That article matters because it reveals, in unusually clear terms, what the modern Anglican Church has become.
When a church starts organising itself by ethnicity, speaking more in the language of gender, social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural identity than of common identity and shared belonging, something fundamental has changed.
The New Zealand Anglican Church now practises identity and race Marxism.
The church presents its three tikanga structure as serving “the unity of Christian mission.” Yet instead of reflecting the ideal of “He iwi tahi tatou” — we are [now] one people — it formalises ethnic division within one church in one country. That is not “unity.” It is institutionalised separation, defended in the language of culture, inclusion, and Christian mission.[2][3]
That is what makes the recent Te Ao Māori News article so revealing. It is not only about ethnicity. It is also about gender politics. The same report that celebrates a “Three Tikanga Church” also celebrates the installation of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Taken together, it shows a church whose public identity is now being expressed through ethnicity, gender, post-colonial framing, diversity language, and progressive causes as much as through historic Christian doctrine.[1]
When clergy in Tikanga Pākehā speak about identity in terms of being rooted in the whenua, something more than ordinary church language is going on. That is a distinctively Māori concept, not a distinctively biblical one.
When clergy in robes perform karakia to bless the kiwifruit industry, or to bless Kaitāia Airport, one does have to wonder whether this is Tikanga Māori in action. And if it is, what exactly is being practised? Is this Christianity, or is it a different religious framework operating within the Anglican Church?
This did not happen overnight.
Chronology
In 1814, a Church Missionary Society mission was established at Rangihoua, marking the first Anglican mission in New Zealand.[4]
In 1840, Hobson greeted chiefs with the words “He iwi tahi tatou” — we are [now] one people.[2]
In 1992, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia adopted its revised constitutional structure, formally providing for three partners to order their affairs within their own cultural context: Tikanga Māori, Tikanga Pasefika, and Tikanga Pākehā.[3][5]
In 1994, the Church of England ordained its first women priests.[6]
In 2014, the Anglican Church in New Zealand created a pathway toward the blessing of same-gender relationships while saying it was upholding the traditional doctrine of marriage.[7]
In 2017, the Church of England’s General Synod passed a motion welcoming transgender people.[8]
In 2018, the Church of England published guidance inviting clergy to use the existing rite of Affirmation of Baptismal Faith in relation to gender transition.[9][10]
Also in 2018, the Anglican Church in New Zealand opened the way for the blessing of same-sex relationships.[11]
From 2018 to 2020, New Zealand Anglican bishops publicly opposed euthanasia and the End of Life Choice legislation.[12][13]
In 2020, during New Zealand’s abortion law reform, the Anglican Church took no clear public province-wide stand either for or against the change.
In 2021, the Anglican Church published official Matariki liturgical resources, including a Celebration of Matariki and a Memorial of the Departed. That was a clear public embrace of Matariki within church worship.[14][15]
In 2025, Windsor Castle hosted an Open Iftar in St George’s Hall in collaboration with the Ramadan Tent Project.[16][17]
Also in 2025, Lady Tureiti Moxon took her complaint about alleged systemic racism in New Zealand to the United Nations, where it was accepted for consideration by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[18]
And now, in 2026, Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa attended the installation of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, with Archbishop Don Tamihere openly celebrating the occasion in the language of a “Three Tikanga Church.”[1][19]
There is also a wider irony here. Lady Tureiti Moxon has accused New Zealand of racism before the United Nations. Yet the Anglican world around her has itself normalised race-based structures, race-based language, and race-based categories in church life. If New Zealand is to be accused of racism on the world stage, then the Anglican Church can hardly pretend it is innocent of embedding race into its own institutions.[18][20]
That is why this matters.
This is not just about one overseas ceremony, and not just about one female archbishop.
It is about what the modern Anglican Church now is.
In modern New Zealand, the Anglican Church increasingly functions, at least on the public stage, as the historic Treaty church turned church of the progressive left. Individual parishes may vary, but the public face of the church has changed profoundly.
