Church Condemns Tour (Press, 14 October 1980)

On 14 October 1980, the Christchurch Anglican Diocesan Synod unanimously passed a motion condemning the proposed Springbok tour of New Zealand in the following year. The motion was amended to reflect a desire for non-violent pressure on the New Zealand Rugby Union to halt the tour. The Rev. B. R. Carrell highlighted concerns that inviting the Springboks would violate human dignity and cause division within New Zealand society. While the Synod aimed to communicate its stance to the rugby union, it also acknowledged the positive contributions the union had made for youth in the community. The Synod was also involved in discussions surrounding a controversial report on homosexuality from the previous year. This report advocated for legalising homosexual acts between consenting adults and opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Rev. E. Coulthard sought to clarify that the Synod's previous resolutions on homosexuality were affirmations of its views but did not encompass the entirety of the report. The Synod reaffirmed the need to enhance understanding of homosexual individuals while still maintaining the view that heterosexual marriage is the Christian norm. Additionally, a comprehensive financial report concerning diocesan finances was presented to the Synod. This report followed the establishment of an inquiry commission, which was created after the drawing of $55,000 from income reserves over the past eleven years. The commission concluded that financial decision-making had often occurred without due respect for financial sustainability. Recommendations included reducing funding for the Ecumenical Hospital Chaplaincy Board, which funds hospital chaplains, and improving the church's accounting systems. A proposal was made for the development of a five-year budget that would be reviewed annually. The report emphasised the need for the church to operate within its financial means, advocating for measures that would make overspending more challenging, such as implementing instalment payments for allocations. Additional strategies to improve financial management included changing the church's financial year to begin on 1 January and encouraging individual churches to implement structured giving programmes.

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