The Sydney diocese, which opposes same-sex marriage blessings, has indicated to the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia (ACANZP) that organised religion in New Zealand is over.

The schism between the NZ Anglican faithful concerns what Anglican clergy may and may not do in relation to same-sex marriages. Some say the clergy can bless same-sex marriages - while others say Anglican clergy can officiate at such marriages.

Geoff Troughton, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at Victoria University, says these fine distinctions matter within the Church.

"It's a balancing act. A same-sex marriage might be conducted legally by the state, and the Church won't conduct that rite. But it might then say you've contracted that legal marriage, and we're prepared to recognise and bless it."

Blessings give marriages religious legitimacy; religious legitimacy confers support and power.

"When [the Church] said they could bless same-sex marriages, it meant these marriages were fit and proper relationships," says emeritus professor Peter Lineham.

"It therefore became possible to ordain gay clergy."

Same-sex blessings will significantly change the Church's treatment of takatapui (LGBTQ+) communities.

The evolution for Anglicanism, and Christianity more generally is important. From being New Zealand's biggest religion, the number of self-identified Anglicans has almost halved since 2006 to just 315,000.

A former lay preacher in the Church says of his departure: "I haven't returned to religion since [I came out]. I've found a position in my own mind about… spirituality, Christianity and faith and works."

Facing similar declines, other Christian denominations are watching the struggles in Anglicanism.

Disputes over same-sex blessings have roiled Anglicanism for years. Senior Anglicans, who gather every decade at London's Lambeth Palace, prohibited "the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions," in 1998.

Liberal Anglicans rebelled. After the American Episcopal Church ordained a bishop in a same-sex relationship in 2003, same-sex blessings became increasingly common in North America.

Schism was not inevitable. Same-sex marriage was hotly debated in Aotearoa in 2016, with the dioceses of Nelson and Christchurch threatening schism in response to the proposals. Compromises and consultation soothed the fractiousness at that time.

It was against this background that ACANZP met in 2018 for General Synod. At this a large majority passed a rule-change to allow bishops to permit the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Few congregations were unanimous in their response to the rule change.

Churches which broke away often left substantial minorities of parishioners; churches which remained, particularly at the schism's epicentre in Christchurch, faced exoduses.

In both cases, Anglican vicar Jay Behan says "people are walking away from buildings where they were married, where they baptised their children, or where they held funerals for loved ones."

According to Archbishop Phillip Richardson of ACANZP, "[Those who left] were all people that I really love. And at a personal level, it hurt like hell."

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

Bishop Victoria Matthews wished to assured gay people their voices had been heard.

However, Auckland's Rainbow Church is calling a move to bless same-sex marriage by Christchurch's Anglican church a "pathetic, half-step forward".

Matthews said the decision was step one in a two-part process and the motion would be discussed on a national level at the General Synod in May. Continue reading

Originally ordained in the Diocese of Oxford, she served curacies in Wheatley and Littlemore before becoming New Testament lecturer and then director of biblical studies at Ripon College, Cuddesdon ahead of her move to New Zealand. Continue reading

When it ordained five women on 3 December 1977, New Zealand was the fourth province of the Anglican Church to ordain women priests.

The first woman ordained an Anglican priest was Li Tim Oi, ordained extra-canonically in 1944 in Hong Kong.

32 years later, in 1974, 11 women were ordained (defying canon law) in the Episcopal Church USA.

Canada gained its first women priests in 1976, the Church of North India in 1984, and Brazil in 1985.

The remainder of the 16 provinces which have now ordained women did not do so until the 1990s or later.

In 1990, former Bishop of Dunedin Penny Jamieson became the first female diocesan bishop in the Anglican Communion.

In 1989 Bishop Barbara Harris had become the first female Anglican bishop in history, on her appointment as a Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Massachusetts.

To help parishes and ministry units celebrate the anniversary, Archdeacon of Auckland Carole Hughes has worked with a three-Tikanga group of advisers to prepare a commemorative liturgy of the Eucharist for use on 3 December.

The Reverend Jean Brookes was one of those ordained in 1977.

She thinks it is good to use milestones such as this year's anniversary to recognise all women who have ministered in this Church.

"There are stories that we need occasions like this to retell - to prevent them being lost," she said. "There is an enormous variety and richness in the ministries women have exercised.

"For example, we cannot forget the remarkable ministry of many women who chose to remain as deaconesses, who were in ordained ministry already and valued the continuity of that special ministry, even as others moved into the priesthood."

Brookes has also been impressed at how many women in these islands have taken up ministry as priests.

Source

• Anglican Taonga
• Anglican Communion News Service
• Image: Librarian J Bright from the Howick parish history, When all the Saints by Robert Hattaway and Margaret Willis.

This reaffirmation of the separation of church and state was timely. It may annoy homosexuals and, indeed, some Anglicans that any candidate for priesthood not in a heterosexual marriage must be single and celibate. But any change must come from within the Church. It must be free to determine the doctrines governing its ministers and its teachings, as people are free to accept its strictures or go to a church that more accurately reflects their beliefs.

As much is recognised under an exemption for organised religions in the Human Rights Act.

This was restated in the same-sex marriage legislation, under which ministers are not obliged to solemnise a marriage if it would contravene their Church's religious beliefs.

Most churches recognise the need to adapt to changes in society if they are to remain relevant. Some are responding more slowly than many people would like. That, however, is no reason to circumscribe the freedom of religion in any way.

Sources

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: New Zealand Christian Network