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Press Release “Issues from the 12th UCA Assembly”

The Assembly of Confessing Congregations met in Adelaide at Tusmore Memorial UC on August 14th 2009. Rev Dr Max Champion, National Chairperson of the ACC spoke about the important issues arising from the 12th UCA Assembly meeting recently in Sydney and gave insight into the new Assembly supported preamble to the UCA constitution.

Dr Champion said that “While the UC Assembly was an impressive sight with indigenous, migrant-ethnic, multi-lingual members and ecumenical visitors present, it was obvious very early that the new preamble would have to be approved. Presenters of the preamble spoke at length to the initial motion, and each subsequent revision, while questions and comments from the floor were cut short.”

Speaking to the ACC Adelaide meeting, Dr Champion expanded on three major theological issues in the new preamble which are of significant concern:

1) The legitimacy of distinguishing between “First People” and “Second People” in the body of Christ.
2) The accuracy of saying that in Aboriginal spirituality the “same love was in the Creator God which was finally and fully revealed in Christ”.
3) The manipulation of guilt to obtain power and the unstated assumption that indigenous people can free the colonisers from their non-indigenous sins.

He said that Assembly leaders may be having second thoughts about aspects of the preamble, quoting a media release by President Macrae, “These issues raise significant questions for the church’s indigenous and non-indigenous members to grapple with: at what point does God’s revelation in Jesus Christ affirm or challenge values and practices of all cultures? Without idealizing one culture and demonizing another, we need to arrive at a shared truth for a sure foundation upon which to build further reconciliation and deepen understanding and partnership.”

Rev Dr Max Champion, National Chairperson of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations (2009)