Anglican Unscripted, Episode 71, May 10. 2013 May 14, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Church of North America, Anglican.TV, Los Angeles, Property Litigation, Quincy, San Joaquin, The Episcopal Church.Tags: Diocese of Niagara, Michael Bird, St James Newport Beach
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In this week’s Episode your host talk about the latest legal heartbreak in California. Also this week, there is late breaking international news about a Bishop who accidentally invokes Scripture. AU’s Legal segment covers all of the court cases in the US, and Kevin interviews David Jenkins about his lawsuit from Bishop Byrd. #AU71 Comments: AnglicanUnscripted@gmail.com
NZ human rights tribunal to review Anglican ban on gay clergy: The Church of England Newspaper, May 12, 2013 p 6 May 14, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Diocese of Auckland, Eugene Sisneros, Human Rights Review Tribunal, Ross Bay
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And unsuccessful aspirant for holy orders has filed a complaint with the New Zealand Human Rights Review Tribunal accusing the Bishop of Auckland of discrimination against homosexuals. Eugene Sisneros, an employee of St Matthew in the City in Auckland, has alleged that Bishop Ross Bay violated the country’s Human Rights laws by refusing to allow him to begin the ordination process because he is in a same-sex partnership.
In his Statement of Claim, plaintiff said he “felt totally humiliated that I had spent six years of my life in study, for a process that I was not permitted to enter because I was a gay man and in a relationship” noting: “My humiliation and disappointment continue to this day.”
New Zealand’s Human Rights Act 1993 forbids discrimination in employment on the grounds of sexual orientation. However Part 2 Section 28 of the Act permits“exceptions for purposes of religion” and allows “different treatment based on religious or ethical belief” by churches in the employment of clergy.
Bishop Bay told One News on 5 May 2013 the man had been turned away from the ordination process
“by reason of the defendant not being chaste in terms of canons of the Anglican Church.” The New Zealand church follows the guidelines reiterated by Lambeth 1998 resolution 1.10 and understands the chaste relationship to be marriage between a man and a woman or celibacy in singleness.
In a comment posted on twitter New Zealand Anglican blogger the Rev Peter Carrell argued were the plaintiff successful in his lawsuit he had overcome the problem that “there is no mechanism to force a Bishop to ordain” someone “if the bishop does not want to do that” under the church’s canons.
Decisions reached by human rights review tribunal can be appealed to higher tribunals, but their decisions are legally enforceable.
Rebuilding options for Christchurch Cathedral unveiled:The Church of England Newspaper, April 21, 2013 6. April 24, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Diocese of Christchurch
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A straw poll of delegates to the 13 April 2013 meeting of Christchurch diocesan Synod has voted to support a proposal to rebuild the city’s earthquake ravaged Cathedral using a contemporary design.
Last week the Diocese of Christchurch and its Church Property Trustees unveiled three designs: a full restoration of the original Nineteenth century gothic cathedral, rebuilding the Cathedral according to its original specifications but using modern construction materials, or a contemporary new design.
A show of hands from the approximately 200 members of the synod presence showed overwhelming support the contemporary design due to its cheaper cost, modern look, and the symbolism of a re-born diocese.
The diocese reports the “praying hands” style Cathedral would feature a restored rose window on the western glass wall, and a glass and steel bell tower. Estimated to cost between NZ $56 million to NZ $74 million the rebuilding project is expected to take from 5 to 10 years. Earthquake insurance payments will contribute NZ $30 million towards the cost of rebuilding.
Christchurch’s Church Property Trustees will make a final decision as to the form the new Cathedral will take. It has launched a website www.cathedralconversations.org.nz to solicit feedback and community on its wishes as well. A series of public forums led by Bishop Victoria Matthews is scheduled for the coming weeks to present options to the wider community. Comments posted at the website indicated majority of the public like the contemporary design also.
New Archbishop for New Zealand: The Church of England Newspaper, April 7, 2013 p 4. April 9, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Philip Richardson
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Archbishop Philip Richardson of New Zealand
The Anglican Church of New Zealand has elected the Rt Rev Philip Richardson, Bishop of Taranaki, as its new Archbishop. On 23 March 2013 representatives of the church’s seven dioceses affirmed the choice of the House of Bishops made last week
Archbishop Richardson (55) will continue as Bishop of Taranaki and take office as archbishop on 1 May 2013 and will be one of three co-primates of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
The Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, welcomed the news. In 2012 Dr. Sentamu helped consecrate St. Mary’s Cathedral in New Plymouth. He applauded the Diocese of Taranaki’s ministry “in which the breath of life from God is shared, and our common humanity is affirmed.”
“Bishop Philip’s ministry is built on this same understanding, that we are all equally valued and loved in the eyes of God,” he said.
In a statement released after selection the new archbishop said his top priorities would be to help the church work together for the common good, to advocate for people on the margins, and to help the church “deepen its discipleship”. Citing Archbishop William Temple, Archbishop Richardson said: “The church really does exist for those who are outside itself.”
“We’re not a club. We are people who are committed to building communities which are healthy. Life giving, just communities where everyone has a place, where every individual has the ability to live full and meaningful lives.”
Philip Richardson was born in Devonport, New Zealand in 1958, and was educated at Rangitoto College. He earned a BA and B.Theol from Otago University and undertook additional studies at Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in South India and at St John’s College in Auckland.
Ordained a priest in 1982, he served as a parish priest before he was appointed warden of Selwyn College at the University of Otago in 1992. In 1999, at the age of 40, he was elected as Bishop of Taranaki.
Member of the church’s liberal wing told the National they hope the new archbishop will back gay marriage the Anglican Church in New Zealand. While Archbishop Richardson has not taken a public stand on the legalization of gay marriage, the Rev Glynn Cardy, vicar of St Matthews-in-the-City church in Auckland, said: “Knowing his position on other issues in the church, which is quite broad-minded, I would expect Bishop Philip would go with the majority on this issue in New Zealand. :
“My own feeling is that he will not try to block change in this area but he doesn’t have the power to make it happen tomorrow,” Mr. Cardy said.
Ex-priest claims abuse whistleblowers shunned by Australian church: The Church of England Newspaper, March 24, 2013, p 7. March 26, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Abuse, Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Alan Sapsford, Paul Walliker
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A former Anglican priest testified last week before a Victorian parliamentary inquiry that he had been ostracized by the church after reporting incidents of clergy sexual child abuse.
Fr. Paul Walliker, who now serves as a priest of the Antiochian Orthodox archdiocese of Australia, said whistle blowers were shunned by the Anglican church. “The support we received from the diocese was zip, zero, zilch,” he told the committee taking evidence at the Bendigo town hall.
On 13 March 2013 Fr. Walliker said he had helped five women press charges against the Rev. Alan Sapsford, however the abuse claims were not believed by many members of the congregation.
“I received death threats. My family was harassed. People abused me in the street,” he told the parliamentary inquiry. “I lost money, I had to sell my house and had to move. I had to pay for counselling for my daughters.”
While the “support we received from the diocese was nothing.”
In 2003 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s 7:30 Report claimed Mr. Sapsford, who was a parish rector in Seymour from 1966 to 1996 and archdeacon of the diocese of Wangaratta, had sexually abused over 30 boys and a number of women while serving at the parish.
After one of his victims, who later became an Anglican priest informed the church of the abuse, Mr. Sapsford confessed his guilt in a letter to Bishop Paul Richardson of the Diocese of Wangaratta.
Fr Walliker said Bishop Richardson withdrew Mr. Sapsford’s licence and allowed him to retire due to ill-health. Archbishop Keith Rayner subsequently gave him a limited licence to officiate in Melbourne. In September 2002, Mr. Sapsford was arrested and charged with child abuse. He died in March 2003 before his case went to trial.
The committee is investigating the response of religious and other non-government groups to the criminal abuse of children. It has received over 300 submissions and heard testimony from more than 90 witnesses. Its report is due in September 2013.
NZ gay marriage commission formed: The Church of England Newspaper, March 3, 2013 p 7. March 23, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Hymnody/Liturgy, Marriage.Tags: gay marriage, Ma Whae Commission, Michael Hughes
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The Standing Committee of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has chartered a theological commission to study gay marriage.
Last week the committee directed the church’s provincial secretary the Rev. Michael Hughes to write to the secretaries of the three branches of the church asking them “to consider and report” on the question “what is a theological rationale for a Christian approach to the blessing and marriage of people in permanent, faithful same gender relationships given the implications thereof on the ordination of people in same gender relationships.”
The three branches: Maori, Pacific Islander and Europeans/Asians, were asked to name three scholars to the commission who were asked to report back to the Standing Committee by year’s end.
The theological commission’s work will also be used to inform the Commission on the Ordination and Blessing of People in Same Sex Relationships (Ma Whea Commission) formed in November 2011 that was asked to provide a “summary of the biblical and theological work done by our Church on the issues surrounding Christian ethics, human sexuality and the blessing and ordination of people in same sex relationships, including missiological, doctrinal, canonical, cultural and pastoral issues.”
The Ma Whae Commission was also charged with finding a way to overcome the veto power to changes in church doctrine granted to each of the three branches and examine “the principles of Anglican ecclesiology and, in light of our diversity, the ecclesial possibilities for ways forward for our Three Tikanga Church”, the implications of the adoption of same-sex blessings to the church’s relations to the wider Anglican Communion, and to address the issue of “what care and protection there would be for those who could be marginalized” by the changes.
The Ma Whae Commission has been asked to report its findings to the General Synod/te Hinota Whanui by 2014.
Election schedule set for next Archbishop of New Zealand: The Church of England Newspaper, February 17, 2013, p. 6. March 15, 2013
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: David Moxon
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The New Zealand House of Bishops have written to the church asking for their prayers as they begin the process of electing a new archbishop to succeed Dr. David Moxon, who steps down in April to become the director of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
Under New Zealand’s tripartite ecclesial structure, the church is divided into racial or cultural groups: Pacific Islander, Maori and Europeans/others. Dr. Moxon’s successor will become the head of the Tikanga Pakeha, the diocesan structure for the country’s European and Asian immigrant population.
Eight bishops from the New Zealand dioceses will meet on 18 March 2013 in Wellington to nominate from amongst themselves a senior bishop, who will become the new archbishop. On 23 March an Inter-Diocesan Conference will be convened in Wellington with one clergy, lay and episcopal representative from each diocese to confirm the election.
