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Minutes of the General Assembly 2012
Our church’s history on the matter of sexuality and its concentration on textual justification for
either position on the matter has been an indication of an inability to remain focused on the
issue.
It is imperative that we as a church learn to live with, embrace and exploit our diversity and even
our disagreements for the sake of the Gospel.
Denying a Congregation the ability to fall or step aside from 9.1A is inconsistent with current
legislation that allows Ministers by means of conscience decision to choose between two forms
of Baptismal Practice.
The current legislation encourages the disunity of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New
Zealand in that it excludes a minority of its members from full participation in its life.
The rejection of a proposal that sought grace and acceptance of diversity of opinion in regard to
sexual orientation and practice, theological and scriptural interpretation and enable parishes to
make the decisions they believe to be right in the eyes of God seems incongruent with the good
news of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Evidence of practice shows that the church has lived with the exemption provision and its
application thereof since 2006 seemingly without issue. It could also be argued that the church
has greatly benefited from this provision by allowing some extremely talented gay and lesbian
ministers to continue their ministry and in some cases provided superior leadership within the
church.
The opposition to gay and lesbian ministers and elders is more one of selective literalism than
any pragmatic reasoning or consideration of justice.
The evidence of practice has shown that even those opposed to gay and lesbian leadership,
have worked successfully, professionally and respectively with people of Gay and lesbian
orientation in roles with Church Courts and committees.
The anecdotal evidence of hurt suggests that the approach which treats gays and lesbians as
second class citizens and does not accord either understanding or love to this marginalised
group, is not justifiable in the interests of the church.
The current legislation penalizes those living in de facto relationships. Many Clergy and Elders
have children either living in or have lived in de facto relationships. This applies not only to socalled
liberals but also to conservative or evangelical clergy/elders.
There has been the change in social attitudes to marriage giving support for a change in
legislation conducive with an environment understandable to and inclusive of the youth of our
nation.
There is a growing sense within the church of a need for change in the way in which our
decision making methodology promotes an adversarial approach to difference of opinion.
It is past time that the PCANZ finds a new way for its Congregations to exercise their diversity
and enable those who wish to, to Call a Gay or de facto minister or to recommend a Gay or de
facto person for Theological Training at KCML.
Reasons for dissent to motion [12.091] – lost
(Desisting from discriminatory practice in the Church)
The Declaratory Act disclaims intolerant or persecuting principles. This motion was brought to
Assembly because section 9.1 (1A) of the Book of Order enshrines in legislation an intolerant
and persecuting principle that is directed against people of homosexual orientation. It excludes
from leadership persons who are neither single and celibate, nor in marriage between a man
and a woman. By imposing a requirement of celibacy on a group of persons who are of
homosexual orientation, it treats them as a different category of person and is therefore
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