Talk:Basis of Union

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[edit] Citation needed

Is there any particular reason that the statement many formerly Methodist buildings were given to the Presbyterian Church of Australia is flagged citation needed? It's neither more nor less verifiable than many other statements in the article, I would have thought. Andrewa 07:37, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Fair enought. I nearly tagged the whole article as lacking sources.

I tagged that particular section because it was an aspect of Church Union that I wasn't aware of. I knew that schools had been distributed, and that churches had been transferred to the Uniting Church, but I hadn't heard of churches being given to the Presbyterian Church.

Both the Presbyterian churches closest to me, St Andrews (St Ives 2075) and St Davids (Wahroonga, 207something) are former Methodist church buildings. This was not uncommon Australia-wide, but there was some local variation, see below.

Was the distribution of property specifically delt with by the Basis on Union?

Hmmmm. It was in the booklet I received at the time, but the online text now doesn't mention it. Good point! It may have been in an appendix or something similar, which has perhaps been quietly dropped. I can't find the original 1974 text online, but again it would probably only be the core text we were given in any case.

I'll see if I can find the documentation I received at the time. It may take a little while.

From what I've heard, the distribution of property seems to have differed from place to place. If so, we need to think about starting an article about Church Union as distinct from the documentary basis on which it happened.

Blarneytherinosaur talk 09:24, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

That would be great. It's a thin line between original research and encyclopedic stuff sometimes, but I'm sure there is material that could and should be added to Wikipedia.

On one hand, there was a great deal of formal structure in place before the vote, for example providing that if one-third of a Presbyterian congregation voted to remain Presbyterian, they could keep the whole of the property. And afterwards, it went to court, so these provisions were strictly enforced.

On the other hand, there was a great deal of property negotiation after the vote, alongside the court procedings. It wasn't pretty at all, and some of the bitterness still remains.

I was in the middle of all of this. My congregation (Turramurra) voted overwhelmingly for union, but the one my parents and grandparents then attended (and at which my grandfather had been minister for over 25 years before retiring) was just as strongly opposed, and continues to this day (Scots Kirk Mosman). Andrewa 19:40, 7 November 2006 (UTC)