In an email released after their meeting in Dunedin last month, the bishops wrote: “The Senior Bishop’s role is an important one. As part of the shared primacy s/he will be a focus of unity for the whole church. S/he, along with the other archbishops, will represent our church to the world wide Anglican communion and represent the communion to us.
“S/he will be one of the major instruments whereby our church is represented to the government and to our country. S/he will lead Tikanga Pakeha as it continues to refine and establish its role within our three tikanga church.
The bishops asked the church to “pray for wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making this important decision” as “this decision will have a great influence on the immediate direction of Tikanga Pakeha.”
Anglican Unscripted Episode 59: December 7, 2012 December 7, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican.TV, ARCIC, Church of England, The Episcopal Church.Tags: David Moxon, Justin Welby, Katharine Jefferts Schori, Mark Lawrence, Primates, Rowan Williams, Vatican
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This first week of Advent George and Kevin discuss the latest news from the Diocese of South Carolina and the unlawful actions of the Presiding Bishop. Your two favorite commentators also tackle the final Advent letter from Archbishop Rowan Williams and they share some sage advice for Bishop Justin Welby. Sadly, our third story was removed during editing in reaction to the tragedy today in London with the suicide of the Kate Middleton’s Nurse. Comments to AnglicanUnscripted@gmail.com #AU59
Also: Please keep AU Contributor Allan Haley in your prayers this week as he and his family are grieving the death of Allan’s sister.
Christchurch Cathedral demolition approved: The Church of England Newspaper, November 25, 2012 p 6. November 29, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Victoria Matthews
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A New Zealand court has turned back a legal challenge from an architectural preservation group that sought to block the demolition of earthquake-ravaged Christchurch Cathedral.
On 15 November the court rejected the petition of the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust, which had asked the court to stop demolition as the Cathedral was protected by an act of Parliament and could not be torn down without government sanction.
However, Justice Lester Chisholm ruled the Cathedral could be demolished, if a new Cathedral was constructed in its place. “Unless the terms of the Cathedral trust are varied, either the structure that remains will have to be repaired or it will have to be replaced by another Cathedral.
“While there must be a cathedral on the site, it does not necessarily have to replicate the Cathedral as it stood before the earthquakes occurred,” the court held.’
In an email to members of her diocese, Bishop Victoria Matthews wrote: “We have permission to deconstruct the old Cathedral and build a new Cathedral in the Square, and we are expected to use reasonable speed in doing so.
“The major deciding point seems to be the difference between building a Cathedral on the present site versus re-constructing the present Cathedral on the present site,” she said, adding “it is a 200-paragraph decision and I will bring to your attention further details at a later time.”
On 22 February 2011 the city of Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island was badly damaged by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The Cathedral’s tower collapsed and the walls and masonry were badly damaged, while the rose window above the altar was destroyed in a June aftershock.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Christchurch Cathedral is coming down: Anglican Ink, November 15, 2012 November 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Ink.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch earthquake, Victoria Matthews
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A New Zealand court has turned back a legal challenge from an architectural preservation group that sought to block the demolition of Christchurch Cathedral.
On 15 Nov 2012 the court rejected the petition of the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust brought against the trustees of the property, the Church Property Trust (CPT) that argued the earthquake ravaged cathedral could not be torn down as it was protected by an act of Parliament that protected historic church buildings.
Justice Lester Chisholm held the cathedral could be demolished, if a new cathedral was constructed in its place. “Unless the terms of the Cathedral trust are varied, either the structure that remains will have to be repaired or it will have to be replaced by another Cathedral.”\
Read it all in Anglican Ink.
Separation of Church and State for Fiji: The Church of England Newspaper, October 14, 2012 p 6. October 19, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Apimeleki Qiliho, Diocese of Polynesia, Frank Bainimarama
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Commodore Frank Bainimarama
The separation of church and state proposed in Fiji’s new constitution will not be challenged by the Diocese of Polynesia.
A Constitution Commission led by Prof. Yash Ghai has initiated a public review for the proposed constitution, soliciting comments from civic society leaders, and has also sought to explain to the predominantly Christian nation what separation means. ”This doesn’t mean that the State is anti-religion but just a feeling that the function and responsibility of religion of beliefs within societies should be separated from the functions and policies of the institution of the State,” he told the Fiji Times.
The Vicar General of the Diocese of Polynesia, the Rt. Rev. Apimeleki Qiliho told The Church of England Newspaper the diocese had not made a formal submission to the commission.
In 2006 Commodore Frank Bainimarama led a military counter coup that toppled a civilian coup. The country’s Court of Appeal in 2009 ruled the coup illegal, prompting President Josefa Iloilo to dismiss the court and abrogate the constitution. Commodore Bainimarama announced that a new constitution would be presented to the country in 2013 that would guarantee the separation of church and state remove the ethnic-based seats in parliament, lower the age of voting to 18, and create an upper house, or senate, for parliament.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
New Zealand diocese mulls closing half its parishes: The Church of England Newspaper, September 27, 2012 September 27, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Diocese of Dunedin, Kelvin Wright
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The altar of St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin New Zealand
Empty pews, rising costs and a cash shortfall has led the Diocese of Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island to consider a plan put forward by Bishop Kelvin Wright to close half the diocese’s parishes.
Delegates to the diocese’s synod held on 15 Sept 2012 accepted a draft plan for study that would reduce the number of congregations from 32 to 15 and cut the number of stipendiary parochial clergy from 20 to 17. The diocese’s administrative offices would also be reorganized and redundant churches closed.
In a May 2012 letter to his diocese subsequently posted on his blog, Dr. Wright warned the diocese was “two years out from a crisis.”
“For many years, the diocese has been in decline on any parameter that could be named … attendances, numbers of families served and the real level of giving have all been steadily dropping over the years to the point where several of our parishes are on the very edge of ceasing to exist altogether,” he wrote.
The diocese’s 32 parishes supported 60 churches, many of which had been damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Insurance costs had risen by 60 per cent in the aftermath of the earthquake and each building required an inspection that would cost upwards of £1500, while one church needed £100,000 in repairs to remain open.
“We’ve got to ask the hard questions. These people go to church for spiritual and social reasons. They did not sign up to be the custodians of historical buildings,” the bishop said, but noted the cash crunch may be a “blessing in disguise” as once congregations are free from the cost of maintaining crumbling buildings “they may be stronger for it.”
“We are about two years out from a crisis, but we’ve got to make the changes now while we’ve still got a bit of wiggle room,” the bishop said.
The Dunedin synod accepted the bishop’s proposal for reorganization and has asked parish councils to offer their responses within the next sixty days. A committee will then begin work on a restructuring plan for the diocese. Considered one of New Zealand’s more progressive dioceses, Dunedin elected the first diocesan woman bishop in the Anglican Communion in 1990, Dr. Penelope Jamieson. In 2006 her successor, Bishop George Connor, ordained New Zealand’s first openly gay clergyman, the Rev. Juan Kinnear.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Bishop runs off with school chaplain: The Church of England Newspaper, September 16, 2012 p 4. September 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: adultery, Diocese of Wellington, Kate Carey-Smith, Tom Brown
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Dr. Tom Brown
The New Zealand bishop who surrendered his licence to officiate as a priest last month has moved in with the wife of a clergyman. The Rt. Rev. Thomas Brown, the former Bishop of Wellington told the Dominion Post he was leaving the ministry in order “to be loyal to the church and maintain the church’s integrity”.
“I’ve stepped back from an involvement in the church for personal reasons. I volunteered to give back my licence, it was not taken from me,” he said, adding that “I think that under the circumstances it was appropriate that I stand down and have a period of sabbatical or time out, and the present bishop accepted that.”
The bishop’s 7 Aug 2012 decision to withdraw from the ministry came amidst reports he had separated from his wife, Dwyllis. “I have a private life and I’m endeavouring to get on with that to deal with the difficulty of separating from my wife,” the former bishop told the Post.
It has since been revealed that Bishop Brown has begun a relationship with the chaplain of Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, the Rev Canon Kate Carey-Smith. Canon Carey-Smith, whose husband, the Rev. Chris Carey-Smith is chaplain at St Mark’s Church School, resigned from her position on 3 Aug.
The new Bishop of Wellington, Justin Duckworth last month told reporters: “The breakdown of any marriage is always deeply sad for all involved.” He has declined to comment further.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
NZ bishop surrenders his licence: The Church of England Newspaper, September 9, 2012 p 6 September 13, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Diocese of Wellington, Tom Brown
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The newly retired Bishop of Wellington (New Zealand) has surrendered his licence to function as priest in the Anglican Church of Aoteroa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The church has declined to comment on Bishop Tom Brown’s 7 August 2012 decision to leave the ministry, which comes in the midst of his separation from his wife, Dwyllis.
Bishop Brown, who was elected bishop in 1998 and retired in March, told The Dominion Post last week he voluntarily gave up his right to officiate “to be loyal to the church and maintain the church’s integrity”.
“I’ve stepped back from an involvement in the church for personal reasons. I volunteered to give back my licence, it was not taken from me.”
“I think that under the circumstances it was appropriate that I stand down and have a period of sabbatical or time out, and the present bishop accepted that.”
The former Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Tom Brown
“I have a private life and I’m endeavouring to get on with that to deal with the difficulty of separating from my wife,” the former bishop said.
The new Bishop of Wellington, Justin Duckworth told reporters: “The breakdown of any marriage is always deeply sad for all involved,” but declined to comment further.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Christchurch Cathedral plans rejected: The Church of England Newspaper, August 12, 2012 p 6. August 16, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Diocese of Christchurch, Victoria Matthews
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The Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Rev Victoria Matthews, has rejected as unsafe and expensive a proposal to rebuild the city’s earthquake-damaged cathedral.
Last week, Bishop Matthews said she was not persuaded by the arguments put forth by the Great Christchurch Building Trust that there were feasible alternatives to demolishing the cathedral and that it could be restored.
The difference in cost would “probably be about $15 million, and it’s very interesting in post-earthquake Christchurch we talk about millions like we once talked about hundreds. But when you think about $15 million it could do a great deal of good in other places,” the Bishop said.
No decision had yet been made on the final design of the new cathedral, Bishop Matthews said, but it would not be a replica or a radical departure in style from the Gothic cathedral but a reconstruction.
On 22 February 2011 the city of Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island was badly damaged by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The cathedral’s tower collapsed and the walls and masonry were badly damaged, while the rose window above the altar was destroyed in a June aftershock.
