Background to Uniting Church and Sexuality Issues

Prior to the 10th Assembly of the Uniting Church (Melbourne, July 12-19, 2003), the Uniting Church had two separate Assembly Standing Committee positions relating the ordination of homosexual people:

The church acknowledged a guiding sexual ethic for many Uniting Church people may be summarised as: "Celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage" (CISAFIM) (Assembly Standing Committee minute 87.46) 1987.

That the "sexual orientation of a candidate is not and has not been in itself a bar to ordination" (Assembly Standing Committee Minute 82:12), 1982.

In 1992 the Assembly appointed a special Task Group on Sexuality to look into the issues of sexuality. That task group reported to the 8th Assembly (Perth 1997). It produced an interim report (1996) and a final report titled Uniting Sexuality and Faith. The task group recommended that "Right Relationships" be used as an appropriate measure in relation to sexual expression. This view allowed for the possibility of homosexual people to be acceptable for ordination.

The report sparked a great deal of discussion in the Uniting Church at every level, Congregational, Synod and Assembly.

At the Perth Assembly (1997), some recommendations of the Sexuality Task Group were adopted but key proposals on "Right Relationships" and acceptance of homosexual people for ordination did not proceed. It was at this Assembly that the Rev. Dorothy MacRae-McMahon, a church leader, publicly declared her homosexuality. This was widely reported in the secular and religious media.

The Aboriginal arm of the Uniting Church, (Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC or Congress) and the multicultural church through its leaders took strong positions against the proposal.

In this process two main groups emerged:

Evangelical Members of the Uniting Church (commonly called, EMU). EMU had taken a strong stand in favour of the CISAFIM approach, advocating against the ordination of homosexual people. They asserted that scripture and Christian tradition said homosexual practise was a sin for which repentance was needed.

Uniting Network. This group advocated for the ordination of homosexual people, interpreted scripture in a way that said prohibitions against homosexuality needed to be read within the context of a first century culture and that some biblical texts were condemnations of pederasty and not homosexuality. Network members generally affirmed "Right Relationships".

Through this debate the Uniting Church also affirmed some other matters relating to sexuality and relationships, including:
A strong affirmation and statement on marriage;
Condemnation of clergy and church worker sexual abuse, and a clear set of sexual complaints procedures;
A clear statement saying exploitative and demeaning sexual behaviour was unacceptable and contradicted God's purposes for people;
Affirmation that the Uniting Church membership, including baptism and participation in Holy Communion, were open to all people, including homosexual people;
Procedures and protocols in making the church a safe place for children;
Rejection of vilification of people for their sexual orientation or views.

Following the Perth Assembly the Assembly Standing Committee instigated a special report on how the Uniting Church should proceed on the issues of sexuality.

Three former Presidents of the Uniting Church Assembly - Sir Ronald Wilson, Dr Jill Tabart and the Rev. Dr D'arcy Wood - reported to Assembly Standing Committee in 1998. In essence their research had found "a deep weariness" among many Uniting Church members on the issue. Their recommendation was that the matter be "let sit" and the status quo remain in place until such a time as the church was ready to move forward.

At the 9th Assembly (Adelaide 2000) despite some attempts to have the issues debated it was not substantially dealt with. Instead that Assembly adopted a Statement on Unity and Diversity.

This statement, while affirming the church's unity under God, clearly said the "lack of resolution resulted in tension with in the life of the church".

In the interim some presbyteries were faced with questions as homosexual people presented themselves for candidature for ordination, or found existing ministers who were homosexual called into their midst. One synod, Queensland, declared itself a "CISAFIM" synod, as did some individual presbyteries.

Prior to the 10th Assembly in Melbourne 2003, the Assembly Standing Committee released a supplementary report.