On Saturday 19 October the Reverend Jay Behan, a former cleric in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ACANZP), was ordained bishop for the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand (CCAANZ).
We have previously set out our concerns about this new denomination
[https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/features/extra/response].
Here we acknowledge that members of our church are very concerned to see photographs on social media and other news sites which clearly identify that among the consecrating bishops at the ordination were bishops in communion with our church who have crossed boundaries without informing either the Archbishops of this church or the Bishop of Christchurch or the Bishop of Te Waipounamu.
The disrespect for the normal protocols of the Anglican Communion and the lack of courtesy shown to our church by these boundary crossing bishops is disturbing and we will be making an appropriate protest about their actions. We are especially concerned at the boundary crossing of bishops from the Anglican Church of Australia. We value our trans-Tasman relationship with our neighbouring church and are disappointed to find a lack of respect for the jurisdiction of our church.
As further consequences of the disaffiliations from our church in 2018 are experienced, we wish to place on record our immense thanks for all members of ACANZP who have chosen to remain in this church, including those with similar convictions to those who have disaffiliated and our takatāpui whanau (LGBT+ family), in order to faithfully serve God in a church which values diversity, inclusion and respect for a difference of viewpoints within our common understanding of being Anglican.
Archbishop Donald Tamihere Archbishop Philip Richardson
Te Pihopa o Aotearoa Senior Bishop of the New Zealand
Dioceses
The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Te Hāhi Mihinare ki Aotearoa, ki Niu Tīreni,
ki Ngā Moutere o te Moana Nui a Kiwa
“Disrespect for normal protocols” is apparently much worse than a disrespect for and a disregarding of Scripture.
I find it very sad the bishops of the church in New Zealand are issuing statements such as this when they refused any discussion regarding a way forward for those who take a orthodox stand on the scripture. They refused on a racial basis which also is against scripture.
It shows how far they have departed from scripture and we need to pray for repentance of those leading the ACANZP.
God Bless those who are standing for scripture and what is right
There’s a new kid in town. Get used to it.
I think this response will encourage others to jump ship. It seems a rather angry reaction.
This only happened because they decided to reject the Lambeth 1.10 1998 resolution on human sexuality. I hope the Diocese of Nelson will decide to leave too.
I`m curious to know what will happen to the conservative Diocese of Nelson, an Evangelical stronghold in New Zealand. They have now a Kenyan bishop. I have read that they are divided on the question if they should leave the ACANZP or not.
If some of these bishops are still in communion with the apostate church of New Zealand they will not be for much longer, because GAFCON states that there can`t be communion with these churches. “The consecration was led by Archbishop Foley Beach, chairman of the Gafcon Primate’s Council. Other celebrants were Archbishop Glenn Davies of Sydney, Bishop Richard Condie of Tasmania, Primate Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, Bishop Derek Eaton of New Zealand, Bishop Gary Nelson of North Western Australia, Bishop Julian Dobbs of North America, Bishop Rick Lewers of Armidale, Bishop Andy Lines of the UK, Bishop Bill Atwood of North America, Archbishop Peter Jensen and Bishops Paul Barnett, Bishop Michael Stead, Bishop Peter Lin, Bishop Chris Edwards of Sydney.”
A respectable line-up indeed.
Yes, and I also noticed the presence of Bishop Rick Lewers, of Armidale, who didn`t attended GAFCON III, but now seems to be on board with them.
On the question of “in communion with” the bishops of ACANZP have a quite peculiar, and incorrect, definition: “Archbishops Richardson and Tamihere were disappointed to see Anglican bishops in full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and therefore in full communion with the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia…”
If that were true, then the ACANZP would be in full communion with all the Lutheran and other Churches of the Porvoo Communion, along with whichever various other small Churches the CoE might be in full communion with. In order to achieve that, NZ would also have to join the Porvoo communion.
Of course, the archbishops of NZ knew full well that they were breaking communion with the vast majority of Anglicans when they adopted non-Christian marriage rites and practices. If the Archbishop of Canterbury has not disciplined them by withholding Lambeth invitations (and I can’t imagine that he has), then he in his turn has broken his vows as a bishop, and his word to the 30 Primates who agreed that those bishops who authorized gay marriage would be prohibited from taking part in decisions on the “faith and order” (aka doctrine and discipline) of the Communion.
Essentially, the ONLY reason the archbishops of NZ remain in communion with Canterbury is because the current archbishop of Canterbury has abandoned the responsibilities of his office.
Apologies…the quote near the beginning of my post above is from the previous Anglican Ink post of the NZ province’s press release, not the one at the top of this page.
I´m impressed by these two bishops ignorance. Its not the first time that they messed up. Maybe one day there will be a Liberal Anglican Communion and they will finally feel at home.
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It is interesting, and must be in some way significant, that while the archbishops of NZ are quite upset with bishops crossing over from Australia, they don’t even mention the bishops from NZ who were involved in or witnessed the consecration.
According to a clergy member from ACANZP, a total of 3 bishops from NZ took part, Bishop Eaton (retired, mentioned in Thomas More’s comment), Bishop Henry Paltridge (retired), and “At least one other bishop of ACANZP was present in the congregation and wearing episcopal clericals”.
God bless Bishop Eaton! He was, for a while, the leader of the English-speaking congregation in Cairo where we worshipped. I’m glad to know he’s on our side in these Anglican struggles.
I`m not sure if that other bishop was Richard Ellena, of Nelson, who attended GAFCON II in 2013.
I believe that it is really not an option for biblically orthodox Christians to remain in a Church where the national Church has married the spirit of the age. As Christ said Mark 3:25 “And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Although, the local congregation may still adhere to biblical teachings, it will still be viewed as holding the view of the national church. This will hinder growth. I illustrate this by two examples. A friend of mine who attends the local United Church of Canada which does not adhere to the spirit of the age was surprised to find visitors avoided his local church because of the stand of the national church. Years ago while attending I had the option of going to an Anglican Church of Canada or a Reformed Episcopal Church. I went to the REC because I knew I wouldn’t get social liberalism whereas the ACC was unknown. The social liberals should not look at the negative but rejoice that these Christians have found a new home and are following the Lord