At a 28 October press conference the Bishop and Dean announced the cathedral would be deconsecrated in preparation for rebuilding. Bishop Matthews said the new cathedral would never look “exactly as it used to”, but would be a “mix of old and new”.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
NZ Synod to study “nature of marriage”: The Church of England Newspaper, July 22, 2012 p 7. July 26, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: gay marriage
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The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has declined to endorse a motion calling for church blessings of same-sex partnerships, voting instead to commence a two year study on the “nature of marriage.”
On 10 July 2012, the synod meeting in Fiji adopted a motion proposed by the Rev Glynn Cardy that “asks Episcopal Units to hold conversations in our church and with the wider community about the nature of marriage.”
The motion was adopted without opposition, and followed a lengthy debate on the institution of marriage. A proponent of church-blessings for gay marriage, Mr. Glynn had argued that “marriage in the Bible is not restricted to one man and one woman – or in fact to any one model.”
Bisho Kelvin Wright of Dunedin urged the church rethink its stance on marriage as society had moved on from the traditional view espoused in church teaching. “We are still in the wedding business – but confused about it,” the bishop said, adding: “What are we doing here? We need to have a look again at what marriage is.”
A commission will explore the pastoral, theological, social and Scriptural dimensions of marriage and report back to the next meeting of General Synod in 2014. Motion 21 put forward by the Diocese of Waiapu asking the synod to “move forward with the provision of an authorized rite for the blessing of same-gender relationship” was turned aside by the 160 members of the AZNP synod in favour of the study motion, observers tell CEN.
New Zealand rejects Anglican Covenant — U.S. likely to follow: The Church of England Newspaper, July 15, 2012 July 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in 77th General Convention, Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Covenant, Church of England Newspaper, The Episcopal Church.comments closed
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has declined to endorse the Anglican Covenant. Delegates to the synod meeting in Fiji on 9 July voiced objections to the disciplinary provisions in the proposed pan-Anglican agreement and disquiet with the centralization of authority in London, but resolved to remain a part of the wider Anglican Communion.
The 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church meeting in Indianapolis from 5-12 July is also expected to reject the Anglican Covenant. Testimony at committee hearings as well as sentiment amongst the deputies has been in favor of rejecting the covenant.
On 9 July the ANZP synod voted to amend a motion that stated the church “Declines to adopt the proposed Anglican Covenant” with a broader statement explaining its rejection.
In language supported by Archbishop David Moxon, the church said it was “unable to adopt the proposed Anglican Covenant due to concerns about aspects of Section 4, but subscribes to Sections 1, 2, and 3 as currently drafted as a useful starting point for consideration of our Anglican understanding of the church.
A second clause was amended to state the church “affirms the commitment of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia to the life of the Anglican Communion, including the roles and responsibilities of the four Instruments of Communion as they currently operate.
The Anglican Taonga described the amendments as “subtle” and characterized the debate over the meaning of the phrase as nuanced. The proposer of the original amendment, former ACC representative Antony Fitchett told the synod the “stated purpose of the Covenant is to enable ‘fuller ecclesial communion’.”
It was an “interesting concept that one achieves communion by ex-communication” of those who do not share the views of the majority he argued.
Dr. Fitchett’s views were akin to those voiced by those opposed to the adoption of the Anglican Covenant. At hearings held on 6 July 2012 at the 77th General Convention in Indianapolis, a majority of speakers urged rejection of the Covenant.
The Rev. Malcolm French of the Anglican Church of Canada, and moderator of the No-Anglican Covenant coalition stated “Anglicanism was born out of the rejection of foreign prelates.” He urged the Episcopal Church to preserve its autonomy and not surrender it to an unaccountable overseas body.
Mrs. Lelanda Lee, Deputy from Colorado, urged the committee to follow the course taken by the Church of England and “just say no,” while Mrs. Mary Roehrich, Deputy from Pittsburgh stated she believed that the current draft of the covenant “would serve to divide the church, not unite it.”
Prof. Ben King of the University of the South urged the committee not to reject the covenant out right, but to find a way to continue the discussion without acceding to the agreement.
The Episcopal Church “needs to support the covenant” so as to support “our liberal friends in Africa,” he said. Archbishops Thabo Makgoba of Southern Africa and Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean would be left in an “awkward position” of endorsing the covenant in the face of its rejection by the “conservative African churches.”
We must “stand with them” in this fight, he said.
The committee is expected to release its recommendations on the Covenant to the Convention for vote this week.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
New Zealand and US churches to vote on gay marriage: The Church of England Newspaper, July 15, 2012. July 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in 77th General Convention, Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, The Episcopal Church.Tags: gay marriage, same-sex blessings
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The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church of the USA are set to debate resolutions authorizing rites for the blessing of gay marriages at their respective meetings this week.
Meeting in Fiji the 160 bishops and delegates to the ANZP synod will review three motions on gay marriage, gay liturgies and diocesan autonomy. Motion 20 brought by members of the Diocese of Waiapu entitled “Episcopal autonomy in discernment for ordination” asks the church to permit local dioceses to set their own standards for ordination.
The diocese was concerned that there had been pressure to “withhold discernment for ordination because of a person’s sexual orientation and the living out of their orientation.” The motion asked that dioceses be permitted to decide the worthiness of potential ministers, allowing a local option for gay clergy.
Delegates from Waiapu also put forward Motion 21 asking the synod to “move forward with the provision of an authorized rite for the blessing of same-gender relationship” as well. Passage of the two motions is uncertain, observers of the proceedings tell The Church of England Newspaper.
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church is reviewing a series of resolutions on gay marriage. While the debate in committee has been spirited, the weight of opinion within the convention appears to favor authorization of trial rites for the blessing of same-sex unions.
On 6 July the House of Bishops rejected a proposal brought by the Diocese of Maryland to begin the six year process for revising the Book of Common Prayer to create gender neutral marriage rites. While Bishop Mary Glasspool of Los Angeles urged the church to move ahead, the bishops gave their backing to a resolution that calls for a task force to study the theology of marriage and report back in 2015.
However, the principle vehicle to introduce same-sex unions for the Episcopal Church at the 77th General Convention meeting 5-12 July in Indianapolis is Resolution A049 “Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships.”
A vote on the resolution is scheduled for later this week. While A049 is likely to garner a majority of votes in the two Houses of General Convention – bishops and deputies – it is not likely to be approved. While a revision to the marriage liturgy in the Prayer Book requires support by two successive meetings of General Convention by both bishops and deputies, a trial rite can be passed at one meeting. However, the rules governing resolutions proposing the adoption of trial rites have special terms. In the House of Bishops a majority of all bishops entitled to vote – both serving and retired – must endorse the measure. Those bishops not present at the meeting must still be counted in calculating what constitutes a majority.
With approximately 305 members, A049 must secure 153 votes in the House of Bishops to be adopted. As of 7 July 2012, 167 bishops were present at the 77th General Convention, meaning 15 bishops voting against the measure can block implementation of trial rites for the blessing of same-sex marriage.
Cardboard cathedral under construction in Christchurch: The Church of England Newspaper, May 13, 2012 p 7. May 21, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Diocese of Christchurch, Victoria Matthews
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An artists rendition of the cardboard cathedral. Photo: Christchurch Cathedral
Construction has begun on Christchurch’s “cardboard cathedral” – a transitional A-frame church built from 104 tubes of cardboard.
On 22 April 2012 a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Christchurch on the site of the new cathedral. “It’s a time of celebration and joy and we are full of hope,” Bishop Victoria Matthews told the congregation.
Expected to cast in excess of £2.75 million, the 700 seat church replaces the city’s Gothic cathedral which was heavily damaged in the 22 Feb 2011 earthquake. Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the building has life expectancy of at least 20 years – and will house the cathedral congregation for the next ten years while a permanent replacement is built.
“Christchurch is moving forward,” the chairman of the cathedral’s rebuilding campaign, Richard Gray, said. The eco-friendly cathedral demonstrated that “people are finding solutions that are not only innovative but environment-friendly,” he added.
The phased demolition of the old cathedral has prompted protests from civil activists, however. On 26 April 2012 Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee stated that all the papers held by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) would be released to the public.
Preservationists have challenged the diocese’s plans to demolish the cathedral and have called for the church to be rebuilt. Mr. Brownlee said there was a “range of views on the very difficult decision the Anglican Church has made about the future of its cathedral, and given the significance of the building this issue is of huge concern to many people in the community.”
However, a “demolition permit has been issued to deal with the dangerously unstable tower and further permits will be issued to partially deconstruct the building,” the minister said. Construction on the cardboard cathedral is expected to be completed by Christmas 2012.
Bishop joins Auckland picket line in labour dispute: The Church of England Newspaper, March 16, 2012 p 6. March 22, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Politics.Tags: Labor disputes, Muru Walters, Ports of Auckland
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Church leaders in New Zealand have joined dockworkers on the picket line in an industrial dispute over work rules between the Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Ports of Auckland.
On 12 March 2012 the chairman of the Anglican Church’s Social Justice Commission, Bishop Muru Walters said the Ports’ decision to quit negotiations and sack its unionized workers was unacceptable as it put profits over people.
“There are many bottom lines in business,” the bishop said. “One of the most important is the welfare of workers. We are quick enough to highlight labour market atrocities oversees, but less quick to notice them in our own back yard.”
MUNZ and port management have been negotiating over management proposals to introduce flexible work schedules. Unions have objected to these proposals, a fact sheet released by the Social Justice Commission says, because these changes “will lead to a casualised workforce and loose a guaranteed hours of work for a permanent full time staff member.”
“Port workers want to be valued for the work they do, have income security and to be treated fairly. Being a casual worker means that you aren’t guaranteed work or income. The Port’s expectation is that workers would wait at home and wait to be called in,” the fact sheet said.
However, a press release from the Ports stated the negotiations had failed. There had been “no change in the Union’s position on the fundamental issues: the Port’s ability to operate flexibly in response to changing customer demands, and its right to have other stevedoring companies working at the container terminal.”
The Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops of Auckland have offered to mediate the dispute, but management has so far declined their offer. “After six months of intensive negotiations, and nine offers from the company, it is unfortunate the Union has gone backwards rather than presenting some constructive, forward thinking proposals that will bring this issue to a close,” port CEO Tony Gibson said.
Bishop Walters, the Maori bishop for the region, said he would join the picket lines.
“I am a bishop from the north. When people in the north hurt, I hurt. When their security is put under threat, so is mine. I will stand in solidarity with the workers on the picket line. We need to remember that people are the most important thing: the security of families and especially children.”
