Marriage Of Divorced Approved

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 14

Marriage Of Divorced Approved

“No-one in this hall wants easy divorce as a policy of the Church, and suggestions of a change of emphasis come from the pastoral responsibility of the clergy,” said the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt Rev. W. A. Pyatt) at the annual meeting of the Synod of the Diocese of Christchurch yesterday. He was speaking after the report of the committee on the marriage of divorced persons had been accepted by the synod which approved the marriage of divorced persons in church.

The synod will ask the General Synod of the Church to legislate for this. Moving the adoption of the report, the Rev. P. B. Baker (St Michael’s) said “divorce

recognised the fact of breakdown of marriage. “It has not been the ata of the committee to accommodate the Church to the spirit of the time. I cannot imagine that Christ would refuse every divorced person coming for marriage his blessing,” he said. The committee believed marriage was a covenant for life. Christ had taught that marriage was sacramental but not necessarily indestructible. “The committee doubts the concept of the innocent party. What surely needs to be

established is not innocence in relation to the breakdown of the previous marriage, but penitence for past failure and a sincere intention to do better next time.”

Mr Baker said consideration of grounds for nullity was beyond the committee’s scope. “We find it unlikely that it. this case only, dealing with divorce and remarriage, Christ should have laid down a binding law for all time—

as. He did nowhere else,” said Mr Baker. “We must beware of think-

ing we cannot change something that has been set by tradition," said Mr E. G. Bradley (Timaru). “A marriage is not preserved by legalistic or doctrinal considerations but by the parties themselves. We believe in Christ’s doctrine of the second chance.” The Rev. T. Thompson (Mount Somers) said marriage was indissoluble. “But we have a responsibility to those in society who are the casualties of marriage.” Canon J. O. Rymer (Christ-

church /College) said the Church must oscillate between law tinged with love and love tinged , with law. “We cannot allow people to rot in the hell of a broken

marriage, nor weakly acquiesce to divorce and remarriage. There should be a reference group in the diocese to assure the Church that the person is indeed penitent,” he said. “Is there no such thing as

forgiveness or reconciliation?" asked the Rev. D. I. B. Balfour (Aranui). “The central

fact of Christianity is the reconciliation of man with God. “How does the conscience of the Church allow divorced people to marry in another Church and then allow them back?” asked Mr B. H. Howell (Timaru). This was hypocrisy. “In essence, you are right,” said Bishop Pyatt. “It puts the Church in a paradoxical position which we all feel.” Mr Baker said that if the Church could bless remarried people, it ought to be able to remarry them. A motion, that the diocesan representatives on the General Synod consider taking such action as they deemed appropriate to bring before the General Synod the request, was passed. One person voted against the motion.

“People have predicted for a long time that any laxity on the part of the Church would lead to a landslide," said Mr Baker. “I don’t believe this is true. ' •

“Only those seeking remarriage with serious, life-long, intent will apply for It. I think we would all vary on the necessary safeguards, and the committee has looked at the matter thoroughly,” he said.

“The Anglican Church holds widely divergent opinions on this subject, as we discovered in exploring church union,” said the Vicar-General (the Ven. H. M. Cocks).

Missioners’ Role

“Perhaps this is the time the Church should study the role of the Bishop of Aotearoa and Maori missioners," said the Rev. M. M. Mete, Maori Missioner, at the annual meeting of the Synod of . the Diocese of Christchurch.

He proposed a motion expressing gratitude and good wishes to the retiring Bishop of Aotearoa (the Rt Rev. W. N. Panapa), which was passed.

“The whole question of the Maori missioner is under review by a committee appointed by the General Synod. I don’t think this committee has come any closer to formulating a clear policy. “This is a result of the ferment the Maori Church is in —but we look forward to the committee finding a solution,” said Mr Mete.

Officers elected by Synod were:—

Diocesan Prayer Book Revvision Committee: —The Very Rev. M. L. Underhill, the Ven. W. M. Davies (convener), the Rev. Canon R. J. Witty, the Revs. M. J. Goodall, B. A. W. Beckett, J. M. Mullane, the Rev. Mother Zoe, Mr S. R. Cuming and Professor H. F. T. Adams. Diocesan Church Union Committtee:—The Ven. W. M. Davies (convener), the Rev. Canons J. O. Rymer and R. O. Williams, the Revs M. H. Brown, G. Fitzgerald, A. G. Georgantis, W. E. Limbrick, M. J. Goodall, M. I. May, J. M. Mullane, E. H. Newman, L. E. Pfankuch and A. H. TevlOn, Messrs J. Bean, E. G. Bradley, S. R. Cuming, A. A. Deans, D. E. Donnithorne, T. D. J. Holdemess, I. W. Menzies, T. W. Rice, D. S. Studholme, T. T. West, G. R. Whittle and R. F. Worsley.