It was once the church of the original Treaty of Waitangi. It is now, far more clearly, the church of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This is a church that now publicly speaks less in the language of common faith and more in the language of identity politics, grievance, and race Marxism.
It has become, in public life, a natural church home for the religious wing of the Labour, Green, and Te Pāti Māori world.
It is not the only church in New Zealand to have moved in that direction. But that is for another story.
It was once the church of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is now the church of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
References
[1] Te Ao Māori News, “Māori Anglican church attends historic installation of first female Archbishop of Canterbury,” 30 March 2026.
https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2026/03/30/the-maori-anglican-church-attends-historic-installation-of-first-female-archbishop-of-canterbury/
[2] NZ History, William Hobson.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/william-hobson
[3] Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, “About.”
https://www.anglican.org.nz/About
[4] NZ History, “Marsden and the CMS.” https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/missionaries/marsden-and-cms
[5] Anglican Communion, case study on Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. https://www.anglicancommunion.org/media/254205/7a-Aotearea-New-Zealand-Polynesia.pdf
[6] Church of England, “Celebrations mark 25 years of women’s ordination to the priesthood.”
https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/celebrations-mark-25-years-womens-ordination-priesthood
[7] Anglican News, “ANZP same-gender blessings, a way forward,” May 2014. https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2014/05/anzp-same-gender-blessings%2C-a-way-forward.aspx
[8] Church of England, “Welcoming transgender people,” 2017. https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/welcoming-transgender-people
[9] Church of England, “Services to mark gender transition: House of Bishops response,” 2018.
https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/services-mark-gender-transition-house-bishops-response
[10] Church of England, “Guidance for welcoming transgender people published,” 2018. https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/guidance-welcoming-transgender-people-published
[11] Anglican News, “Anglican Church in New Zealand opens the door to blessing same-sex relationships,” 9 May 2018.
https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/05/anglican-church-in-new-zealand-opens-the-door-to-blessing-same-sex-relationships.aspx
[12] Anglican Taonga, “End of Life Choice Act: Yes or No?” 15 July 2020. https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/news/tikanga_pakeha/eolcact_g
[13] Anglican Taonga, “Religious leaders urge NZ ‘Vote No’,” 19 September 2020. https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/features/extra/eolcact_voteno
[14] Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, “Matariki Resources 2021.” https://anglican.org.nz/content/download/161994/813148/file/Matariki%20liturgies%20CLLC%202021%20reviewed%20by%20Tikanga%20Pakeha%20Oct%202021.docx
[15] Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, “Special Days.” https://anglican.org.nz/Resources/Worship-Resources-Karakia-ANZPB-HKMOA/Special-Days
[16] Royal Collection Trust, “Open Iftar at Windsor Castle.”
https://www.rct.uk/event/open-iftar-at-windsor-castle-03-2025
[17] Ramadan Tent Project, “First Open Iftar Held at Windsor Castle in 1000 Year History,” 2025.
https://www.ramadantentproject.com/first-open-iftar-held-at-windsor-castle-in-1000-year-history-2025/
[18] Te Ao Māori News, “Lady Tureiti Moxon’s human rights complaint accepted by the United Nations,” 15 November 2025.
https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2025/11/15/lady-tureiti-moxons-human-rights-complaint-accepted-by-the-united-nations/
[19] Anglican Taonga, “Archbishops reflect on Canterbury,” 28 March 2026. https://anglicantaonga.org.nz/news/the_communion/abps_reflect_abcinstallation
[20] The Platform / Michael Laws, “Lady Moxon’s Bizarre Appeal To The United Nations To …”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tmEPwQf538
Supplementary background
[21] Dr Muriel Newman, “Divided Agenda,” NZCPR, 2 August 2015. https://www.nzcpr.com/divided-agenda/
22] Circle (Anglican publication), describing the sanctuary at Te Karaiti te Pou Herenga Waka, Māngere, including “Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) and Ranginui (Sky Father)” alongside “Adam and Eve, Moses, Elijah and Peter.” https://anglican.org.nz/content/download/47238/238806/file/Circle%20Vol%2049%20no%204webR.pdf
*****
Te Karaiti te Pou Herenga Waka, Māngere.
