Present Experience "I worship in a congregation of heterosexuals and homosexuals where the gifts and graces of all are appreciated. (33) An elderly, usually 'uptight' lady (a widow) came up to me, very happy. She had been kissed by one of the homosexual men in the congregation. She said, 'I've just been kissed. I felt as though I have just seen God in a way I haven't seen him before. It's the only time I've been kissed by a man and not felt he was after something. (34) Homosexuality is a difficult issue, [but] homosexuals are easy to cope with - one person who had many homosexual friends said 'they have been a great spiritual strength to me. (35) For myself, having tea, with a group of gay and lesbian people, and leading worship and celebrating communion was one of the highlights of my ministry. Many other people within the church are of course greatly afraid of, or hostile towards homosexual people. And some of this has an understandable root. Rape, or assault as a child, by someone of the same sex has a profound affect on a person. What Has The Uniting Church Said? There is no lessening of the traditional statements against promiscuity. Regardless of what outlandish things may seem to have been said, 'bath house' behaviour, or 'toilet sex' are just as firmly eschewed by the church for both homosexual and heterosexual people, as they ever were. We noted the strengthening of the church's stand on sexual morality earlier. The 1991 Synod made some definite statements regarding the standing of Homosexual people in the church. These were statements requiring a 75% majority to be adopted. In fact, there were no dissenting voices at all, with respect to the clauses below.
11.2 [That the synod] acknowledge that homosexual persons, no less than heterosexual persons are loved by God and are precious to him. All persons need the ministry and pastoral care of Christ through his church in their struggled for human fulfilment. No-one should be denied the opportunity to find reconciliation with God and other persons because of their present sexual orientation. The Uniting Church embarked on a six year period of study of sexuality across the church. 1993-4 was designated the year of listening when a proper representative sample of congregational elder's councils across the church was used as a basis for hearing the concerns of the people in relation to sexuality. This survey and other studies was the subject of reports to the national Assembly in 1997. It is the Assembly who make any doctrinal decisions in the Uniting Church.
There is no present resolution in the Uniting Church. Three past Moderators have urged us to further study and dialogue. There is clear indication that the disputation among us is as much about basic attitudes to biblical interpretation as it is to sexuality. For many people, to lose the battle over homosexuality is to lose their church. I fear, for example, that if the EMU view of scripture and their attitude to homosexual people was the norm, there would be no place for me in the
UCA. This is not because of attitudes toward homosexual people alone. The particular biblical interpretative mindset expressed by many in Emu would exclude me on the basis of my attitude to women, or many other social issues.
33 Assembly Sexuality Task Group Occasional Paper No 9 Year of Listening Report pp18
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