Melbourne: Andrew Thorburn resigned as CEO within 30 hours of taking over the leadership of Essendon, a famous football club in Australia.

Andrew Thorburn is the chairman of City on a Hill, a Pentecostal church that strongly condemns homosexuality and abortion. The resignation follows a disagreement with Essendon's positions on these issues.

Andrew Thorburn and club president Dave Barham have made it clear that their ideas cannot be compromised. The club said in a statement that Andrew was resigning after saying he could not work in two ideologically different positions.

Thorburn's resignation came after a 30-hour stint as the club's chief executive.

He stated that he was forced to resign from Essendon as chairman of the Christian Church.

I have to make compromises beyond what my conscience allows me to do, he said.

Andrew is the former CEO of National Australia Bank.

Thorburn took over the leadership of the club he had supported and loved since childhood.

But when it became clear that he was the chairman of a church opposed to homosexuality and abortion, there was pressure from the club to compromise his positions in order to remain in office. He resigned after not giving in to this.

A 2013 sermon by Thorburn is posted on the City on a Hill Church's website. In it, Thorburn says that homosexuality is a sin and compares abortion to concentration camps. Essendon president Dave Barham said the speech had been reviewed by the club.

Dave Barham said those views did not align with Essendon's values ​​as a club. It is also indicated that there was pressure to resign with this.

Acting chief executive Nick Ryan will continue in the role following Andrew's resignation. Meanwhile, the club has started the process of appointing a new person.