The Rev Professor James Haire, a leader figure among Christians in Australia, has been named the new President of the National Council of Churches (NCCA).

The Council exists to strengthen the cause of Christian unity and help churches find a voice. It includes members from 15 major Australian churches.

“Australia is a pacesetter in ecumenism,” said Professor Haire. “In the Asia region, we’re one of the very few countries where the Roman Catholic Church is a full member of our council of churches.

We Australians are very bad at giving ourselves a pat on the back. But in this area we really are at the cutting edge,” he said.

Professor Haire has recently ended his term as President of the Uniting Church in Australia.
He is also the incoming Director of the National Centre for Christianity and Culture in Canberra, and Professor of theology at Charles Sturt University.