Kiwi crisis over gay deacon

Local evangelicals, who made clear their opposition to the ordination of a homosexual man during a church service in Dunedin last month, have written an open letter to New Zealand’s bishops calling on them to acknowledge the serious consequences of these developments.

The letter signed by the Rev Malcolm Falloon, on behalf of the Christchurch-based evangelical group the Latimer Fellowship, says that by not making clear their dissent they have ‘given tacit approval’ to the Bishop of Dunedin’s actions, and have deepened ‘the present crisis even further, both in New Zealand and across the Communion’.

Juan Kinnear, described by Bishop of Dunedin George Connor as being ‘in a committed same-sex relationship’, was one of three people ordained as a deacon at Dunedin’s St Paul’s Cathedral on November 4.

Earlier Bishop Connor had refused requests to cancel the ordination saying he accepted the move would be controversial, but that the Dunedin diocesan council were satisfied it was in line with past practice and the rules of the church.

Mr Falloon’s recent letter argues that by allowing the ordination of a man who has a gay partner, the Anglican Church in New Zealand has effectively endorsed same-sex blessings. And by failing to consult the rest of the worldwide Anglican Communion about this development, New Zealand had breached the guidelines set out in the Windsor Report. 

“We are facing the same failure to properly consult that the Communion faced when it commissioned the Windsor Report in response to actions taken by the North American churches – actions which, in the words of the Primates, caused a deep tear in the fabric of the Communion,” Mr Falloon wrote.

Earlier Mr Falloon had led a protest during the ordination service.

When Bishop Connor asked the congregation whether the deacons should be ordained, three people – the Rev Wally Behan, Mr John Bryant and Mr Falloon – said they should not, and walked out. 

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