11^th July 2020

Rev Julia Pitman refers to the sexuality debate as the “most destructive debate in the history of the three former denominations and in the Uniting Church.”( ‘The Uniting Church in Australia: The First 25 Years.’ p130-158) This collection of extracts and brief statements documents the decision of 2018 to expand and modify the Biblical understanding of Christian marriage. They capture the tension and mood of what it means today to contend for the revealed, historic faith. In this overview, Rev Ted Curnow provides links and notes to many of the significant decisions by the UCA and reflections about these decisions. (PDF 11 pages)

In an addendum, Ted Curnow provides a summary of the implications of the 2003-2006 UCA decisions to give context to the 2018 UCA Marriage decision. (PDF 2 pages)

These years are significant in the Uniting Church’s drift away from the orthodox Christian teaching of scripture and the understanding of the main historic church. In 2003after considering the view of ‘Celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage’ and a policy of ‘Right relationships’ as outlined in ‘Uniting Church Sexuality and Faith’  the National Assembly adopted Resolution 84 that allowed the ordination of people living in a homosexual relationship. In preparation for the 11th Assembly of the Uniting Church July 5-11, 2006 the following theological summaries/explanations were offered by Rev Rod James to churches in the Hope Network and by Rev Ted Curnow to those of Evangelical conviction. The Uniting Church stepped further from orthodoxy in 2018 by formally changing and approving homosexual marriage by describing Christian marriage as now consisting of ‘two integrities.’