Civil disunion in church

The Rev Hugh Kempster says the church's stance is driving groups such as homosexuals to the fringes. Picture / Dean Purcell

An Auckland priest is calling for radical change in the Anglican Church's attitude to civil unions, in the hope it will stop a "cold war" that is creating a schism within the church.

The Rev Hugh Kempster of Grey Lynn's St Columba Anglican Church says the issue of civil unions - and to a lesser extent, the ordination of openly homosexual clergy - is creating a rift between the church hierarchy and "grassroots priests".

Though he believes the church will, in time, come round to popular thinking, Mr Kempster is angry that in Grey Lynn, which has a high number of gays and lesbians in the congregation, he cannot conduct a civil union ceremony in church.

"Civil unions are part of what we are as New Zealanders, and the church is dragging its heels." He says the problem is not confined to the Anglican Church. Mr Kempster is a member of Christians for Civil Unions, an inter-denominational group pushing for change in the various churches.

Conservative and reformist elements are pulling against one another in most of the Protestant churches, and also in the Catholic Church to an extent, he says.

Mr Kempster believes the Anglican Church should leave decisions on issues such as civil unions to individual parishes, which would follow the attitudes of their congregations.

If it doesn't do something, groups such as homosexuals - part of "a community in exile" within the church - will be driven "to the fringes of the church".

"I can't keep quiet on issues like this, because it is a pastoral concern I have here for people in this community who are hurting."

In a letter to the Herald this week, Mr Kempster said: "My prayer is that the Anglican Church in New Zealand will soon wake up to the fact that God is a God of love, and does not discriminate over sexual orientation."

Many of Mr Kempster's parishioners are in gay relationships, but he is forced to draw a strict line between "the secular and sacred" in performing ceremonies. He can perform the legal aspects of a civil union, but his church prevents him from conducting that ceremony in a church. "As an Anglican priest, I am authorised to perform blessings in church, but not civil union ceremonies."

That system must change, he says.

"It's about the church acknowledging that our church is different today than it was 200 years ago."

Bishop Richard Randerson, Auckland's second-most-powerful Anglican, yesterday dismissed any suggestion that the flock be allowed to control the shepherds. Individual parishes were free to conduct any pastoral ministries they saw fit, "but they can't go beyond the authority of the church".

However, he believes Mr Kempster is within his rights to conduct civil union ceremonies as a secular celebrant, so long as he does not defy his church bosses.

"Our church has not officially accepted any view that would support Anglican priests being involved in provision of priestly ministry at civil union ceremonies."

He praised Mr Kempster for his stand over civil unions, and his role in "changing the church".

But Bishop Randerson believes it is likely to be some time before the Anglican Church accepts civil unions and same-sex relationships, as it took almost 15 years' debate before the ordination of the first woman priest, in 1977.

"I don't think it's going to be an issue that is going to be resolved quickly. There are starkly opposed views in the church."