An eminent New Zealand church leader has spoken out in support of the ordianation of gay men in the church. “It so happens that some of the most effective priests that I know are gay. And that's good,” said The Honourable Sir Paul Reeves on National Radio yesterday. Reflecting on the ordination of openly gay Juan Kinnear as a deacon of the Anglican church at the weekend, Reeves spoke on the controversy surrounding the ordination of homosexual men. “The old days of course meant keeping quiet about this”, he observed. “There was an essential dishonesty there, and we were ordaining people who were gay, I have no doubt about that.” Reeves was our first Maori Governor General, and the first patron of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. A retired Anglican Archbishop, he still remains active in Auckland's Holy Trinity Church, and is chancellor of Auckland University of Technology. Referring to controversy over gays in leadership positions in the church, an issue outgoing Archbishop Wakahuihui Vercoe predicted would split the Anbglican church, Reeves described the church as “in transition”. “The church may say we are standing up for certain standards here, but I believe that the ultimate standard is one of recognition of worth, support and encouragement,” he said. “I think too that the secular society has moved on beyond where the perspective of the church is on this matter. “I believe gay people indeed have a place to occupy, and a contribution to make.” Ref: Radio New Zealand (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 7th November 2006 - 12:00pm