Uniting Church in Australia

The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) was formed on June 22, 1977 when the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basic of Union document.

The third largest denomination in Australia, the UCA is governed by a series of councils: Congregation (local), Presbytery (regional), Synod (state) and Assembly (national), with a lay (non-ordained) majority on each. The 10th tri-annual Assembly will next meet in Melbourne in July 2003.

The UCA is considered to be to the left theologically, politically and socially. It has taken stances on issues such Native Title[?] for Aboriginal people, the Environment, and Apartheid.

Despite much debate over the past decade, the UCA's position on homosexual ordination has remained unchanged. Homosexual orientation is not of itself a bar to ordination, however, the Assembly allows each Presbytery to make its own decision on whether to ordain practicing homosexuals.