that CISAFIM is the status quo, we say it is not and use the language of "right relationship". The UCA position needs to be clarified.]
  2. to clarify the role of presbyteries in placements, as to whether presbyteries have the power to overturn the recommendation of a Joint Nominating Committee; and clarify the processes concerning ordination, and to affirm whether the case by case approach stands or otherwise;
  3. to put procedures in place to enable the villification and harassment policy of the UCA to be implemented.
  4. to clarify the position of the UCA on membership for GLBT people- this is substance of the Vic Synod resolution.
UN also suggested that it may be helpful to have a Covenant of Respect established in the church and that it would be helpful to have some sort of invitation to further conversation with resources and a process. 

Our people also reported that EMU did not have any suggestions at this stage, as they were not interested in living in a church with diverse positions on sexuality.

Drafting of Proposals

The consultation ended with the ASC group asked to draft some proposals to enable the church to live with diversity.  Uniting Network and other groups will cooperate with the ASC and Sexuality Reference group to see that suitable resolutions are forth coming.  To this end, UN has been appointed a liaison person and consultation within UN will be sought.  Members of Unity will be given opportunity to see the proposals and to discuss them and propose changes where necessary. 

It is expected that EMU will draft an alternative set of resolutions which will be designed to get the Assembly to adopt their position to the exclusion of all others.

The Assembly will then have to decide with which set of resolutions it will present. 

So the time ahead will need careful discussion, prayerful thought and courage for all glbt people and their families and supporters. 

4 June, 2003.

The following papers were used by UN members of the Consultation and passed to the ASC.

GOOD NEWS IN THE PRESENT TENSE: UNITING CHURCH DIVERSITY  External link to UN
A paper prepared for the Consultation by Rev. Ian Tozer.

 
A PROCESS OF EMBRACE  External link to UN.
Advocating a process of recovery from disunity, Wal Anderson presents a process of building the community again, within the UCA as "people on the way".

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