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Christchurch Cathedral to be demolished: The Church of England Newspaper, March 9, 2012, p 7. March 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Diocese of Christchurch, earthquake, Victoria Matthews
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The Diocese of Christchurch in New Zealand reports that it will level its earthquake ravaged cathedral, bringing its walls down to a height of two to three meters. However, Bishop Victoria Matthews announced that the cathedral’s footprint would remain untouched and no wrecking balls would be used in the demolition.
Speaking to the press on 2 March 2012, Bishop Matthews said that safety and cost considerations were driving the diocese’s plans. “This is now a very dangerous building that needs to be made safe,” she told reporters, adding that the top priority was to “ensure people working on-site are safe.”
It is not feasible to rebuild the cathedral as it was, she said. “Currently, the Church Property Trust has estimated a $20-$30 million shortfall over the whole Anglican Diocese, which does not include the potential cost of any future damage.”
“In regard to the cathedral specifically, the sums are staggering,” the bishop said.
“A replica cathedral has been ruled out due to an estimated $100 million shortfall, while a new build incorporating some of the old would incur a shortfall of up to $50 million,” Bishop Matthews said.
“I am sad to have to relay this decision but I believe it is the way forward,” she added.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Anglican Unscripted Episode 31: March 6, 2012 March 6, 2012
Posted by geoconger in AMiA, Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Church of Rwanda, Anglican.TV.Tags: Christchurch Cathedral, Rick Warren
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From Natural Disasters to International turmoil your Anglican Unscripted hosts Kevin and George cover it all. There is also updated AMiA and PEARUSA News and AS Haley reflects on what happens when you lose in court. This episode starts with a great adventure in Texas and finishes with a new segment called Mailbag. Please reply to anglicanunscripted@gmail.com.
Christchurch cathedral in media storm: The Church of England Newspaper, December 16, 2011 p 6. December 19, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christ Church Cathedral, Diocese of Christchurch, Peter Beck, Victoria Matthews
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Dean Beck and Bishop Matthews at the service of deconsecration
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Reports of the Bishop and Dean of Christchurch have fallen out over the future of the city’s earthquake ravaged cathedral are overblown, Bishop Victoria Matthews tells The Church of England Newspaper.
On 11 Dec 2011, the Press newspaper reported that relations between Bishop Matthews and Dean Peter Beck of Christ Church Cathedral “had become strained, to the point where Beck had taken advice from an employment lawyer.” It further stated the dean had announced on 7 Dec that he would be resigning after nine years in office to enter politics, running for a vacant seat on the Christchurch City Council.
The Press reported the bishop and dean “disagreed on the vexed and complex issue of what to do about the severely damaged cathedral” with the bishop favouring “demolishing the cathedral and building a new church, either on the same site or elsewhere” while the dean “wants to repair the cathedral and restore it to its former glory.”
On 22 Feb the city of Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island was badly damaged by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The cathedral’s tower collapsed and the walls and masonry were badly damaged, while the rose window above the altar was destroyed in a June aftershock.
At a 28 Oct press conference the bishop and dean announced the cathedral would be deconsecrated in preparation for rebuilding. Bishop Matthews said the new cathedral would never look “exactly as it used to”, but would be a “mix of old and new”.
The demolition work would “gives us time to explore further options about what we’ll be doing to build a new cathedral – as the bishop says, a mix of old and new,” Dean Beck told reporters.
However, the Press reported relations have since soured. In a 9 Dec letter to the Press, a canon almoner at the cathedral, Mr. Haydn Rawstron accused Bishop Matthews of “flying in the face of public opinion” over the rebuilding plans and suggested she step down over her “serious errors of judgment.”
Bishop Matthews told CEN the controversy had turned into a “media mess.”
“I returned home on the weekend from Seoul South Korea and the meeting of the Inter Anglican Commission on Unity Faith and Order, to find that the Press newspaper and others were into an extraordinary misrepresentation of what is happening in the diocese,” Bishop Matthews said.
She noted that the “reports in the local media suggest the dean and I disagree totally about what the new cathedral should look like. We do not disagree about this, and I think it is fair to say that we are both open to various possibilities.”
She added the dean, “who has always had a lively political interest and voice, and who has previously considered entering local politics, now has resigned to run in a by election for a city council seat.”
Dean Beck “has my gratitude for his time” as leader of the cathedral, she said. But his resignation should not be construed as being a result of an internal conflict as “he had already said that he would not be dean to see the new cathedral completed due to his age.”
Diocesan press officer Philip Baldwin told the Press that those who believe the bishop wants to demolish the cathedral were mistaken. “They have not listened to what the bishop has said. She has said over and over again that we are going to proceed very slowly, very cautiously with any demolition work.”
Church backing for proportional representation referendum in New Zealand: The Church of England Newspaper, November 25, 2011 November 28, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Politics.Tags: mixed member proportional voting
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First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Anglican Church leaders in New Zealand have given their backing to the proportional voting system for electing members of Parliament and have urged voters to register their support in this week’s national referendum.
In 1993 New Zealand adopted a mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system modeled upon the German Bundestag’s system for electing Members of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. Voters were asked to choose between the MMP system and the traditional first past the post (FPP) used by most Commonwealth countries. MMP won the 1993 referendum, polling 54 per cent to FPP’s 46 per cent.
A non-binding referendum is scheduled for this week’s general election, the sixth under the MMP system, asking voters if they wish to keep MMP or adopt another system. An MMP election in New Zealand gives voters two votes: one for a party and one for a candidate. The party votes determine what share of the 120 seats each party gets in Parliament, while votes for MP’s from the country’s 70 electoral districts are determined by a FPP method.
In a statement released last week, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia endorsed the MMP system, saying it had worked for the Anglican Church in New Zealand and should work for the national government.
“We believe that the referendum on MMP offers an opportunity for affirmation of the principle that, in a democracy like ours, there needs to be provision for minority groups to be included in the formation and exercise of government. The voices of all significant political groups in this country need the opportunity to work in various forms of partnership and collation following the electoral process. We hold this view because we have valued this kind of power sharing and partnership within our own constitution and church government.”
“We strongly encourage consideration of the various proportional representation models available in the referendum, acknowledging the democratic value of MMP as it has developed so far in New Zealand,” the church said.
Advocates for the MMP system, led by the Campaign for MMP group, have argued the system promotes minority representation and allows parliament to reflect the makeup of the community.
Opponents led by the Vote for Change coalition have urged voters to rescind MMP. They argue the current system promotes inefficient government and gives more power to political parties who are not answerable to voters.
The vote on MMP is scheduled for 26 November 2011.
Maori synod rejects Anglican Covenant: The Church of England Newspaper, November 11, 2011 p 6. November 15, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Covenant, Church of England Newspaper.comments closed
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
The synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa – the Maori strand of the Anglican Church in Aoteaora, New Zealand and Polynesia (ANZP) – has rejected the Anglican Covenant.
The 5 November 2011 vote by the biennial runanganui (synod) meeting in Ohinemutu, New Zeland of the five Maori hui amorangi (episcopal units) passed a motion asking the 2012 ANZP General Synod: “To reject the Anglican Covenant.”
But it also asked the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) to “affirm that full membership of the Anglican Communion is not conditional on adoption of the proposed Covenant.”
Last week’s vote by the Maori churches likely sounds the political death knell for the Covenant in the ANZP. The dioceses of Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson and Waikato-Taranaki have expressed qualified support, while Auckland, Waiapu and Dunedin have rejected it. The Diocese of Polynesia has not expressed an opinion on the Covenant – an agreement sponsored by the Archbishop of Canterbury that would set the parameters of Anglican doctrine and discipline.
Delegates to the May 2010 meeting of the ANZP General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui endorsed the first three sections of the Covenant, but adopted a resolution asking for an opinion from the Standing Committee of the ACC on the “appropriateness of the provisions of Clause 4.2.8 of the proposed Covenant,” which excludes all provinces that have not adopted the Covenant from decision-making about exclusion of provinces. No response has been forthcoming from London, however.
The Maori church took issue with the disciplinary provisions of the Covenant, with the resolution noting that “Clause 4.2 of the proposed Covenant contains provisions which are contrary to our understanding of Anglican ecclesiology, to our understanding of the way of Christ, and to justice, and is unacceptable to this Runanganui.”
Speakers in support of the motion to reject argued the Covenant was un-Anglican. According to an account of the debate prepared by Anglican Taonga, the mover of the resolution, Archdeacon Turi Hollis said “the proposed Covenant is trying to impose on us something that should be based on relationship.”
The Rev Don Tamihere urged rejection also. “We are being asked to sign over our sovereignty, our rangatiratanga to an overseas group … to a standing committee over whom we have no choice or control. And they have the power to recommend punishment.”
If the 2012 General Synod adopts the Covenant, it must come before the synod a second time in 2014 as a change to the Church’s constitution for adoption. However, under the current organisational structure, each Tikanga or section of the Church: Maori, Polynesia, Church of New Zealand, has the ability to veto legislation for the whole – making it highly unlikely the Covenant will pass in light of last week’s vote.
Christ Church Cathedral coming down: The Church of England Newspaper, November 4, 2011 p 6. November 5, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch earthquake, Victoria Matthews
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Christ Church Cathedral before the earthquake
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Earthquake damaged Christ Church Cathedral in New Zealand will be deconsecrated and portions of the gothic structure pulled down, Bishop Victoria Matthews announced last week.
Speaking to a press conference last week Bishop Matthews said the diocese was exploring its options, including leveling the 130-year old Gothic cathedral which will be deconsecrated on 9 Nov.
“This has been a difficult decision for all involved, as no one loves the cathedral as much as we do,” the bishop said on 27 Oct 2011. “However, this is the next step towards a decision about the future of the cathedral, which will combine the old and the new.”
The decision on how to proceed “follows a challenging and complex assessment process, including review and input by a range of involved and interested persons to identify options and risks, along with consideration of expert analysis and technical reports,” she said.
It will cost upwards of £2 million to demolish the cathedral, which was badly damaged on 22 Feb 2011 by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake and aftershock in June.
After the building has been stabilised and the rubble removed, the bishop and cathedral chapter will consider several options including demolishing the whole building or demolishing from 20 to 70 per cent of the existing structure.
Insurance will cover only 70 per cent of the rebuilding costs, the bishop said, leaving a shortfall of £15 to £25 million in the cost of rebuilding.
