What's this minister's problem with the Australian flag?

[astro]

The story doesn’t say why he won’t allow the AU flag on coffins of vets.

Priest runs from threat of violence

Dr Campbell has been under siege since it emerged last week that he refused an RSL service with an Australian flag to World War II veteran George “Dick” Vipond.

Yesterday he came under fire from members of his own congregation as many of his ageing parishioners pinned poppies to their lapels as a symbol of protest.

At the nearby Ascot Vale Uniting Church the bulletin read: “We welcome Diggers, like nearly all Uniting Churches!”

Dr Campbell also refused to allow an Australian flag at the funeral of a former Victorian Speaker of the House.

The family of former Cain government Speaker Tom Edmunds was outraged when Dr Campbell refused to allow the flag to be draped over his coffin in 2003.

Mr Edmunds was a state member for 26 years and a tireless worker in Essendon, Ascot Vale and Pascoe Vale. He served in the RAAF during World War II.

[Cunctator]

I have no idea what the minister’s problem is, unless it’s that he considers the Australian flag to be too secular for a religious ceremony.

[mhendo]

Looks like Cunctator has it pretty much right.

From this story:

Dr Campbell said it was commonplace in a Christian service to cover the coffin with a white cloth – a symbol of baptism and a “sign of God’s love for all people of all nations”.

“I understand the flag is clearly a very, very powerful symbol and has many emotional attachments,” Dr Campbell said in Melbourne.

“It is the flag of one nation and in that sense belongs within the the framework of an Australian ceremony … but my judgment is, it is not a church ceremony.”

The Moderator of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania, Reverend Sue Gormann, said the church did not have a policy on the placement of the Australian flag on coffins during funeral services.

She said it was instead left to individual ministers to decide what they felt comfortable with.

“In this case what really is the central point is not if the Australian flag was going to be draped on the coffin, but when the Australian flag was to be draped on the coffin,” Dr Gormann said.

Dr Gormann said the church stood by Dr Campbell’s decision.