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Timeline: Religion

1975

  • Television news report: interview with a gay vicar (New Zealand). Refers to discrimination by some churches. Look North, ref: TZP2097. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

24 March 1975

  • Television news report: an item on homosexuality and the church (New Zealand). Look North, ref: TZP10578. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

6 June 1977

15 April 1979

  • Ascent Wellington is formed for gay and lesbian Catholics (Wellington)

August 1979

  • Ascent Christchurch is formed for gay and lesbian Catholics (Christchurch)

30 March 1980

  • The Metropolitan Community Church of the Resurrection is formed (New Zealand)

22 October 1984

  • Churches in New Zealand attempt to block the television series Jesus the Evidence (New Zealand). The BBC series contains references to homosexuality. Link: YouTube

30 March 1985

  • Roman Catholic Cardinal Tom Williams speaks out against the Homosexual Law Reform Bill (New Zealand). Williams appears on TV 1 news
  • Television: Cardinal Tom Williams opposes Homosexual Law Reform Bill (New Zealand). ref: TZP17808. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

12 April 1985

  • Television: National Council of Churches executive meeting will discuss homosexual law reform (Christchurch). ref: TZP129576. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

13 April 1985

  • Television news report: National Council of Churches did not come to a unanimous resolution, but will encourage people to make submissions in favour of homosexual law reform (New Zealand). ref: TZP129396. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision
  • The National Council of Churches votes in support of decriminalising homosexuality (New Zealand)

14 April 1985

  • Television news report: anti gay rally held by Coalition of Concerned Citizens in Cathedral Square, Christchurch (Christchurch). ref: TZP129399. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision
  • Television news report: National Council of Churches split over homosexual law reform (New Zealand). ref: TZP129505. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision
  • Television: gay Christians in Auckland (Auckland). ref: TZP8395. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

17 April 1985

  • Television: Catholic homosexual support group "Ascent" on homosexual law reform bill (New Zealand). ref: TZP14110. Link: Nga Taonga Sound and Vision

9 February 1987

  • The media reports that the Rev Carl Titchener is giving out condoms during church services (New York, United States of America). Titchener, a Unitarian minister in New York, gives out condoms to help prevent the spread of AIDS

1989

  • The Rock of Life Ministries is formed (Christchurch). The group is formed circa 1989 (exact date unknown)

18 August 1991

  • A television debate is broadcast on whether there should be ordained homosexual ministers in the Christian Church (New Zealand). The debate was broadcast on TV1

5 November 1995

  • Martin Dickson is licensed as a Presbyterian minister (New Zealand). Dickson is the first openly gay man to be licensed in New Zealand by the Presbyterian church. In 1999 the Sunday Star Times reported that despite being licensed as a minister, no congregation wanted him. "One thing I've learnt is people often have quite good intentions, but the last thing they want in their Church is conflict.". Link: Sunday Star Times

5 July 1996

  • The Presbyterian Church rules that lesbian and gay people may not be licensed or ordained as elders or ministers or put in positions of leadership (New Zealand). The decision was to be reviewed again in 1998

13 April 1997

  • Alyson Murrie-West is licensed as a Presbyterian minister at St Andrews-on-the-Terrace (Wellington)

12 November 1997

  • The Rev. David Bromell, an openly gay man, is ordained in the Methodist Church (New Zealand)

10 July 1998

  • Presbyterian General Assembly bans ordination of practising gay men or lesbians for one year (New Zealand)

27 September 2002

  • The general assembly of Presbyterian Church rejects a motion to investigate the church's position on gay ministers. (New Zealand). The motion is put forward by the Wellington Presbytery. Link: Gay NZ

5 October 2003

  • The Pope states to the Anglican Church his opposition to homosexuality. (worldwide)

24 September 2004

  • The Presbyterian Church votes to prevent lesbians, gays or people in defacto relationships from becoming church leaders.

18 August 2017

  • Police say Pastor Logan Robertson committed no criminal offence with his hate speech (Auckland). In a sermon on 23 July, Robertson from the WestCity Bible Baptist Church in Avondale said "I'm not against [homosexuals] getting married as long as a bullet goes through their head the moment they kiss...that's what should happen". Police issued a statement to Newshub stating "no criminal offence has been committed". Link: Newshub

25 September 2017

  • A same-sex couple are denied a church wedding by St Peter's Anglican Church (New Zealand). The Anglican Church denies Alexandra Saunders and Sara Rimmer the right to marry at St Peter's in Paekakariki. The churches nationwide position is to "uphold Christian marriage as a union of a man and a woman". Priests are not allowed to officiate same-sex marriages. Link: Stuff
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