Dean Peter Beck stated the new cathedral will be a “mixture of old and new” styles. He added that a final decision will be made after demolition. “That gives us time to explore further options about what we will be doing to build a new cathedral,” he said.
Dunedin dean jailed for theft: The Church of England Newspaper, Oct 21, 2011 p 7. October 24, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Corruption.Tags: Jonathan Kirkpatrick
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First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
The former Dean of Dunedin has been sentenced to three years, two months’ imprisonment for fraud by a New Zealand court.
On 6 Oct 2011 the Auckland District Court ordered the Rev. Jonathan Kirkpatrick be jailed and to pay a fine of $20,000. In August, Mr. Kirkpatrick, who served as head of the business innovation centre at the Auckland University of Technology, pled guilty to 82 counts of theft.
Court documents show Mr. Kirkpatrick began stealing from the university shortly after his appointment in 2002 by generating false invoices from companies he controlled, bilking AUT out of almost £330,000.
The Diocese of Auckland suspended Mr. Kirkpatrick following his arrest from his post of Priest in Charge at St Alban’s Church in Balmoral in central Auckland. The Bishop of Auckland has withdrawn the licence of the 53 year old priest, who served as Dean of Dunedin before his move to Auckland.
Prosecuting attorney, Rachael Reed told the court “this is a man who should have no need to steal but who obviously had taste beyond his salaried means.” The proceeds of his crimes were spent on luxurious living, she said.
However the court did learn that Mr. Kirkpatrick was a good corporate citizen. To facilitate his thefts, he generated false invoices from companies he controlled and then authorized payments from the university’s account. Judge A.A. Sinclair noted it was an unusual situation in that the defendant had paid income and sales taxes via his companies on the money he stole.
3 NZ no’s for the Anglican Covenant: The Church of England Newspaper, Sept 9, 2011 p 7. September 11, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Anglican Covenant, Church of England Newspaper.comments closed
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
Three New Zealand dioceses have voted in favour of autonomy over communion and rejected the Anglican Covenant as being un-Anglican.
The Sept 2 votes by Auckland and Waiapu and the June 11 vote by the Maori Amorangi, or episcopal unit, the Te Hui Amorangi o Te Tairawhiti urged the church’s General Synod to reject the proposed agreement to define the limits of Anglican faith and order.
However, all three affirmed their desire to remain full members of the Communion even if they did not sign off on the document—a stance at odds with Archbishop Rowan Williams 2009 statement that a two-tiered communion, one for those who had adopted the covenant and one for those who had not, might well emerge.
Acting in response to a request the General Synod to review the covenant, the Te Hui Amorangi o Te Tairawhiti stated on June 11 the document was un-Anglican.
It offered “us nothing new or more compelling than the Spiritual Covenant that we already have with each other through faith in Jesus Christ;” while the disciplinary provisions of the covenant’s Section 4 “go against our Gospel imperative to ‘love one another’.”
The motion, which received unanimous support, endorsed the decision taken by “our sister Amorangi, Te Hui Amorangi o Te Manawa o Te Wheke,” to rejected the covenant as it “does not reflect our understanding of being Anglican in these Islands.”
New Zealand Archbishop David Moxon’s diocese of Waiapu diocese rejected the proposed covenant at their Sept 2 synod. The motion adopted by the synod stated: “The Diocese of Waiapu affirms its desire to remain a member of the Anglican Communion, valuing highly our common faith, mission, tradition and liturgy. We do not believe that the proposed Anglican Communion Covenant will enhance the life of the Communion and request that the General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui declines to sign the Covenant.”
On Sept 2, the Auckland synod passed a motion noting that the General Synod had “approved in principle Sections 1-3 of the proposed Anglican Covenant, and asked Episcopal Units to respond to its 2012 Session” resolved that Sections 1 and 2 “may be considered to be a useful starting point for consideration of our Anglican understanding of the Church.”
It further stated that Section 3 contained an “acceptable description of the basis for relationships between the churches of the Anglican Communion,” but held that Section 4 contained “provisions which are contrary to our understanding of Anglican ecclesiology, to our understanding of the way of Christ, and to justice, and is unacceptable to this Synod.”
Auckland further asked the General Synod to direct its representatives to the Anglican Consultative Council to bring a motion affirming that “full membership of the Anglican Communion is not conditional on adoption of the proposed Covenant.”
In a letter sent to US Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori during the Episcopal Church’s July 2009 General Convention, Dr. Rowan Williams stated there might be a “two-tier” or “two-track” model for the church with one track for those who affirmed the communion’s “covenantal structure,” and another with “fewer formal expectations” for those who valued autonomy.
“It helps to be clear about these possible futures, however much we think them less than ideal, and to speak about them not in apocalyptic terms of schism and excommunication but plainly as what they are — two styles of being Anglican, whose mutual relation will certainly need working out,” Dr Williams wrote.
Former NZ Governor General, Archbishop Paul Reeves dead at 78: The Church of England Newspaper, Aug 19, 2011 p 6. August 21, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Sir Paul Reeves
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First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The former primate of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Archbishop Paul Reeves, has died. On Aug 14 the archbishop’s family released a statement that the former primate and Governor General of New Zealand had died of cancer in Auckland. He was 78.
Of Maori descent, Archbishop Reeves was ordained deacon in 1958 in New Zealand and studied at St Peter’s College, Oxford from 1959 to 1961. Ordained to the priesthood in 1960, he served as an assistant curate at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford, and as curate at Kirkley St Peter from 1961 to 1963 and at St Mary the Virgin in Lewisham from 1963-1964.
Returning to New Zealand in 1964, he served as Vicar of Okato St Paul from 1964 to 1966, as lecturer in Church History at St John’s College in Auckland from 1966-1969, and as Director of Education for the Diocese of Auckland from 1969 to 1971 before being elected Bishop of Waiapu in 1971.
In 1979 he was translated to Auckland, and was elected Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand in 1980; retiring as bishop and primate in 1985. He later served as the Anglican Observer to the United Nations from 1990 to 1993.
Upon his retirement from church office, New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange recommended Archbishop Reeves be appointed Governor General of New Zealand, and was appointed by the Queen as the 15th Governor General of the country on Nov 22, 1985. He as made a Knight Bachelor in the 1985 honours list and was awarded the GCMG in 1985 and GVCO in 1986.
As Governor General, Sir Paul clashed with Prime Minister Lange over his government’s moves away from the socialist policies of his predecessors and after his retirement from public office backed the campaign to make New Zealand a republic.
The current prime minister, John Key released a statement noting Sir Paul’s life was “one spent giving … His contribution was enormous and New Zealand is a poorer place for his passing.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams said: “Sir Paul was one of the great statesmen of the Anglican Communion, and someone whom I was most happy to count as a personal friend. My heart goes out to his family as they mourn his passing, and we give thanks to God for the life and work of Sir Paul.”
The Archbishop of York will attend the state funeral scheduled for Aug 18 in Auckland.
NZ dean pleads guilty to fraud charges: The Church of England Newspaper, Aug 12, 2011 p 7. August 17, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Corruption.Tags: Jonathan Kirkpatrick
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First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The former Dean of Dunedin has announced he will enter a guilty plea to 82 counts of theft from the Auckland University of Technology.
The Rev. Jonathan Kirkpatrick, who was head of the university’s business innovation centre, told reporters after his Aug 4 arraignment that he was “not looking forward to dragging it out” and had admitted the truth of the prosecution’s case.
Court documents alleged Mr. Kirkpatrick began stealing from the university shortly after his appointment in 2002 by generating false invoices from companies he controlled, bilking AUT out of almost £330,000.
The Diocese of Auckland has suspended Mr. Kirkpatrick from his post of Priest in Charge at St Alban’s Church in Balmoral in central Auckland. Further ecclesiastical disciplinary proceedings are expected against the 53 year old priest, who was one of the Anglican Church’s leading gay campaigners in New Zealand.
In a statement issued by university vice-chancellor Derek McCormack, AUT said the thefts “relate to money in the research and development field” and were not from “student fees. Nevertheless, AUT is largely a student and taxpayer-funded organisation and remains accountable to the highest accounting standards.”
The case has been adjourned for two-weeks to permit a full accounting by the university.
Police probe of former dean on fraud charges: The Church of England Newspaper, Aug 5, 2011 p 5. August 9, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: corruption
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The Rev. Jonathan Kirkpatrick
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The former Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin, New Zealand is the subject of a police inquiry and has been accused of diverting funds from the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
The Rev. Jonathan Kirkpatrick resigned from his post as chief executive of the AUT Business Innovation Centre after more than £250,000 went missing from the school’s accounts. Mr. Kirkpatrick had been serving as priest in charge of St Albans church in Balmoral, but a spokesman for the Diocese of Auckland told the New Zealand Herald the priest no longer exercised “any role of responsibility in the church.”
A well known gay rights activist in the New Zealand church, Mr. Kirkpatrick was the partner of NZ Labour MP Tim Barnett for 18 years and had been a vocal supporter of changing the church’s teachings on morals and marriage.
Last week the University released a statement saying that “as a consequence of AUT’s investigations into the accounting discrepancies, Mr. Jonathan Kirkpatrick has resigned. The matter is now under police investigation.”
The police have confirmed that an investigation is underway, but have declined to comment on their inquiries.
Cardboard cathedral planned for Christchurch: The Church of England Newspaper, Aug 5, 2011 p 4. August 8, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: Christchurch earthquake, church architecture
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A model of the cardboard cathedral, (Anglican Taonga photo)
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The Diocese of Christchurch has unveiled plans to build a cardboard cathedral as a temporary replacement for its earthquake damaged Victorian-era central church. On July 30 the Dean of Christchurch, the Very Rev. Peter Beck unveiled plans for the 700-seat church which will be constructed of cardboard tubing and recycled paper and serve as a temporary home for the congregation while a new permanent cathedral is built.
Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the A-frame building will be made of cardboard tubing and polycarbonate and will have shipping containers for a foundation. Christchurch may get an interim cathedral made of cardboard as soon as February next year. The dean hopes the temporary structure will be completed in time for the first anniversary of the Feb 22 earthquake.
The £2.15 million structure will be portable and has a life-expectancy of 15 years. The location for the cardboard cathedral has yet to be chosen, but Dean Beck hopes it will be located within the heavily damaged central business district and be seen as “offering a sign of hope and confidence and a thing of beauty in the midst of all the desolation.”
Mr. Ban told the gathering cardboard was an ideal building material as it was “readily available, recyclable and surprisingly strong.”
