wfn.org | ACNS3513 Sydney's Uniting Church Assembly votes to accept

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3513     |     AUSTRALIA	  |	17 JULY 2003 

Sydney's Uniting Church Assembly votes to accept homosexual ministers

by Matthew Davies

[ACNS source: Anglican Media Sydney] The Uniting Church Assembly of the
Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia, today voted to permit the
Church's presbyteries to accept and ordain practising homosexuals for
ministry in their congregations.

Bishop Peter Tasker, Bishop of Liverpool in the Diocese of Sydney,
issued a statement in the absence of Archbishop Peter Jensen, expressing
grave concern of the decision.

Part of Bishop Tasker's statement read, "It is painful to us now to have
to point out to the Uniting Church that today's decisions raises
important questions for biblically minded Anglicans, such as those in
our diocese, over the future recognition of the ministries of any
Uniting Church ministers who are partners in a homosexual relationship."

Archbishop Jensen, who is overseas until the end of the month, recently
affirmed, "There should be no doubt that leaders in our churches should
be above reproach and be those whose lives exemplify the very biblical
and Christian teaching that they are duty-bound to give."

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