An Anglican publication (Circle) says the sanctuary tells “the story of creation and the arrival of the gospel to Aotearoa” through “9 pou (carvings)”. It explicitly names “Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) and Ranginui (Sky Father)” at one end, and says the other figures include “Adam and Eve, Moses, Elijah and Peter.” It also says the two canoes beside the sanctuary represent Tikanga Māori and Tikanga Pasifika.
Judy Gill BSc, DipTchg, is a parent, former teacher, and a staunch advocate for secular education.
4 comments:
After reviewing theological and legal advice, the House of Bishops has decided that while special prayers for gay couples for use in regularly scheduled services can remain, bespoke services would need a new code of practice and canon law to be rewritten before they could be permitted. That would require a substantial two-thirds majority vote at General Synod, something that it’s believed would be difficult to currently achieve."
I have no partisan interest in this matter as I am not a Christian, but I have an 'academic' interest in religion and its dynamics. Allow me to make some impartial observations.
The Anglican Church in the West has been in trouble for decades. The ordination of women saw a significant flow of British Anglicans 'returning' to Catholicism. Many do not accept female priest(esse)s and certainly not women in the upper echelons of the church hierarchy.
The issue of homosexual marriage just about split the Western Anglicans down the middle.
I emphasise 'West[ern]' because it is a different story in the 'global south' (esp, Africa) where the church continues to grow. The 'southern Anglicans' as I'll call them are very conservative - forget about women clergy or acceptance of homosexuals let alone blessing their unions.
In both the West and the 'south', but especially the latter, traditional churches are in competition with revivalist/fundamentalist churches. These too are generally very socially and morally conservative and it would be suicidal for the 'southern' mainstream churches to go down the woke path with respect to these issues.
In NZ the Anglican Church appears to have thrown in its lot with the hard-left woke crowd in the expectation that this will attract newcomers to the emptying pews. But I imagine that older Anglicans in particular (an age group overly represented in church membership) will, in many cases, vote with their feet. Some have already formed a break-away group, the Church of Confessing Anglicans.
'Schism' is the middle name of the Abrahamic religion, particularly Christianity. How ironic that a church which emerged from a schism is now undergoing secondary schisms!
To The Author.
1. - If you think this 'is the first step' by Maoridom who are ordained within the NZ Anglican Church and their approach to how Maoridom fits into that Church, then you need to research The Rev. Paul Reeves (deceased) and what his approach was, when it came to Maoridom.
2. The Anglican Church in NZ has followed what was happening in the UK, you only have to go back and look at how each Arch Bishop of Canterbury set about "creating" change, the current 'model' is not being accepted by The faithful in that role.
3. The United Church of England has been let down by the current King -this "news" (not that the NZ MSM have or will cover it) - is being presented via English You Tubers (think The Platform [NZ]) - which again, for The Faithfull is causing concern.
4. With above comments, there has been prior to Easter, a Anglican Clergyman who "has risen" and written to the King regarding what is seen as "His abdication of Faith".
A letter that has had a resounding impact amid the The Faithful, who have "agreed with him".
But me thinks the Arch Bishop of Canterbury might have something to say about that, her action more akin to what the NZ BSA is trying to do with The Platform [NZ].
I have never trusted the modern Anglican Church . I have a family member who was a vicar and one of the most unpleasant people I have ever encountered. Biblically you are supposed to not conform to the world but stand out as a light representing the truth not succumbing to trends and fashionable ideas from society .
However despite all the apostasy there are still a few shining lights in the church .Like the founder of 'the Free Speech Union'. Just like academia which has been taken over by woke ,Islam and Marxism but a few brave souls still keep the light of truth burning.
The African colonies and other colonies appear to be producing clergy for Church of England. There are a apparently a large number of Iranians converted from Islam and turning to Christianity . Maybe they will put some truth back into the English Church where snuffing out rather than proclaiming the truth of the gospels seems to be rampant.
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