Major Mainline Church Denomination Declares Its Position on Marriage Re-Definition Bill
This media release is to help draw the attention of media to a development which we believe needs to be reported to the
public.
On the weekend the (biennial) General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa, one of New Zealand’s biggest
mainline church denominations, declared its mind on marriage and the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill.
The General Assembly decisions are significant. While the resolutions are consistent with the Church’s existing
teachings on marriage, the Presbyterian Church had not previously declared its position on the bill currently before
Parliament.
The Church has issued at least one official media release on this matter.
The resolutions were as follows…
Carried with 75% majority:
[12.107] "That General Assembly declares that it upholds the historic Christian understanding of marriage as the
loving, faithful union of a man and a woman (reflecting the complementarity of male and
female created in God’s image), which is grounded in nature and in Scripture, is supremely revealed in Jesus’
teaching about marriage, and is given by God for the well-being of human society, and this be communicated to our
government.”
Moved together and carried with a 77% majority:
[12.108] "That, in faithfulness to the historic Christian understanding of marriage as grounded in the Bible and
the teachings of Jesus and in consistency with previous resolutions of the General Assembly
relating to marriage (1991 and 2004), General Assembly resolves that the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New
Zealand does not support same-sex 'marriage' and urges Parliament not to proceed with the
proposed amendment to the Marriage Act and [that this be communicated to Parliament] through the select
committee process as the majority view of the General Assembly."
[12.109] "That General Assembly urges Parliament not to alter or confuse the meaning of marriage, which has
always been about the union of male and female, and is of deep spiritual significance for New
Zealanders of many faiths and cultures; and the General Assembly also asserts that - with regard to equality -
the Civil Union Act (2004) already provides for clear societal recognition and legal protection of
same-sex relationships."