Christchurch cathedral is falling down: The Church of England Newspaper, June 24, 2011 p 6. June 25, 2011
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Christchurch Cathedral's Rose Window, destroyed in last week's earthquake
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand may have to be demolished, Bishop Victoria Matthews reports. The 13 June magnitude 6.0 earthquake toppled the 130-year-old cathedral’s west wall and shattered its stained glass Rose Window.
The cathedral’s spire collapsed in the 22 February, 2011 earthquake and the latest tremor has rendered the building structurally unsafe.
“We know some of it will have to come down because of the damage, but whether we have to take the whole thing down is still a live question,” Bishop Matthews told the Christchurch Press.
The city’s 1905 Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament was also badly damaged in last week’s earthquake after arches supporting its surviving copper-clad dome were undermined. Surveyors will have to determine whether it too must come down, a cathedral spokesman said.
The two cathedrals lay in the central business district “red zone,” the epicenter of the February earthquake. The Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island has been hit by a series of major earthquakes over the last nine months. On 4 September, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 quake struck east of the city and on 22 February, 2011 a 6.3 earthquake rocked the city’s central business district killing 181.
Ballarat bishop battle ends: The Church of England Newspaper, June 17, 2011 p 8. June 21, 2011
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Bishop Garry Weatherill of Ballarat
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
Australia and New Zealand have seen changes in several top clergy posts over the last week. Elections for an assistant bishop for Auckland were held, the curtain has finally come down on the saga of the battling bishop of Ballarat, while Australia’s first senior female cathedral dean has resigned after a dispute with her bishop.
On June 9 the Rt. Rev. Garry Weatherill, Bishop of Willochra in South Australia was named Bishop of Ballarat. In a statement issued upon his appointment, Bishop Weatherill acknowledged the diocese had “been through a dark time, but I hope and pray that together we can be authentic disciples and apostles of Jesus and continue to build on all the good of previous years.”
On June 19, 2010 Bishop Michael Hough of Ballarat told his diocesan synod he would step down as bishop at year’s end, and would begin an immediate sick leave. The bishop of the rural diocese west of Melbourne had been under investigation by the Episcopal Standards Commission since July 2009, facing allegations of bullying his clergy. The Ballarat dispute, which had seen the diocese shrink by almost half, ended on a dramatic note. In his final sermon on Dec 19, Bishop Hough attacked his critics, likening them to the “evil one.”
To make sure the congregation understood him, the bishop placed a ceramic chalice in a bag, placed it on the altar, and then smashed it with a hammer. The act symbolized the destruction wrought by his enemies, Bishop Hough said. The bishop sacked the interim vicar-general of the diocese, appointing a supporter to the post. His emailed announcement came at 10:03 in the evening, one hour and fifty-seven minutes before he left office.
The following day, Archbishop Philip Freier of Melbourne, the Metropolitan of the province, sent his own email to the clergy, effectively countermanding Bishop Hough’s last act. Bishop Weatherill has served as Bishop of Willochra for ten years and will assume office in November.
The Dean of Adelaide, Dr. Sarah Macneil, told the congregation of St. Peter’s Cathedral on June 5 she was resigning as she could “no longer work with integrity at diocesan level.” A onetime member of the Australian diplomatic corps, Dr. Macneil declined to elaborate on the reason she was resigning less than two years after her appointment as South Australia’s first female Dean – and the first woman to be appointed to the post in an Australian capital city.
In a statement given to the Adelaide Advertiser, Archbishop Jeffrey Driver confirmed the dean was leaving the diocese. “Whether in her role as acting administrator in my absence, serving as a Governor of St Peters College, or building relationships while working on many projects, Sarah has served the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide with grace and enthusiasm,” the archbishop said.
On June 11, the Diocese of Auckland held a special session of synod to elect an assistant bishop for the diocese. The name of the individual elected by the synod will now be passed to the church’s house of bishops. Once a majority give their assent, the name of the new bishop will be announced.
Third earthquake hits Christchurch: The Church of England Newspaper, June 14, 2011 June 14, 2011
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A photo from the parish website of St John's Latimer Square after the Feb earthquake
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
Christchurch has been rocked by a third major earthquake in nine months. On June 13 at 14:40 local time (2:40 GMT) a magnitude 6.0 earthquake, with an epicenter eight miles north east of the city’s center damaged several buildings and injured a number of people.
No fatalities have been reported in this latest earthquake, but the Fire Service reported rescuing two people trapped in St John’s Anglican Church in Latimer Square—a church badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake.
The tremors, which began at 13:00 and culminated in the 14:40 earthquake forced the evacuation of Police headquarters, as well as the offices of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, the center of operations for recovery from the February disaster.
Two people are in Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries, while 44 others were treated and discharged, said a spokesman for the Canterbury District Health Board. A number of buildings in the city’s central business district have been damaged, with some collapsing, including empty buildings scheduled for demolition in the wake of the February quake.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority reports extensive damage in the eastern suburbs and on the hills suburbs of Sumner and Redcliffs. The Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island has been hit by a series of major earthquakes over the last nine months. On September 4, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 quake struck east of the city and on Feb 22, 2011 a 6.3 earthquake rocked the city’s central business district killing 181.
Legality of Anglican Covenant in doubt: The Church of England Newspaper, May 6, 2011 p 6. May 6, 2011
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Bishop Ngarahu Katene
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The viability of proposed Anglican Covenant remains unclear, as a request by the Anglican Church of Aotaroa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ANZP) for a legal opinion as to its enforceability remains unanswered, a year after it was requested.
Delegates to the May 2010 meeting of the ANZP General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui endorsed the first three sections of the covenant, but adopted a resolution asking for an opinion from the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council on the “appropriateness of the provisions of Clause 4.2.8 of the proposed Covenant,” which excludes all provinces which have not adopted the covenant from decision-making about exclusion of provinces.
On April 27, the Rev. Michael Hughes, General Secretary of the ANZP told The Church of England Newspaper that “no answer yet” had been given. The ACC Standing Committee has now met three times since the ANZP Synod, and Mr. Hughes said he would follow up”on the province’s request.
The continuing cloud over the legality of the covenant comes as the ANZP dioceses begin debating the agreement, which seeks to set the parameters of Anglican life and thought. At the 2010 synod, delegates asked the church’s ‘episcopal units’, (the seven dioceses of the Church of New Zealand, the five hiu amorangi or Maori dioceses, and the Diocese of Polynesia) to consider the full covenant and report back to the June 2012 meeting of synod.
On April 15 delegates to the hui amorangi of Te Manawa o Te Wheke synod voted to reject the Anglican Covenant. The vote was reported as having been unanimous, with Bishop Ngarahu Katene speaking in support of the motion to reject the Anglican Covenant.
Meeting in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island, the synod adopted a resolution that stated after “much consideration” the diocese “feels that The Anglican Covenant will threaten the Rangatiratanga of the Tangata Whenua.” (Sovereignty of the people of the land.)
The diocese believes “the Anglican Covenant does not reflect our understanding of being Anglican in these islands,” and they added they would prefer the church to focus on internal land disputes and the rights of Maoris in New Zealand rather than on the wider church.
If the 2012 General Synod adopts the Covenant, it must come before the Synod a second time in 2014 as a change to the church’s constitution for adoption. However, under the current organizational structure, each Tikanga or section of the church: Maori, Polynesia, Church of New Zealand, has the ability to veto legislation for the whole.
22 feared dead in earthquake cathedral collapse: The Church of England Newspaper, March 4, 2011 p 9. March 8, 2011
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First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
Over 240 people are feared dead, and over 100 people are missing in the aftermath of the Feb 21 earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand.
Twenty two people are believed to have died in the city’s Anglican cathedral when its spire collapsed, and over 50 bodies have been recovered from the ruins of the six-story Canterbury Television building, which housed an English language school for foreign students.
A majority of the buildings in the city’s central commercial district have been damaged and over 2,500 people have been reported injured in the quake, and more than 160 of them in serious condition.
Damage to the churches of the Diocese of Christchurch has been severe, with 26 parishes reported as being in “a bad way.” The rubble at the base of the cathedral’s spire was over 30 meters deep, rescue workers report, and progress in removing bodies from the “broken heart” of Christchurch has been slowed by aftershocks.
Dean Peter Beck told Radio New Zealand the rescue teams were working to ensure the “graceful removal” of the dead.
“They are working in the broken heart of Christchurch. That’s why we are concerned that such great care is taken with this bodies being recovered.”
Most of the dead in the cathedral were tourists, the dean said. “The whole enormity of it all still hasn’t hit me but I think I am due for a bloody good cry.”
On Feb 27 Bishop Victoria Matthews of Christchurch and New Zealand Archbishop David Moxon released a statement noting that while the damage was severe, “the Church of God is strong in faith and service in the Diocese of Christchurch.”
“The people of God are responding with courage and resolve to the present state of emergency caused by the recent earthquake and aftershocks. Although debris and wreckage are in evidence on every street and both the army and emergency services are a constant presence, courtesy and consideration prevail,” the bishops said.
They offered their condolences to those affected by the quake, offering “prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that suffering has always been part of Christian experience. We also ask prayer for all those involved in the cleanup, the search and rescue operations and pastoral care at this difficult time. While we have been reminded in no uncertain terms that we are not in control, we hold fast to our faith in the Sovereign God and pray for the strength and grace to minister Christ’s presence,” the bishops said.
Christchurch devastated by earthquake: The Church of England Newspaper, Feb 22, 2011 February 23, 2011
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Christchurch Cathedral after this week's earthquake
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake has rocked the city of Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island, causing extensive damage, toppling the spire of the city’s Anglican cathedral.
The extent of the injuries and possible death toll remains unknown, but video reports show extensive damage to the city and injured residents outside their homes and businesses. The quake hit at 12:51 pm NZDT on Feb 22: 11:51 pm GMT on Feb 21 according to a report from the Research Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science of New Zealand.
The city has since been rocked by two major aftershocks, Radio New Zealand reports. On Sept 3, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, causing £900 million in damage. Over 100,000 homes were damaged in the earthquake, but there were no fatalities in the September earthquake.
The Archbishops and Standing Committee of the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia have issued a statement from their meeting in Rotorua after news of the earthquake was broadcast.
They confirmed that the spire and portions of Christchurch Cathedral had collapsed and that there have been “multiple fatalities, many casualties, extensive damage, evacuation and major trauma to thousands of people.”
