Media Release 3 September 2014
Why are the Anglican Bishops silent in defending life?
The Anglican Archbishops in Aotearoa New Zealand have identified four key challenges facing the country in the run-up to
the General Election onSeptember 20. These issues are:
• Child poverty
• Income inequality
• Lack of affordable and accessible housing
• Global warming
The Archbishops Winston Halapua, Philip Richardson and Brown Turei called on all Anglicans to exercise their right to
vote in the election,.
It is commendable that the Anglican Bishops have provided leadership in drawing the attention of the community to these
important justice issues. They encourage us to remember that every individual has dignity conferred by God and that we
are but stewards of God’s creation. The Bishops remind us that we should give consideration to the common good of the
community when voting.
The Anglican Bishops have designated child poverty as the most important justice issue. It is a national tragedy that
one quarter of New Zealand’s children live in poverty, that is nearly 270,000 children. Why do the Bishops not recognise
that child poverty begins in the womb? The greatest poverty that can be inflicted on our children is to be brutally
murdered while still in the womb.
Every day the equivalent of two classrooms of children are murdered in their mothers’ womb. Why are the Anglican Bishops
silent in the face of this appalling violation of human rights that is a crime against humanity?
The children are God’s precious infants, the Bishops have a serious moral duty to defend the right to life of every
human being from conception to natural death especially the weak, the defenceless and the vulnerable. Have the Bishops
accepted the murder of the innocent and the war on women as part of our culture?
There is also a further serious threat to human life-euthanasia, with the “End of Life Choices” Bill of Maryan Street
which if passed would allow doctors to kill their patients or assist in their suicide. At this election we have two
serious threats to life, the decriminalisation of abortion and euthanasia, supported by the Labour Party, the Greens and
the Internet Party. Candidates for Parliament who are not committed to defending life are unworthy of being elected. Why
is there a deafening silence from our Anglican Bishops on these serious threats to life?
Ken Orr
Spokesperson,
Right to Life.
ENDS