A hīkoi opposing the Treaty Principles Bill has made its way to Wellington. Those who took part in the hīkoi, along with supporters around the country, both Māori and non-Māori, consider the Bill to be a betrayal of the commitments made at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Waitangi Tribunal has voiced its Read more
Common thinking on the contentious Treaty Principles Bill has healed a decades-long rift between the Anglican Church in Wellington and Ngāti Toa Rangatira. The Church and iwi have joined forces to “unequivocally” oppose the Bill which they say reinterprets the 184-year old Te Tiriti o Waitangi – the Treaty of Waitangi. The Bill, which sets Read more
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he supports the Christian leaders in expressing their views; however, he has not seen a full draft of the ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. He was responding to Monday’s open letter from over 400 religious leaders who, sight unseen, wanted the Bill voted down at the first reading, preventing Read more
Christian leaders want MPs to vote down the Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading. The 440 senior leaders from Catholic, Anglican, Salvation Army, Baptist and Methodist denominations, under the “Common Grace” umbrella, expressed their views in an open letter. On Monday, September 9, the Cabinet saw a draft version of David Seymour’s controversial bill Read more
Two words that are significant for me are “Covenant” and “Transfiguration.” Covenant in scripture is a binding vow of love, God’s promise to Abraham continuing through the Jewish Bible and coming to fulfilment in Christ Jesus. The history of our Church belongs in that covenant, the unfailing promise of love. Quite simply, God is in Read more
Four Napier churches have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Covenant. 30 years ago an ecumenical covenant was established between four inner-city churches of Napier to forge a stronger Christian church for the city through working together. The churches involve St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Trinity Methodist Church, and the Waiapu Read more
A new Vatican document has affirmed that the Catholic Church does not support any institutional mission to convert Jews. Marking 50 years of Catholic-Jewish dialogue since Vatican II, the Pontifical Council for Religious Relations with Jews has published “The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable”. The document states that Catholics are called to witness Read more
A proposed “Covenant” aimed at ensuring unity across the worldwide Anglican Communion appears to have failed, leaving the world’s third-largest Christian body facing an uncertain and likely fragmented future.
The covenant, born of an idea in 2004 to try to set boundaries in belief and practice for the Communion’s 40 members churches, appears dead after a majority of dioceses within the Church of England voted to reject it.
With results still being counted, supporters of the Covenant effectively lost their battle within the Church of England when the Diocese of Lincoln cast the 23rd vote against it last week.
“The covenant is either buried or disabled,” said Simon Barrow, co-director of the independent British think tank Ekklesia, in the aftermath of the decision.
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More Church of England diocesan synods are voting against the Anglican Covenant. After last weekend the vote stands 20-12 against the “Anglican Covenant”. There are 12 more dioceses to meet and vote. If two more vote against the “Covenant” then it cannot be presented again at General Synod.
Whatever now happens, there is no way that anyone can say that the “Anglican Covenant” is regarded in the Church of England as some sort of consensus document. Even if the necessary majority is now found, and the Church of England General Synod passes the “Anglican Covenant” as a leaving present for Archbishop Rowan, the document clearly does not have the clout that its backers must realise that it needs.
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