Being Christian - Being Presbyterian?

What should I do if I want to find out more about the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand?

New Zealand Presbyterianism draws on many streams in the Reformed tradition, as well as the experience of the Aotearoa New Zealand context. These streams include Congregational / London Missionary Society, Dutch Reformed, South African Presbyterian, Pacific Island Churches, as well as Chinese, Scottish, English and Welsh traditions and others. See the 19th century and 20th century web pages of Presbyterian Studies. If you live in or visit Dunedin, the First Church Heritage and Visitor Centre, at the rear of the church in Moray Place, is worthwhile.

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Question: How do we express our belonging to the wider Christian Church?

In Presbyterian congregations the link with the wider church is expressed in terms of ministry through the role of the Presbytery in the induction, and if necessary the ordination, of the minister. This is true whether the minister is a National Ordained Minister, a Local Ordained Minister, or a Local Ministry Team of 3 or 4 people.

The local congregation also appoints an elder to the regional court of the church, the Presbytery, and also to the General Assembly and to any Synods that the congregation may be connected with (Maori, Asian, Pacific Island, Otago and Southland).

It is sometimes helpful to see Presbyteries as having parallel responsibilities to those of Bishops. Ministry and Presbytery are important dimensions of a congregation’s sense of linkage to the wider body of Christ. There are also other elements.

Through its Standards and Subordinate Standards the Presbyterian Church sees itself as part of the wider Church of Jesus Christ. Presbyterian involvement in co-operating churches is an important witness to this. Sharing globally in the work of the Council for World Mission, and connecting with bodies such as the Council of Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the World Council of Churches are also important. 

Historically churches in the Reformed tradition were in continuity with the pre-Reformation Catholic Church even as they disagreed with it in important respects. The Westminster Confession and related documents was part of an attempt to determine a basis for the entire church in Britain. The missionary and ecumenical movements enlarged Presbyterian involvement with other branches of the Christian faith and the emerging younger churches of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Presbyterian Church in New Zealand was an active participant in the development of a council of churches in New Zealand and in moves towards church union. 

Today, many links to the wider church are informal, but no less significant. The fellowship of local ministers and co-operation with neighbouring churches at Easter and Christmas and for special events are vitally important for both identity and witness. Interdenominational events and gatherings such as through Vision New Zealand, meetings of heads of churches on social issues, and involvement of congregations and individuals in mission societies and theological education bodies such as the Ecumenical Board of Distance Theological Studies and the Bible College of New Zealand, have ecumenical functions which also serve to remind people of dimensions of the Kingdom of God which are at risk when we are easily caught up in the life of our own congregations.

Although new instruments of ecumenical affirmation and co-operation may now be required, and Presbyterians need to be reminded of the importance of seeing themselves as part of “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” church, because we are Christian before we are Presbyterian, the theology of this creed remains fundamental to our understanding of what it is to be Church.

John Roxborogh