Presidential Rulings 1 to 34 of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly, 1979 to 2020, read alongside the Basis of Union (paragraphs 14, 15 and 17), Clause 71 of the Constitution and Regulation 3.6.4.3 (2025 edition). Three voices: Anna and James host, and a third voice reads the Presidents’ own words. 23 minutes. Strong language.
Covered: how rulings work and what Presidents will not rule on; Winston O’Reilly and the missing comma (Ruling 1), what counts as a congregation (2), ordination only to a placement (4); lay presidency at Forbes (5) and Northern Inland (8); the Were Street disbanding and Ian Tanner on persuasion over imposition (10); Sir Ronald Wilson on a minister who could not baptise infants, and the erratum (11), and the ordination formula (12); D’Arcy Wood on the Basis of Union and doctrinal change (13) and synod appeals (14); Tabart and Haire on discipline (18, 21); the Mount Lofty Presbytery placement policy (23); Gregor Henderson on Congress discipline and the Covenant (25) and the WA Church Housing Fund (26); Andrew Dutney on Acacia College (29), the suspended Standing Committee (30) and the Sydney Parish Mission (31); Stuart McMillan on the Moderator’s term (33); Deidre Palmer on the Victorian voluntary assisted dying resolution (34).
Sources
- Uniting Church in Australia Assembly, Presidential Rulings nos. 1 to 34, 1979 to 2020.
- Uniting Church in Australia, Constitution and Regulations, 2025 edition: Clauses 15, 34, 71; Regulations 3.6.3.1 and 3.6.4.3.
- Australian Dictionary of Biography, “Winston D’Arcy O’Reilly”
- High Court of Australia, “Sir Ronald Darling Wilson”
- “Jill Tabart”, Wikipedia
- “D’Arcy Wood”, Wikipedia
- Crosslight, “Acacia debt cleared”, July 2014
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