‘Apartheid Contrary To The Will Of God” (Press, 4 September 1985)

On 4 September 1985, the National Council of Churches (N.C.C.) held a general meeting in Auckland, where it condemned the apartheid policies of the South African government. The council decided to send a message to South African President P.W. Botha, stating, “We believe God is on the side of those seeking justice, those South Africans whom your Government detains, bans and kills.” Alongside this, they also addressed British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange, urging them to back calls from within South Africa for comprehensive economic sanctions as a means to oppose apartheid. The four-day meeting also discussed domestic issues, particularly the Homosexual Law Reform bill. The council expressed support for the initiative to decriminalise consensual homosexual acts between adults in private, acknowledging that while there are diverse opinions within the Christian community regarding this matter, the overriding Christian stance should be one of acceptance and respect for homosexual individuals. Furthermore, the N.C.C. introduced a proposal aimed at transforming itself into a new ecumenical organisation that would incorporate Catholic representation, likely to be named the Conference of Churches in Aotearoa. This proposal, representing a significant shift, will be reviewed by member churches for feedback. Currently, the N.C.C. comprises almost all of New Zealand's main Christian denominations, apart from Catholics, Pentecostal churches, and some smaller groups.

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