Thu 30 Aug 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Auckland’s crusading St-Matthew-in-the-City is being chastised by Anglican Church leaders over its “we don’t care who’s on top” billboard, because they say they do care “who is on top”. The hoarding, which will be erected outside the Hobson St church today, features a wedding cake with a lesbian couple cake topper: Reverend Clay Nelson says it’s an endorsement of Louisa Wall’s marriage equality Bill, which expresses solidarity with the many Christians in many denominations who back it. The Anglican Bishops of Auckland however believe the billboard leaves a confusing message and does not effectively communicate what good relationships are about. They say the Anglican Church cares about good relationships and so does care about ‘who is on top’ in a relationship. Bishop Jim White says the billboard does not clearly convey what St Matthew’s says are the key foundations of a relationship which are mutuality, fidelity and love. ‘”The billboard is a confusing message trading on clichés that I don’t think St Matthews actually stands for,” he says. Bishop Ross Bay says he is disappointed by the billboard but says he is not surprised as St Matthew’s stance on the issue is well known. The Bishops say the opinion expressed by the billboard is that of the St Matthew’s congregation and is not representative of the Diocese or the wider Anglican Church.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 30th August 2012 - 11:22am