Statement by the Archbishops re the CCAANZ Ordination

On Saturday 19 October the Reverend Jay Behan, a former cleric in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ACANZP), was ordained bishop for the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand (CCAANZ).

We have previously set out our concerns about this new denomination

[https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/features/extra/response].

Here we acknowledge that members of our church are very concerned to see photographs on social media and other news sites which clearly identify that among the consecrating bishops at the ordination were bishops in communion with our church who have crossed boundaries without informing either the Archbishops of this church or the Bishop of Christchurch or the Bishop of Te Waipounamu.

The disrespect for the normal protocols of the Anglican Communion and the lack of courtesy shown to our church by these boundary crossing bishops is disturbing and we will be making an appropriate protest about their actions. We are especially concerned at the boundary crossing of bishops from the Anglican Church of Australia. We value our trans-Tasman relationship with our neighbouring church and are disappointed to find a lack of respect for the jurisdiction of our church.

 As further consequences of the disaffiliations from our church in 2018 are experienced, we wish to place on record our immense thanks for all members of ACANZP who have chosen to remain in this church, including those with similar convictions to those who have disaffiliated and our takatāpui whanau (LGBT+ family), in order to faithfully serve God in a church which values diversity, inclusion and respect for a difference of viewpoints within our common understanding of being Anglican.

Archbishop Donald Tamihere      Archbishop Philip Richardson
Te Pihopa o Aotearoa                     Senior Bishop of the New Zealand
                                                        Dioceses

The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia 
Te Hāhi Mihinare ki Aotearoa, ki Niu Tīreni,
ki Ngā Moutere o te Moana Nui a Kiwa