“We reach out in this prayer to the people of the city of Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region, asking the God of all the earth to give everyone the strength and endurance that they need to survive and to recover,” the church leaders said.
“We pray also for all those who are involved now so dramatically in civil defence activities, hospital services and community organization as people begin to try and process what has happened and to work out the way ahead,” said the statement signed by Archbishops David Moxon, Brown Turei and Winston Halapua, and the Standing Committee of General Synod.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has written to the Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Rev Victoria Matthews, offering his prayers in the aftermath of the earthquake in New Zealand.
In his letter, Dr Williams said: “We are all thinking of you constantly in the wake of yesterday’s terrible news, and our prayers are with you. The devastation of the Cathedral is dreadful, but, as you have said yourself, it is only a sign of the real human tragedy, whose scale is so serious. We thank God that you and your people are there to offer strength and comfort to all those caught up in the personal suffering this has brought.
We hope that the rescue operations are going forward without obstacles and that the toll of casualties will not grow higher. I know that the people of Canterbury in particular, with their historic associations with Christ Church, will be sharing very specially in prayer for you all.”
New Zealand’s South Island rocked by earthquake: The Church of England Newspaper, Sept 17, 2010 p 6. September 21, 2010
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St John's, Hororata
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The Diocese of Christchurch has begun to clean up in the wake of the earthquake that hit New Zealand’s South Island on Sept 4.
The 7.1-magnitude earthquake caused £900 million in damage, Prime Minister John Key said last week after inspecting the damage in Christchurch and the surrounding countryside. Over 100,000 homes were damaged in the earthquake, which also damaged water, sewer and power lines. No one was killed, however, by the quake.
Writing to her diocese on Sept 5, Bishop Victoria Matthews gave “thanks for the gift of life and friends at this time.”
She urged everyone to “check on your neighbours” and to look out for one another. “At these times there is a huge need for community. People need to talk about what they have experienced and how they are feeling about the disaster,” she said.
Twenty Anglican and Catholic churches were damaged in the earthquake. Christchurch Cathedral suffered no significant structural damage, Dean Peter Beck reported, however, other churches suffered significant damage and will be closed for months.
The Archbishops of New Zealand, Aotearoa and Polynesia released a statement thanking “God that no-one has died, although there has been a range of injuries. Many buildings, including a significant number of churches, will need major repairs. We know that many are praying for the Diocese of Christchurch, the Hui Amorangi O Te Wai Pounamu and the city as a whole as they recover from the shock,” they said.
Bishop backs rise in drinking age to 20: The Church of England Newspaper, Aug 27, 2010 p 6. September 1, 2010
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Bishop Ross Bay of Auckland
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The Bishop of Auckland has backed the National Party government plans for a rise of the legal age for drinking from 18 to 20, but has expressed disappointment the government will allow a “conscience vote” from its MPs on the bill.
A report from the New Zealand Law Commission released in April offered 153 recommendations for reducing the harmful effects of alcohol upon society, including tax increases, stricter blood alcohol limits for drink driving offences, and raising the drinking age.
The proposed legislation has not yet been released, but Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the party planned to introduce a ‘zero’ drink drive limit for repeat offenders and for drivers under the age of 20. Mr. Joyce said the National Party had affirmed that “all transport safety measures will continue to be voted on as a party,” but raising the purchase age of alcohol would be a free vote.
The Rt. Rev. Ross Bay, Bishop of Auckland backed the tough new laws, and called for cross party support for the bills. “Legislation will not fully solve the problem but it can send a strong signal to society that it is time to change attitudes,” the bishop said, adding that “MPs can provide leadership on this and vote as a unified body rather than turning to a conscience vote for the proposed age split regarding the purchase of alcohol.”
New Zealand was facing a “crisis” over binge drinking, he said. “We need strong leadership for this generation and Parliament needs to act and show leadership for such a significant issue in society.”
Alcohol abuse had become a significant health issue the New Zealand Ministry of Health concluded in a 2007 report on alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse harmed not only drinkers, but those around them. “People had also experienced problems as a result of someone else’s drinking, including physical assault, sexual harassment, and impacts on their family life, social life and financial position,” the report Alcohol Use in New Zealand found.
An estimated 81.2 per cent of New Zealanders aged 12–65 years “had consumed alcohol in the last 12 months” the study found, and of these 14.7 per cent consumed large amounts of alcohol at least once a week, which was defined as consuming six standard drinks in one sitting for men, or four for women. “Overall, 9.5 per cent had consumed enough alcohol to feel drunk at least once a week,” while “20.7 per cent had done at least some of their driving under the influence of alcohol in the last 12 months,” the study found.
Archbishop of Polynesia elected: The Church of England Newspaper, May 14, 2010 p 6. May 21, 2010
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Archbishop Winston Halapua of Polynesia
The Diocese of Polynesia has elected a native of Tonga, the Rt. Rev. Winston Halapua to serve as its next Archbishop.
On May 12, the General Synod of the Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia meeting in Gisborne, New Zealand announced it had affirmed the decision of the diocese’s electoral synod held in Fiji. On April 29 the Diocese of Polynesia met in Suva to elect a successor to Archbishop Jabez Bryce, who died on Feb 11. The results of the balloting were forwarded to the church’s archbishops, who will then polled the 120 members of synod, seeking their approval for the election
Bishop Halapua, 64, currently serves as one of three suffragan bishops of the far-flung diocese that covers Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands and the Polynesian population resident in New Zealand and is based in Auckland. Appointed suffragan bishop in 2005, Bishop Halapua served as a teacher and seminary dean before his consecration.
Seen as a liberal within Polynesia church circles, Bishop Halapua’s election marks a move closer to the positions held by New Zealand church on the issues facing the Communion today. With his election, Archbishop Halapua becomes one of the co-primates of the province, along with Archbishop David Moxon of New Zealand and Archbishop Brown Turei of Aotearoa.
Anglican Communion’s most senior bishop dies: CEN 2.19.10 p 7. March 1, 2010
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The senior serving bishop in the Anglican Communion has died. Archbishop Jabez Bryce of Polynesia died on Feb 11 at the Suva Private Hospital in Fiji after a long illness. He was 75.
The first Pacific Islander elected as Bishop of Polynesia, Archbishop Bryce was consecrated in 1975, and in 2006 was elected co-primate of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
Born in Tonga of mixed Scottish-Samoan-Tongan parentage, Jabez Leslie Bryce was reared in Samoa, and trained for the ministry in New Zealand. Ordained in 1962, he served the diocese in Fiji throughout his ordained ministry.
Active in the wider councils of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Bryce was a member of the Pacific Council of Churches and past president of the World Council of Churches. He also took an active role in Pacific affairs, leading protests against French nuclear testing in the 1970’s while in 2008 he led the coronation ceremonies for the new King of Tonga, George Tupou V.
Archbishop Jabez oversaw the expansion of the diocese across the Pacific island nations of Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji as well as chaplaincies for Pacific islanders in New Zealand. In 2005 he appointed three suffragan bishops to reflect the diocese’s ethnic diversity—consecrating an indigenous Fijian, an Indo-Fijian, and a Tongan.
Under Archbishop Bryce’s tutelage “the Diocese of Polynesia has grown in a hundred ways – in its sense of identity, its ethnic diversity and in its ‘Pacificness’,” Archbishop David Moxon of New Zealand said.
Maori Archbishop Brown Turei called the late archbishop a “prince of the church: a man who was dignified, kindly, who liked things done decently and in order, because that reflected what the church meant to him.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams told CEN, “Archbishop Jabez was a leader and pastor of exceptional stature, a warm and wise man. I had the privilege working with him in some of the planning processes for the 1998 Lambeth Conference and learned to respect his judgment greatly. He is a sad loss to the province and the Communion.”
The late archbishop will be interred on Feb 18 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Suva, Fiji.
Backing starts to grow for the Anglican Covenant: CEN 11.06.09 p 5. November 12, 2009
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The Church of Ireland, the American dioceses of Western Louisiana and South Carolina and the New Zealand dioceses of Christchurch and Nelson have endorsed the Ridley-Cambridge draft of the Anglican Covenant, joining Central Florida in backing the Archbishop of Canterbury’s plan for creating a structure to manage the divisions over doctrine and discipline dividing the Anglican Communion.
On Oct 24, a special convention of the Diocese of South Carolina approved a resolution by a margin of 88 to 12 per cent that “endorses” the Anglican Covenant “as it presently stands, in all four sections, as an expression of our full commitment to mutual submission and accountability in communion, grounded in a common faith.”
Delegates to the Oct 9-10 annual convention of the Diocese of Western Louisiana also affirmed their support for the Covenant and backed Bishop Bruce MacPherson’s endorsement of the Anaheim Statement, which reaffirmed his commitment to remain part of the Anglican Communion and the Anglican Covenant process.
By a show of hands the convention adopted a resolution which “fully affirms” Western Louisiana’s “commitment to the Windsor principles, including the formation of, and future adoption of an Anglican Covenant as a means of supporting the ongoing work of our bishop and the efforts of the broader Communion to preserve our unity.”
The convention further stated that it “supports the ongoing work on the Ridley Cambridge draft including section 4.”
In his presidential address to his diocesan synod on Sept 24, the Bishop of Nelson, the Rt. Rev. Richard Ellena said the Anglican Covenant was “the Archbishop of Canterbury’s only strategy for holding the communion together.”
In September, Christchurch and Nelson took note of the actions of ACC-14 in Jamaica and stated they supported “in principle” the Covenant process and commended the Ridley-Cambridge draft “as it currently stands as the practicable means available to make the Anglican Communion Covenant process become effective in the life of the Anglican Communion.”
On Sept 15, the standing committee of the Church of Ireland’s General Synod endorsed a report created by the church’s Anglican Covenant Working Group. “Having considered Section 4 of the [Ridley-Cambridge] Draft Anglican Covenant very carefully, and bearing in mind a full range of points of view, we believe that the text of Section 4 as it stands commends itself in the current circumstances,” the working group said.
Delegates to the annual synod of the Diocese of Sydney last week also voiced their approval of the Anglican Covenant, voting on Oct 28 to ask the Anglican Church of Australia’s General Synod Standing Committee to bring the Anglican Covenant to the September 2010 General Synod “in such a manner as to enable each diocesan synod to consider the document.”
