– Dorothy – 26/2/99
When the Christian church is in the headlines in recent times it is most
often because of differences in the church over the ordination of gay and
lesbian clergy and leaders. The churches are so worried about the intensity of such views that they fear division.
The real issue the interpretation of the Bible The real issue is the interpretation of the Bible. Many who take the Bible
as the final authority believe that homosexual relations are sinful because
the Bible, primarily in the Holiness Code, states that homosexual relations
are forbidden. If they take this as the final authority on the matter would they have no problem accepting the biblical authority on the use of
slavery and the flatness of the earth.
Other Christians equally devoted to the Bible do not accept its authority
on such matters as the above in which our understanding has radically changed since the Bible was written. This group does not regard the Bible
as a medical textbook for modern times. The modern view of sickness has
changed and most people don’t believe that sickess is caused by a devil
invading the body.
In the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) two groups have
been formed by people who feel keenly about the issues dividing the church.
ARCC – Association of Reconciling Christians and Congregations One group which advocates a “live and let live” policy has formed ARCC.
They state that their preference would be for the Church to enshrine the
human rights and value of all people regardless of sex, race, class, age,
ability, national origin, and sexual orientation/preference which they believe is central to the good news of Jesus Christ.
This group is in favour of a compromise to avert the threatened split in
the Church – leaving to each parish and presbytery the traditional responsibilities for making decisions about ministers and elders.
The Assembly of the Presbyterian Church has never imposed moral rules on
the leaders, though it has expressed strong disapproval of some actions and
attitudes over the years.
Presbyterian AFFIRM This group of evangelicals describes itself as a Network for Action, Faith
Fellowship, Intercession, Renewal, and Mission within PCANZ. In its newsletter it expresses its distress that the Assembly failed to pass into
the law of the Church the Ruling which would have prohibited the licensing,
ordination and induction of practising homosexuals.
The Human Rights Act The Human Rights Act forbidding discrimination on the grounds of sexual
orientation may now apply to decisions made by Assembly.
Separate synods suggested as a solution The Methodist Church already has separate synods for Maori and for Pacific
Islanders. Now it has agreed to set up a new synod for the conservative
section of the church. This may solve one problem but create new issues.
For instance, which synod of the church will then want to determine the
nature of training for the ministry.
Within PCANZ the members of AFFIRM favour setting up separate synods for
those of opposing views, but the members of ARCC believe that instead of
separating, the two groups should remain together and work for greater understanding of their different viewpoints.
The right to decide at parish level It would perhaps bring a solution to the conflicts if other churches agreed
to follow the established practice of the Churches of Christ, the Quakers
and the Congregational Churches where each parish can make decisions independently. At present in PCANZ each parish can decide whether or not
they want to call a woman minister because there are widely differing views
on ordination of women. Surely the same practice could be applied to the
calling of a gay or lesbian minister and the ordination of gay or lesbian
leaders within the congregation.
