The Ma Whea Commission has received almost 200 written submissions on the issue of whether this Church should proceed to bless same-sex relationships – and to ordain people in those relationships.

The deadline for submitting to the commission having now passed (as at June 1) the chairman of the commission, former Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, has broadcast a report on the commission’s progress.

That’s available here.

While no new submission will now be received, the Commission is still hearing oral evidence from those who have already supplied written submissions.

It held one such follow-up meeting last weekend at St John’s College in Auckland, and it has scheduled further meetings in Wellington and Christchurch.

In his broadcast video, Sir Anand says the Commission has developed its thinking about how it will report, and “how we will canvas the scriptural and doctrinal issues, the canons, (matters of) church governance, societal attitudes, scientific research and the human rights dimensions of these matters….”

The end result of the Commission’s work, he says, will not be a set of recommendations to the Church, but a description of “pathways, and what may be involved in following them.”

Those “pathways” will be reported to next year’s General Synod, which is expected to make a decision on those questions of blessing and ordination.

Sir Anand says the Commission is grateful for the “warmth and co-operation” it has experienced thus far.

“I hope that will continue,” he says, “and that people’s best wishes and prayers will (continue to) accompany our efforts.”