Samoa devastated by earthquate, tsunami: CEN 10.09.09 p 5. October 23, 2009
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An earthquake and tsunami in the Central Pacific has devastated the southern coast of Samoa. On Sept 30 at 1748 GMT the 8.3-magnitude earthquake located 120 miles south of the Samoan capital of Apia spawned a 15 feet high tidal wave that inundated the coast. The earthquake and resulting tsunami left 135 dead and eight missing in Samoa, 32 dead in American Samoa and nine dead in Tonga.
About 20 villages on Samoa’s southern coast of the main island of Upolu are thought to have been leveled, while popular beachside resorts have been wiped out. Roads, power lines and telecommunications have been badly damaged.
Archdeacon Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatagaloa-Leota, a Samoan national living in New Zealand reported that one of her sons was in a van that was swept out to sea by the tsunami and was critically injured and is in an Apia hospital, while one of the archdeacon’s daughters-in-law lost at least 10 members of her family.
Her home village, Poutasi, on the southern coast of Upolu, “looks like it’s been bombed,” she told Anglican Taonga.
The ‘knicker vicar’ vows to carry on: CEN 10.09.09 p 8. October 23, 2009
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New Zealand’s ‘knicker vicar’ has made his last panty run.
The Rev. Gary Husband, vicar of St Andrew’s Church in Inglewood in the Diocese of Waikato gained world attention in 2006 after a crisis in women’s underpants was exposed in his rural North Island parish.
After the village’s only clothing store closed, “someone came up with the point that it was a bit difficult that ladies essentials were not able to be bought in Inglewood,” Mr. Husband told TV New Zealand.
He organized a “knickers run” where church volunteers would drive the elderly and those without transport to the nearby city of New Plymouth to shop.
Dubbed the “knicker-vicar” by New Zealand’s press, Mr. Husband last week took up the post of minister of Piopio, telling the New Zealand Herald “I haven’t thought much about it but there is no lingerie store, I know that” in his new parish.
“I’m sure God will give me plenty of ideas for Piopio very soon,” Mr. Husband said.
However, the issue was “about rural communities not being able to get their essentials in the community,” Mr. Husband said in 2006. Like portions of the UK, the changing face of the countryside in New Zealand, which has seen banks, shops, post offices and churches close in many small communities, coupled with governmental indifference, has stressed community life.
Mr. Husband said he enjoyed the notoriety of being the knicker vicar as it gave him an opportunity to talk about Jesus with people. “But I’m proudest that God asked me to be here and that I was able to give a bit of myself to the church and the people,” he said of his work in Inglewood.
Maoris deserve place in Government, says church: CEN 9.11.09 p 8. September 16, 2009
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| First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The state should set aside places in government for Maori representatives, the Diocese of Auckland said last week at its annual synod, as white majority rule does not always serve the best interests of minorities. “We are not simply all New Zealanders. We are one nation, made up of a number of differing peoples,” Bishop John Paterson told the synod meeting at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Sept 3, urging the government to make a provision for Maori representation in a reorganized Auckland regional council. |
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“One of the keys to a successful future for this region of the nation lies in its ability to be inclusive of all its citizens, and not in supposing that the majority will always know what is best for the minority groups,” Bishop Paterson said.
In his last synod before retirement in March, Bishop Paterson called upon the government to honour the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 that requires for Maori to “contribute to decision-making processes.”
Until his election as Bishop of Auckland in 1995, Bishop Paterson had served the majority of his ordained ministry in Maori congregations and schools, and in 1986 was appointed provisional secretary, helping oversee the adoption of A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa – and the 1992 church constitution which divided the Church of New Zealand into three racial/cultural divisions for Maori, Pacific Islanders and New Zealanders of European heritage: the Tikanga Maori, Tikanga Pakeha and Tikanga Pasefika.
Bishop Paterson served as primate of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia from 1998 to 2004 and as chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council for the past seven years.
New Zealand refuses to overturn ‘smacking’ ban: CEN 9.04.09 p 8. September 7, 2009
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| First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
A referendum to overturn a 2007 law criminalizing corporal punishment has won the support of an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders, however Prime Minister John Key stated his government will not change the current laws that allow police to arrest parents for “smacking” their children. The leaders of the Anglican and Methodist churches in New Zealand had urged voters to support the current laws, while the Roman Catholic aid agency Caritas also urged a “yes” vote on the Aug 21 referendum, saying the current law was working. However, following a three-week postal ballot that saw 54 per cent of eligible voters participate, only 11.81 per cent of voters followed the advice of the country’s mainstream church leaders, with 87.6 per cent of voters, 1.42 million people, responding “No” to the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?” |
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Opponents of the 2007 law claimed the corporal punishment ban improperly insinuated the state into an area of responsibility reserved for the family. The current law forbids parents from using force to discipline their children but gives police the discretion not to prosecute complaints “where the offence is considered so inconsequential there is no public interest in proceeding with a prosecution.”
On Aug 23 the Dean of Auckland’s Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the Very Rev Ross Bay said those who turned to the Old Testament to support corporal punishment were ill-informed. He disputed the contention that the Bible grants parents the right to exercise unfettered control over their children and that it is a “God-given right to use corporal punishment in the discipline of their children.”
The “Christian image of God is what we find in the New Testament of the Bible, and is the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ,” he said, noting “this is the God who does not wield power to force human beings to conform to divine purposes.”
The Old Testament “approach founded in the ancient proverb of ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’” had “too often been characterised as ‘the’ Christian view,” he argued, urging Christian parents to model their behaviour on the image of the God of love and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ.
The current law was working, Dean Bay said, urging the government to stay the course.
However “No” campaigners have disputed their opponents’ contentions claiming there had been six prosecutions of “good parents” in the courts for smacking their children. Family First director Bob McCoskrie said the “evidence is there” the law is not working.
“We’ve sent evidence of families being referred to Child Youth and Family and children being removed while investigations are taking place just for smacks. “In fact, there’s a case today in the Lower Hutt District Court of a father trying to get his son on to the rugby field and giving him a few shoves and he’s being prosecuted for common assault.”
Kiwi Party leader and “No” campaigner Larry Baldock said the vote sent a clear message to the Prime Minster. “They want the authority back in the home and he is foolish to suggest this law is working,” he said.
New Zealand refuses to overturn ‘smacking’ ban: CEN 9.04.09 p 8. September 3, 2009
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Youth/Children.comments closed
| First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
A referendum to overturn a 2007 law criminalizing corporal punishment has won the support of an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders, however Prime Minister John Key stated his government will not change the current laws that allow police to arrest parents for “smacking” their children. The leaders of the Anglican and Methodist churches in New Zealand had urged voters to support the current laws, while the Roman Catholic aid agency Caritas also urged a “yes” vote on the Aug 21 referendum, saying the current law was working. |
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However, following a three-week postal ballot that saw 54 per cent of eligible voters participate, only 11.81 per cent of voters followed the advice of the country’s mainstream church leaders, with 87.6 per cent of voters, 1.42 million people, responding “No” to the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”
Opponents of the 2007 law claimed the corporal punishment ban improperly insinuated the state into an area of responsibility reserved for the family. The current law forbids parents from using force to discipline their children but gives police the discretion not to prosecute complaints “where the offence is considered so inconsequential there is no public interest in proceeding with a prosecution.”
On Aug 23 the Dean of Auckland’s Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the Very Rev Ross Bay said those who turned to the Old Testament to support corporal punishment were ill-informed. He disputed the contention that the Bible grants parents the right to exercise unfettered control over their children and that it is a “God-given right to use corporal punishment in the discipline of their children.”
The “Christian image of God is what we find in the New Testament of the Bible, and is the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ,” he said, noting “this is the God who does not wield power to force human beings to conform to divine purposes.”
The Old Testament “approach founded in the ancient proverb of ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’” had “too often been characterised as ‘the’ Christian view,” he argued, urging Christian parents to model their behaviour on the image of the God of love and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ.
The current law was working, Dean Bay said, urging the government to stay the course.
However “No” campaigners have disputed their opponents’ contentions claiming there had been six prosecutions of “good parents” in the courts for smacking their children. Family First director Bob McCoskrie said the “evidence is there” the law is not working.
“We’ve sent evidence of families being referred to Child Youth and Family and children being removed while investigations are taking place just for smacks. “In fact, there’s a case today in the Lower Hutt District Court of a father trying to get his son on to the rugby field and giving him a few shoves and he’s being prosecuted for common assault.”
Kiwi Party leader and “No” campaigner Larry Baldock said the vote sent a clear message to the Prime Minster. “They want the authority back in the home and he is foolish to suggest this law is working,” he said.
New Zealand urged to go further to stop global warming: CEN 8.14.09 p 6. August 15, 2009
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper, Environment.comments closed
| Read it all in The Church of England Newspaper.
THE ANGLICAN Archbishops of New Zealand have welcomed their government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but have cautioned that the proposed level of cuts may not be enough to head off global warming. On August 11 Archbishops David Moxon and Brown Turei wrote to Prime Minister John Key applauding their government’s decision to cut emissions “to between 10 and 20 per cent below what they were in 1990” by 2020. New Zealand had an “enviable” and “valuable” reputation of being “being clean and green, and your actions will help safeguard this good image,” the archbishops said. |
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The proposed cuts, however, did not go far enough, as the “10 to 20 per cent band is well short of the 40 per cent reduction” needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees. The 2 degrees mark, they said, was “a threshold, which marks the difference between controllable climate change, and runaway change that would spiral out of control.”
They urged the government to set the “highest possible target for greenhouse gas emission reductions: in all sorts of ways, doing too little now will cost a great deal more in the long run.”
The “implications of runaway climate change for our brothers and sisters in the Pacific Islands alone are obvious,” they said, warning of rising sea levels and massive dislocation of island and coastal populations that would occur if global warming were not stopped.
Speaking to reporters in Wellington, the minister for climate change, Nick Smith, said current NZ greenhouse gas emissions were 24 per cent above the 1990 level. “This target means we’re going to have to both catch up that 24 per cent increase as well as reduce emissions by 10 or potentially 20 per cent,” he said.
Last week the Pacific Islands Forum called for a 50 per cent global cut in greenhouse gases by 2050. “We call upon world leaders to urgently increase their level of ambition and to give their negotiators fresh mandates to secure a truly effective global agreement,” the South Pacific leaders said in an August 6 statement.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that for some Pacific nations cutting greenhouse gases was “not just a matter of importance, it is not just a matter of urgency, for many of them it is a matter of national survival,” Rudd told reporters. Australia pledged to cut its emissions by up to 15 per cent of its 2000 levels by 2020.
Seven members of the 16-member forum had asked for a 45 per cent cut by 2020. The forum comprises Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
