Auckland Church Leaders’ Statement in Support of the City’s Rainbow Community
As Christian leaders representing several churches, institutions, and communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, we join together in condemning last Saturday’s assault on Te Atatū Library staff and others by Destiny Church’s “Man Up” and “Legacy” protesters.
More directly, we rebuke Brian Tamaki for consistently inciting this behaviour by using his privilege in the pulpit to misinform and mislead members and associates of his church towards this action. His ‘anti-woke’ rhetoric is unhelpful and dehumanising.
We affirm the right to peaceful protest and do not see this as a free-speech issue but as a moral failing within Christianity as a whole. This violence has no place in our Christian practice and in society.
The undersigned Christian leaders stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and abhor abusive actions of fellow Christians.
We acknowledge the pain, distress, hurt, and anguish that LGBTQIA+ people have faced from Christians and the Church. Following the actions of adherents of Destiny Church last weekend, we are reminded of the ongoing abuses faced by LGBTQIA+ people in the name of our faith. We publicly condemn the violence of last weekend’s protests and any other actions that seek to intimidate, undermine, or diminish the dignity of LGBTQIA+ people.
We acknowledge that there can, rightly, be a sense of distrust from members of the LGBTQIA+ community towards the church. Among a small minority of churches and Christian leaders we stand in opposition to the destructive and immoral behaviour toward LGBTQIA+ people, both historic and enduring. Where Christians do not share our beliefs, we call for them to embody the embracing love of Jesus who gathered with, broke bread with, and loved those the religious majority of his day treated with disdain.
We affirm the dignity and mana of all LGBTQIA+ people and encourage their creative and authentic expression of who they are. We believe in the full equality of all people and reject marginalisation of any community, including LGBTQIA+ people in every way.
As Christian leaders, we are committed to challenging our peers on their beliefs which cause pain and continued oppression for LGBTQIA+ people. We despair at the pervasiveness of these beliefs in the church, and we are working to combat these views and create places of belonging for Christians who think differently. There is much more work needed here and we are committed to working in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.
Signed by:
Stu McGregor, Minister, Cityside Baptist
Dr Michael Frost, In the Shift, Edge Kingsland
Rev Dr Wayne Te Kaawa (Ngāti Tuāwharetoa, Ngāti Awa, Tuhoe), St John’s Theological College
Rev Richard Bonifant, Vicar, St Matthew-in-the-City, Auckland
Associate Professor Emily Colgan, Trinity Theological College
Te Aroha Rountree (Ngai Tuteauru, Nga Puhi), President, Methodist Church of New Zealand; Senior Lecturer, Trinity Theological College
Dr Nicola Hoggard Creegan, Theologian and Chaplain
Rev Brenda Rockell, Vicar, St John's Anglican Church, Royal Oak
Dr Michael Mawson, Maclaurin Goodfellow Associate Professor of Theological and Religious Studies, University of Auckland
Rev Petra Zaleski, Lead Chaplain, Maclaurin Chaplaincy, University of Auckland
Rev Prince Devanandan, All Saints Church, Ponsonby
Debbie Spackman, Te Atatū Baptist
Rev Claire Barrie, Vicar, St Luke’s Anglican Church, Mt Albert
Rev Glynn Cardy, Vicar, Community of St Luke, Remuera
Rev Wilson Zi En Chan, Te Mīhana Māori
Dr Jaimee van Gemerden, Metanoia
Dr Andrew Clark-Howard, Metanoia
Dr David McNabb, Community of St Luke, Remuera
Rev Fr Fred Brunell, Vicar, St Jude's, Avondale
Rev Ivica Gregurec, Precentor, Holy Trinity Cathedral
Roxy Gahegan, Minister, St Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Ellerslie
Rev Grace Cox, Curate, St Matthew’s-in-the-City
Dr Andrew Picard, Manutaki Akoranga (Academic Director), St John’s Theological College
Rev Raawiri (David) Ratuu, Te Mīhana Māori
Rev Scott Parekowhai, Deacon, Te Mīhana Māori
Rev Sarah West, Chaplain to the Community of Ordinary Saints