长老宗派新南威尔士州大会在悉尼私立女子学校PLC Sydney的Audrey Keown剧院举行投票，以三分之二多数支持禁止女性担任教会长老职位[1]。这一决议引发了近百名校友的强烈不满，她们联署致信校长保罗·伯吉斯表达反对立场[1]。
校长伯吉斯在校友压力下承认这项决议引发了"震惊和伤害"，并表示自己怀有"非常强烈的感受"，将向教会最高层表达反对意见[1]。根据教会程序，该决议需要在地方会议进行约12个月的协商后才能重新审议[1]。值得注意的是，新南威尔士州自1960年代以来就允许女性担任长老职位[1]。
A vote by the Presbyterian Church of New South Wales to prohibit women from serving as church elders has ignited fierce opposition from nearly a hundred alumnae of PLC Sydney, a prominent private girls' school in the city.[1] The contentious decision, reached by a two-thirds majority at the church assembly, was held at the Audrey Keown Theatre on the school's campus.[1]
The school's principal, Paul Burgess, acknowledged the resolution has caused "shock and hurt" among former students who jointly signed a letter expressing their opposition.[1] He committed to raising the matter with senior church leadership and indicated he held "very strong feelings" on the issue.[1]
The decision, however, does not take immediate effect. According to church procedure, the resolution requires approval by local assemblies, a process expected to take approximately twelve months before the matter is reconsidered.[1] This timeline provides an opportunity for further deliberation, particularly significant given that New South Wales Presbyterian congregations have permitted women to serve as elders since the 1960s.[1]