Thinking Anglicans

New Zealand responds to draft covenant

The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, 
New Zealand and Polynesia has issued a document in response to the Draft Anglican Covenant.

You can read it here.

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Kennedy Fraser
Kennedy Fraser
16 years ago

The response by the Scottish episcopal Church to the Draft Covenant can be found at:

http://www.scotland.anglican.org/index.php/news/entry/sec_response_to_draft_anglican_covenant/

Kennedy

Cheryl Va. Clough
16 years ago

God, I love New Zealanders. Here we have a church that has enabled three subcultures to develop and flourish and synergistically improve each other. They embody accepting the diversity that God has thrust upon us and embracing the learnings that follow. I agree with their concerns about the impositional nature of the covenant, both in its wording and the proposed instruments. Like them, I have reservations about using the word “covenant”, purporting a divinity that is simply not theirs to claim. I loved their ending paragraph. It is so true, you can not add value nor transform anything if you… Read more »

Pluralist
16 years ago

This is as close to a NO as you can get without saying no completely. This is because the Lambeth Conference requires a commitment to say yes. It means that Lambeth Conference is arrogantly taking decisions upon itself before they even turn up, and they are having to bend towards it. Imagine New Zealand being kept out of the Anglican Communion when it has done nothing at all to even warrant its consideration, all because it cannot sign up. The Church here has its own cultural view which should be the Anglican view: “a sense of extended family or whanaungatanga,… Read more »

Cynthia Gilliatt
Cynthia Gilliatt
16 years ago

This and the document from Scotland pretty much demolish the proposed covanant. Both are eloquent in their affirmation of the value – and the value of the limits – of the relationship we now enjoy as a Communion. Let’s hope this silly covenant idea simply withers away.

Ford Elms
Ford Elms
16 years ago

“They embody accepting the diversity that God has thrust upon us and embracing the learnings that follow.” Some in NZ consider this to be oppressive, as we have seen on this list. Now, I have responded sarcastically and angrily in the past to that, and will likely do so again, but in a calmer mind I can also realize the need to try to understand this. How is it that giving the church a role in preserving rather than destroying traditional culture is seen as oppressive to the holders of power? What is a correct response to that? The scorn… Read more »

Prior Aelred
16 years ago

So both New Zealand & Scotland are advocating Anglican “diversity” — I always have myself — “big tent Anglicanism” is my term — it is a handful of Evangelicals (joined by a handful of Anglo-Catholics) who now want to change this traditional aspect of Anglicanism (which is downright hilarious when you think about it).

Pluralist
16 years ago
Cheryl Va. Clough
16 years ago

Ford I can relate to your frustration. The same kind of whining comes from pedophiles and wife-bashers who are told they are no longer allowed to groom victims for serial offences. It’s been rather fun to watch churches squirm as they have tried to deny their collusion with such souls and then do “an Adam” and point the fingers at compatriots, hoping the chain of truth never weaves its way back to their own front door. It is true that there is deprivation in peace. Those who love violence, accusations, theft, vandalism and deceit are the ones who are seen… Read more »

Robert Ian Williams
Robert Ian Williams
16 years ago

Why haven’t the cons sent in episcopal
” visitors” as the Dunedin diocese ordains and blesses gays? New Zealand sem to have got off scot free. The samll number of evangelicals
( divided on womens ordination) are desperately trying to set up a separate theological college.

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