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Subject: search.filters.subject.Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia

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    "Social justice is a spiritual practice" : exploring civil society participation among young Anglican social justice activists in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Rivera-Puddle, Catherine
    This research explores how, and what, young Anglican social justice activists are contributing to civil society in Aotearoa New Zealand in the early 21st century. I wanted to know how the Anglican Christian worldview of my research participants was forming them into a particular type of subject, and if/how this was impacting the engagement of the Anglican Church in New Zealand’s civic and public spaces. The research findings draw from in-depth ethnographic fieldwork based in sensory methodologies that engaged with members of an Anglican Diocese in New Zealand, which I call Diocese J. A theoretical lens of Assemblages and Phenomenological Becoming is used to examine how these social justice activists were formed. The results from the fieldwork indicated that the young social justice activists in Diocese J were shaped by main three factors: living in Intentional Communities, engaging with rhythmic and sensorial spiritual practices, and existing Anglican ecumenical and interfaith activity in civil society. My research also signaled that interactions with civil society amongst my participants were changing from how Anglicans in Diocese J had inhabited this space in the past. For my participants, a concern to provide social services and charity was declining and interest in social justice was growing. Aspects contributing to these changing civil society interactions were neoliberal economic precarity, the looming uncertain future in a climate-shocked world, a decline in the societal influence of mainline Christian denominations in New Zealand, the incorporation of a new religious movement (neo-monastic evangelicals) into Diocese J, and transnational institutional Anglican initiatives for change in response to de-growth in Western Anglicanism. I argue that the types of civic participation and social justice activities these young Anglicans chose to get involved with were influenced by their embodied experiences of rhythms of daily and spiritual life, and understandings of time, space, and theologies of human flourishing and pluralism.
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    Archdeacon Anaru Takurua : ko tōna whakapapa, whakapono me tōna whakapono me tōna whakatika : "I am what I am" : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Māori Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Keelan, Ngaio Petra
    Archdeacon of Waiapu Anaru Takurua from Te Whanau-a-Ruataupare in Tokomaru Bay was an accomplished kapa haka exponent in his time, with over 60 years of kapa haka experience. He was also a Mihingare priest for Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa for over 40 years, and a tutor of Te Hokowhitu-a-Tu kapa haka. However, up till now there had been no full-length biography written about him, due to the dearth of published literature. This research explores the history and background of Anaru focussing on the themes whakapapa, whakapono and whakatika. This thesis is organised in a chronological structure centred on the thematic selection based on the rationale that they frequently feature prominently in Anaru’s life story. This study utilised a Maori-centred research approach in conjunction with a biographical narrative method in analysing the data collected. Anaru’s own personal transcripts that transpired last year from an interview conducted shortly before his passing ten years ago, also complements this research. Supplementing these transcripts are the narratives of kaumatua rangatira participants, who knew him personally, grew up with him or worked with him throughout his life. This study found that Anaru worshiped God in his own true authentic voice, and affirmed his identity as a man of God in Aotearoa –New Zealand. He implemented the guitar, haka, poi and waiata-a-ringa into his karakia services as cultural tools of worship to express the highest activity of the spirit and love of God. Anaru understood the value of whakapapa and as a result committed himself to using his innate gifts, talents and leadership qualities in the church, on marae and in the community. He remained committed to his love for God, his family, marae and church. As a result he devoted years to maintaining and retaining the knowledge endowed to him and transmitted this korero tuku iho, and taonga tuku iho onto the next generation. Even when at times it was met with resistance from both maori and non-maori, believers and non-believers.
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    An anatomy of antipodean Anglicanism : the Anglican Church in New Zealand 1945 to 2012 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Derbyshire, Noel William
    This thesis explores the structures of the Anglican Church between 1945 and 2012 at parish/local, diocesan/regional, and national/provincial levels and considers how they have evolved in the context of social life in New Zealand since the Second World War. The period is divided into two parts, before and after 1975/1976. The first thirty years were ones in which the role of the church was largely accepted within the community. Prosperity in the 1950s and the baby boom benefited local congregations and parishes recorded higher levels of activity. Every parish was led by a resident priest who also discharged certain functions in the wider community. The dioceses were the major units of church life. They and their bishops jealously guarded their domain and the church resembled seven mini-denominations. The church was weak at national level: its general synod a small body which met only every three years. Its function as the ‘representative and governing body’ was interpreted narrowly. The primate’s responsibilities were restricted. The church saw itself as part of the Church of England and, although constitutionally separate from the Mother Church, looked to it not only for guidance but as a source of supply for its bishops. Societal changes beginning in the 1960s had a profound impact on the church, and statistical indicators moved downwards. Some sensed that the church had lost its way. That was reinforced by the conclusions of an international consultation in 1976 which highlighted the need for change and acted as a catalyst for many of the changes that followed. Belich’s ‘recolonising’, ‘Better Briton’ and ‘tight society’ motifs are useful tools for interpreting the changes that took place. The church became more aware of its location in the Pacific, it asserted its independence, and was less reliant on ties with England. New models of ministry and parish life emerged as parishes found it more difficult to support stipendiary clergy. Parishes were given more authority although this threatened diocesan unity; a new form of ‘congregationalism’ emerged. Demands for greater biculturalism led to a major revision of the constitution in 1992: a Three Tikanga church emerged. This gave the church a new shape, one that was significantly different from other national churches in the Anglican Communion. Another debate followed: should the primate be one person or an instrument of diversity (shared by three archbishops)? This thesis focuses on the Pakeha stream of the church which struggled with its identity and failed to develop robust instruments of cooperation. Anglican affiliation (measured at the census) declined from 37 to 14 percent between 1945 and 2006 but this was a measure of identity rather than involvement. Between 1976 and 2006 attendance declined by 15 percent but this was much lower than the 39 percent decline in affiliation. Attendance declined particularly in areas of population loss and where major immigration had taken place. Auckland suburbs became enclaves of various ethnicities with rates of Anglican affiliation ranging from three to 30 percent. The thesis introduces an ‘attendance quotient’: a measure of attendance related to census affiliation.