Gay Anglican priests back in New Zealand after wedding row
Pastor Dale Morgan
Gay Anglican priests back in New Zealand after wedding row*
* Barbara McMahon in Hamilton
* The Guardian,
* Saturday June 21, 2008
This should have been a joyful time for Anglican priests David Lord and
Peter Cowell, the gay clerics whose civil partnership was blessed in one
of London's oldest churches. The celebrations, however, have been
overshadowed by recriminations about the wedding-style ceremony, which
is against church guidelines.
Both clerics have gone to ground since then with Lord, a hospital
doctor, returning home to New Zealand and surrendering his licence to
officiate as a priest. This week the curtains were drawn at his bungalow
in Hamilton, on the North Island, and no one was answering the door.
At Waikato hospital, where he works in the emergency department, a staff
member said he was not taking calls.
At the Cathedral Church of St Peter, where he was ordained, parishioners
and clergy have also closed ranks. "We saw David at church last Sunday,"
said parishioner and lay canon Jocelyn Marshall. "He was very upset,
people were comforting him. He's been demolished by this."
New Zealand prides itself on its broad-minded attitudes - civil
partnership legislation was introduced in 2004 - and its half-million
strong Anglican congregation leans towards the liberal side of the argument.
Many of the faithful believe the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Lambeth bishops, due to meet next month, should welcome gay people into
the life of the church. Anglican minister and veteran Maori activist Dr
Hone Kaa said: "Why should heterosexuals determine how everybody else
should live?"
Although parishioners at St Peter's Cathedral are supportive of both
men, many have expressed disquiet about the flamboyant nature of the
service on May 31. The priests, dressed in morning suits, had
bridesmaids and best men in attendance and the Rev Dr Martin Dudley, who
conducted the service, addressed the congregation with the words:
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the
face of this congregation, to join together these men in a holy covenant
of love and fidelity."
During the service, both men and many of their guests took communion and
there were hymns and prayers.
Marshall said it was possible the pair might have been deliberately
provocative in the runup to the Lambeth conference.
"Part of me wishes they had been more discreet, but they are fine
Christians and they were making a statement that it is OK to live
together, to have a relationship and be part of the body of Christ," she
said.
The Rev Graham Wills, a pastor at Wellington's Church of the Advent,
said the ceremony was not the first of its kind.
Writing on the www.gaynz.com website, he said: "Over 20 years ago myself
and the Rev Robin Green were married in St Mary The Boltons church,
South Kensington, London. At that time Robin was parish priest of St
Mary's. The presiding priest was a local hospital chaplain. I am very
sure too that there have been many secret weddings presided over by
clergy of all denominations - I myself have conducted two such 'private'
ceremonies."