Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) is the main Presbyterian church in New Zealand
.
The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was formed in October 1901 with the amalgamation of churches in Synod of Otago and Southland
with those north of the Waitaki River
.
Presbyterians had by and large come to New Zealand as settlers from Scotland
, Ireland
and Australia
. Dunedin
and Waipu
were Presbyterian settlements, but significant numbers were found in other parts of the country including Christchurch
, Port Nicholson (Wellington), and Auckland
. Ministers came with the first European settlers to Wellington, Otago and Waipu, but generally nascent congregations called ministers from Scotland. Missions to the Māori people focused on the Tuhoe people
and led to the establishment of Māori Synod, now known as Te Aka Puaho.
Ethnic diversity grew after World War II with the arrival of Dutch
and European settlers and more recent Pacific Island
and Asian
migrants. In 1969 the majority of Congregational
churches joined the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The word "Aotearoa
" was added to the title of the denomination in 1990, affirming the treaty partnership
between the indigenous Māori and the subsequent settlers.
. One group under George Mackenzie left in the 1960s and formed the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
.
Often confused as a breakaway church is Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
, which was actually a group of pre-existing independent churches that united into a new denomination. There is sometimes confusion because the church contains a significant number of former members of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand who have sought a more theologically conservative alternative.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
History
Synod of Otago and Southland
The Synod of Otago and Southland is a synod of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand . Originally independent, the Synod merged with the northern Presbyterian church in 1901 to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.-History:...
with those north of the Waitaki River
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
.
Presbyterians had by and large come to New Zealand as settlers from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
and Waipu
Waipu
Waipu is a small town in Bream Bay, in the Northland Region of New Zealand, with a Scottish heritage. The population was 1,491 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 222 from 2001. A highlight of the town's calendar is the annual Highland Games held at New Year...
were Presbyterian settlements, but significant numbers were found in other parts of the country including Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, Port Nicholson (Wellington), and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. Ministers came with the first European settlers to Wellington, Otago and Waipu, but generally nascent congregations called ministers from Scotland. Missions to the Māori people focused on the Tuhoe people
Tuhoe
Ngāi Tūhoe , a Māori iwi of New Zealand, takes its name from an ancestral figure, Tūhoe-pōtiki. The word tūhoe literally means "steep" or "high noon" in the Māori language...
and led to the establishment of Māori Synod, now known as Te Aka Puaho.
Ethnic diversity grew after World War II with the arrival of Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and European settlers and more recent Pacific Island
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
and Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
migrants. In 1969 the majority of Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
churches joined the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The word "Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
" was added to the title of the denomination in 1990, affirming the treaty partnership
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
between the indigenous Māori and the subsequent settlers.
Debate over ministers in non-marriage relationships
In 2003, the Church decided to allow ministers in sexual relationships other than marriage. This was overturned in 2004, and in a meeting of the General Assembly of the Church on 29 September 2006, this was confirmed by 230 votes to 124 (a 65% majority). This prevents people in de facto or gay relationships from becoming ministers in the church. It does not apply to people ordained before 2004.International connections
- Christian Conference of AsiaChristian Conference of AsiaThe Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 17 National Councils and 100 denominations in 21 countries:- Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,...
(CCA) - Council for World MissionCouncil for World MissionThe Council for World Mission is a worldwide community of Christian churches. The 31 members share their resources of money, people, skills and insights to carry out their missionary work.CWM was established in 1977 in its present form...
(CWM) - World Alliance of Reformed ChurchesWorld Alliance of Reformed ChurchesThe World Alliance of Reformed Churches is a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin...
(WARC) - World Council of ChurchesWorld Council of ChurchesThe World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
(WCC)
Breakaway groups
Several groups have broken away from the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand because of its liberal theologyLiberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
. One group under George Mackenzie left in the 1960s and formed the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Orthodox Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was a Christian denomination formed in New Zealand in the 1960s. It was organized by George Wallace, who lead it as a breakoff of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand because he felt that the church had adopted too much liberal...
.
Often confused as a breakaway church is Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand is a Presbyterian denomination in New Zealand which was formed in 2002. It currently consists of 11 churches and 7 mission churches, which are congregations in the process of becoming fully established churches...
, which was actually a group of pre-existing independent churches that united into a new denomination. There is sometimes confusion because the church contains a significant number of former members of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand who have sought a more theologically conservative alternative.
External links
- Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand - website
- Presbyterian Youth Ministry - website