Postkiwi

At the Queensland Synod meeting today we considered the ways in which the Uniting Church determines doctrine. It was a question raised by the recent Assembly’s Resolution 84 giving Presbyteries the capacity to make decisions about the suitability of people for ministry.

Geoff Thompson gave us a working definition for doctrine and theology. “Doctrine is the teaching of the Church regarding specific contents of the Christian faith. Theology is the discourse which emerges from the Church’s ongoing critical reflection upon its received faith.”

Today the Queensland Synod agreed to ask the Assembly to clarify for the whole Uniting Church in Australia the ways in which doctrine is decided.

So what is an example of a doctrine that might be determined by the Assembly? Perhaps the doctrines of Jesus Christ, Church and the gospel? Who do we believe Jesus to be? Who are we called to be as the community of Christ? What is the good news that we are called to live out and proclaim?

One person suggested that our doctrine is laid out in the Basis of Union. What more do we need? The Uniting Church’s Basis of Union does not lay out sexuality as part of the contents of the Christian faith. Earlier documents such as the Westminster Confession are much more prescriptive but they don’t hold the same kind of authority for the Uniting Church.