New church group mooted

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 5

New church group mooted

PA Wellington New Zealand Catholic bishops have agreed in principle to join a new ecumenical body whose other members will be churches belonging to the National Council of Churches. The National Council of Churches, formed 41 years ago, has already agreed in principle to its dissolution and the formation of what would be called the New Zealand Council of Churches. It is planned that the inaugural meeting of the new council will be held in February, 1984. Meanwhile, the N.C.C. will consult its individual member churches for comment and recommendations. The seven Catholic bishops will similarly consult their dioceses.

A draft constitution for a New Zealand council of Churches was prepared by a. joint N.C.C.-Catholic committee in June.

It is suggested that the Catholics and the Anglicans would have 10 representatives each on the New Zealand council. The Presbyter-

ians would have eight; the Methodists, five; the Baptists, four; and the Salvation Army, three. Altogether, it is proposed', there would be 15 denominations on the council with a total of 52 representatives. Among them, however, are the Pentecostal churches with three representatives, which have so far shown little inclination to join. The bishops made their decision about the new body during their week-long biennial conference in Wellington last week.

At a press conference yesterday, they emphasised that there was no question of the Catholic Church joining the N.C.C.

“We come in as equal .and founding partners to a new ecumenical body — the better to serve Christian witness in our community." said the Metropolitan of New Zealand. the Most Rev. T. S. Williams.

Some Catholics had already reacted negatively to the proposed move but this was because they had mistakenly thought the Church

was joining the N.C.C.. he said. The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most Rev. B. P. Ashby, was asked about the charges of political activism that had been levelled at the N.C.C. Was there not a danger of the Catholic Church’s being drawn into areas that it would not go on its own? Bishop Ashby said. “I refute charges of political activism against the N.C.C. I believe the N.C.C. is trying to

pursuc the preaching of the Gospels... we will together need to preach the good news of justice." The Catholic Church would not be an appendage to an existing body, he said. Archbishop Williams said reports and statements by N.C.C. committees had sometimes been mistaken for the views of the organisation itself. This was not so. and sometimes these recommendations were not ratified by the member churches.