Nile And Church United No More
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday July 22, 2003
NSW MP the Reverend Fred Nile yesterday resigned as a minister of the Uniting Church in protest at its decision to allow the ordination of practising homosexuals.
The NSW Upper House MP said the church had ``thrown the Bible out the window" with its decision and he had no choice but to resign.
The Uniting Church's Triennial National Assembly last week voted to become the first mainstream Australian church to allow the ordination of practising homosexuals.
Opponents of the decision warned there would be an exodus from the church.
``I have no choice but to resign as a minister of the Uniting Church because of the decision of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church to approve the ordination of practising homosexuals," Mr Nile said.
Mr Nile, who joined the Uniting Church in 1976, said he believed many in the church would follow his lead.
``The National Assembly has deliberately rejected the authority of the Holy Bible for faith and practice," Mr Nile said.
``Homosexuals have to repent first of their homosexual lifestyle, and say it is sinful, which is what the Bible says.
``The Uniting Church has thrown the Bible out the window, saying we don't have to take the Bible as the authority any longer, we can just make up our own rules.
``If you don't take the Bible as your authority I don't think you are a (Christian Church)."
Mr Nile said he supported other parishes, ministers and church members who wanted to break away from the church.
Mr Nile was elected to the NSW Upper House in 1981 as a member of the Christian Democratic Party, and is well known for his opposition to homosexuality and pornography.
The Uniting Church's National Assembly general secretary Terence Corkin said Mr Nile's decision was disappointing.
``The Church regrets the decision by Fred Nile to resign," the Reverend Corkin said.
``It's a great sadness that Mr Nile has not been able to find a place for himself in the Uniting Church in the future, as he has been able to up until now."
Mr Corkin said he believed the decision to allow the ordination of homosexuals had likely come as a surprise to many members of the Church.
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury
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