THE Bible is the common thread in all strands of Christianity, but how the Good Book is interpreted makes all the difference between those strands.
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This is particularly evident when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage.
While the Catholic Church remains steadfast in its opposition to homosexuality, the Uniting Church is examining its stance.
“The official position of the Uniting Church is to uphold marriage as being between a man and a woman,” Warrnambool Uniting Church’s Reverend Geoff Barker said.
“But the Uniting Church assembly, which is the national decision-making body, at its last meeting three years ago had a proposal that it recognise same-sex marriage.”
The final decision on that proposal was not to change the church’s stance at that time.
But the assembly resolved to put together a discussion paper on the issue of marriage and re-examine the matter when it meets in Perth later this month.
Reverend Barker said the discussion paper covered “marriage, same-sex marriage, divorce, the whole understanding of marriage given nearly all couples live together before marriage, changes in society”.
While he said he was unsure whether the church would recognise marriage equality, his personal belief was that homosexuals deserved the same rights as heterosexuals.
“I believe Jesus taught that love is the highest principle for living,” he said.
“We know now that homosexuality is not a choice but is something a person is born with and so is God-given.
“I believe it is important to respect, encourage, support and celebrate the giving and receiving of committed love between same-sex couples as well as heterosexuals.
“Changing the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples will help achieve this, and is important given the history of discrimination and abuse homosexual people have suffered.
“A suggestion has been to have all the same rights as marriage for same-sex couples but use a different word.
“If we did this it wouldn't feel like marriage-equality.
“So weighing it all up, I support same-sex marriage and am happy to use the word 'marriage'.”
Reverend Barker said there was “quite a mixture of opinion” in his congregation.
“We’ve talked about it recently and a number of people are for same-sex marriage… and then there was others who disagree with it,” he said.
Father Michael Linehan of St Pius X Church in Warrnambool refused to comment.
Attempts to contact Warrnambool’s other Catholic priests were unsuccessful.
