The role of elders and the role and nature of the Church Council will come under scrutiny following decisions of the Assembly last month.

The Downs presbytery brought a proposal to Assembly to scrap the Church Council, put into place by the 1997 Assembly. Under The Downs’ proposal the Council of Elders would be the "one church council", with a property and finance sub-committee reporting to it.

Putting the proposal, Professor Perc Marland said the 1997 change to Church Council was a theological nonsense, undermined the church’s adherence to the Basis of Union, and was leading to a "plethora of ad-hocracies" when implemented by congregations.

However, Assembly favoured a compromise proposal brought by Rev Allan Thompson to refer The Downs’ proposal to the working group on Church Polity.

Despite being described as one of the architects of the current system, Mr Thompson said he agreed with much of The Downs presbytery’s criticisms of the Church Council and elders’ roles within it.

However, he said supporting the proposal would lead to a grassroots revolt, as congregations had expended much effort and creativity in implementing the new system. It would dishonour that work to turn back now, Mr Thompson said.

The Church Polity group will be assisted in the discussion process by Theology and Discipleship, and a representative of the former task group on church structures.

Journey, Qld (August, 2000)