Melbourne, October 29 : An Australian priest’s denial that Jesus was God in a booklet has instigated a debate over bedrock Christian beliefs among parishioners of several parishes in Queensland and New South Wales.

Peter Dresser of Coonamble in the Diocese of Bathurst insists in the booklet being sold at two Brisbane parishes—St. Mary''s and the Wooloowin/Windsor/Kalinga Parish of outspoken Brisbane priest Richard Pascoe—that he does not think Jesus was God.

"This whole matter regarding Jesus being God ... not only does violence to my own intelligence, but must be a sticking point for millions of people trying to make some kind of sense of the Christian religion ... No human being can ever be God, and Jesus was a human being. It is as simple as that," the Australian quoted him as saying in the booklet entitled ‘God is Big. Real Big!’.

The priest accepted that many of his own rural flock, whom he considered to be "very conservative", found his theology difficult to accept.

He said that he had revisited his approach after taking an interest in science.

"I''m delighted they''re opening up the debate at St Mary''s," he said.

In the book, the priest claims that Mary had as many as six children, Joseph was the father of Jesus, and the bodily Resurrection is not to be taken literally.

While some argue that St Mary''s should be closed, some priests say this would drive the teachers who attend the church towards informal services, and in turn could influence the children they teach. (ANI)