Northern Ireland's First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley was not pushed into stepping down as head of the Free Presbyterian Church, a spokesperson for the leader said today. A representative of the veteran's family said he was happy with his decision during the organisation's annual meeting last night in Belfast.
He stood aside amid threats of a split and possible ousting over his joint role in politics and religion.
The North Antrim Democratic Unionist MP, 81, has spent 56 years at the helm of the fundamentalist church but will stand down in January.
A spokeswoman said: "It was his decision and he is very happy."
Mr Paisley entered power with Sinn Fein at the Northern Ireland Assembly on May 8.
He overturned years of hostility to republicans to share leadership of the Northern Ireland Assembly with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein, a former IRA leader.
Other sources have claimed Mr Paisley wanted to avoid public dissent within the church over his dual role.
One insider insisted: ``It became very obvious that if he did stand he would lose and in those circumstances he pleaded with them not to humiliate him and just let it run to the end of the year and just walk away.''
The charismatic clergyman founded the Free Presbyterian Church, which voices opposition to church practices like ecumenism with Catholics and has championed strict moral standards.
Delegates at last night's 200-strong gathering of church elders were believed to have overwhelmingly voted to separate church and politics after a debate stretching into the early hours of the morning.
The breakaway sect was established on March 17, 1951, after a conflict between some members of the Presbyterian congregation in Crossgar, County Down and the Presbyterian hierarchy.
Members describe it as fundamentalist, evangelical, and separatist.
From four churches in 1951, the denomination has grown to about 60 congregations in Northern Ireland, and a total of about 100 through the world, including England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, the United States and Australia.
It boasts around 10,000 members.
Mr Paisley's co-operation with Sinn Fein has unsettled many within his church base, which valued his eye for an eye approach to politics and his unequivocal attacks on Sinn Fein.
A prominent Free Presbyterian preacher, Ivan Foster, called in November on Mr Paisley to quit as church leader if he co-operated with Sinn Fein.
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