Logos Magazine, June 1974

“Meeting of the Australian Christadelphian Fellowship Committee and the Christadelphian Inter-Ecclesial Advisory Committee (SA) Held in Adelaide 4th May 1974”

The following representatives were present:

DJ. Caudery, A.C. Dangerfield, P.B. Hurn, J. Kingston, ΕJ. Russell, J.A Watson, W.C. Gurd, C. Kempster, B.Luke, J.Luke, M.Lund, H.P. Mansfield, J. Martin. Present as an observer: J. Rosser.

It was unanimously agreed that the Unity Basis of Fellowship as set out in the Unity Booklet pages 13 to 15 is a completely adequate Basis for Inter-ecclesial Fellowship.

It was also agreed unanimously that the following eight extracts from the Cooper/ Carter Addendum would provide a satisfactory basis for discussions on the subject of the Atonement between representatives of the two Committees and representatives of those ecclesias in the Brisbane area experiencing problems in their inter-ecclesial relationships in regard to this subject. The comments following some of the extracts are general expressions amplifying the extracts as a basis of discussion. It was agreed that there is no intention or desire to have these comments added to the already agreed and adequate Basis of Fellowship. However, these extracts and the comments upon them were considered to form a satisfactory Agenda for proposed meetings in the Brisbane area

1.  Adam was made of the earth and declared to be very good.

2.    Because of disobedience he was sentenced to return to the dust.

Comment: His death being the punishment for sin referred to in Gen. 2:17 and 3:17-19.

3.  He fell from his Very good state and suffered the consequences of sin — shame, a defiled conscience and mortality.

Comment: Mortality (subjection to death) entailed a change in the condition of Adam's nature which caused him to be physically destined to death.

4.  As his descendants, we partake of that mortality that came by sin, and inherit a nature prone to sin.

Comment: Proneness to sin has been inherited by all Adam's race, but was not part of Adam's nature before sin.

5.  By our actions we become sinners and stand in need of the forgiveness of sins before we can be acceptable before God. Forgiveness and reconciliation God has provided by the offering of His Son.

Comment: Human nature does not alienate from God, though it is the root cause of the sins which do.

6.  Though Son of God, he (Jesus) partook of the same nature - the same flesh and blood as all of us, but did no sin.

Comment: As a consequence of Adam's sin Jesus also inherited mortality and proneness to sin and was not in the same condition as' Adam before sin. In his death he voluntarily declared God's righteousness; God was honoured, and the flesh shown to be by divine appointment rightly related to death.

7.  To share in God's forgiveness, we must be united with Christ by baptism into his death, rising from baptism, dead to the past, to walk in newness of life. The form of baptism is a token of burial and resurrection, and submitting to it we identify ourselves with the principles established in the death of Jesus, who "died unto sin," recognising that God is righteous in decreeing that the wages of sin is death, and as members of the race, we are rightly related to a dispensation of death.

In conclusion, it was agreed that as a result of the degree of unanimity, we are hopeful of being able to arrange discussions with representatives of the ecclesias in the Brisbane area involved in this matter. However» it was thought desirable to have preliminary discussions with the individual ecclesias before finalising arrangements for a combined meeting of representatives of all groups involved.

- Bro. P. Hurn, Chairman of the Meeting