The Social Justice Commission – the body charged with spearheading the church’s social justice work – has quietly changed direction.

It’s now intent on linking more closely with those at the flaxroots of the church who are doing social justice work, and getting in behind their efforts.

The 2012 General Synod established the platform for those changes when it changed the canon governing the Social Justice Commission (SJC).

The revised canon made it clear that the responsibility for making policy about social justice work lay with the Commission.

And not, as had been the case, with the Commissioner.

Since then, there have been changes where the members of the commission are concerned, too.

Bishop Muru Walters, who’d served as chair of the SJC for many years, has stepped down – as have Archbishop David Moxon, Christina Tapu, Raquel Gray and Jack Papuni.

Taking their place are: Archbishop Philip Richardson, Bishop Justin Duckworth (Tikanga Pakeha) Rev Tevita Koloamatangi (Tikanga Pasifika) and Gaylene Stephens (Tikanga Maori).

The revised canon also sees the General Secretary of the church, the Rev Michael Hughes, formally becoming a member of the commission with voting rights – while Peter Bargh has succeeded Bishop Muru as its chair.

Seven-year stint ends

Meanwhile, Dr Anthony Dancer – the first three tikanga Social Justice Commissioner – finished his seven-year stint with the Commission in May this year.

Peter Bargh has acknowledged Dr Dancer’s contribution to the SJC work.

Anthony was, he says, passionate about social justice work, and he brought “energy, commitment and capability to a challenging role”.

He not only pioneered the 3T SJC Commissioner role, says Peter, he led and implemented the work, discerned and researched new issues and created resources.

Hui plots new course

The new-look commission is intent on connecting better with those at the flaxroots of the church who are already doing social justice work, and supporting them wherever possible.

The first fruits of that approach was a hui held in mid-September at St John’s College.

Over three days the commission met with keen people from the dioceses and hui amorangi. Together, they talked turkey on social justice issues, heard of the work already being done at that local level, heard too what the needs are at local level, and built relationships.

The week of focus on penal reform, during which Bishop Justin Duckworth held his prayer vigil on the steps of his cathedral in Wellington, is perhaps more evidence of the SJC’s ‘equipping’ role.

The SJC had worked with the House of Bishops in researching and preparing material to support that penal week, and the material they produced could be tapped into nationally through the Social Justice Commission website (http://www.justice.net.nz/).

Those resources were promoted heavily through the churches of the Diocese of Wellington, and they will feed into a long-term drive by the church to encourage New Zealand society to rethink its approaches to incarceration.

Between now and next May’s General Synod, the SJC plans to focus on a small number of other social justice themes, again with the intention of resourcing and encouraging more effective local-level work.

The first of those themes will be child poverty, and the material associated with that will be rolled out next month.

New Commissioner?

The commission won’t be making moves to recruit a new commissioner ahead of next year’s general Synod.

In the first place, says Peter Bargh, that’s because the SJC wants to review whether it sticks with the single commissioner model.

In the second place, it’s making no replacement moves now out of respect for Te Pihopatanga.
 
 Te Runanga Whaiti, the standing committee of Te Runanganui had given notice that it wants a separate Tikanga Maori Social Justice Commission. It will confirm its intentions at the May General Synod.

Meanwhile, Peter says he sees Tikanga Maori’s announcement as confirmation that the SJC is heading in the right direction by renewing its focus on connecting with folk seeking to do social justice work at the flax-roots level.

Peter also says he was encouraged by the turnout at the September hui. That drew representatives from 11 of the 13 episcopal units – including at least one from each of the hui amorangi, including Bishop Kito Pikaahu.