Press Release to Christian News Media

Resources on Treaty issues for Christian Church groups

The Auckland-based Ecumenical Coalition for Justice has commissioned the preparation of resources on issues related to the Treaty of Waitangi. These resources will be designed especially for use by Christian church groups.

The study documents will give information, and encourage discussion on:
- The promotion of the Treaty of Waitangi by early Christian missionaries
- The role of the Christian churches in ensuring that Treaty promises are upheld
- What Christian churches have done and can do to foster the relationships of care and respect sought by those who promoted the Treaty as a sacred covenant
- Contemporary moral and ethical issues regarding the Treaty of Waitangi and race relations generally
- The foreshore and seabed issue
- The Implications of the Treaty for immigration policy

‘The decision to produce these resources is timely’, says Coalition spokesperson Rodger Smith. ‘When we initiated this project last year we had no idea that Treaty issues and race relations were to go so soon to the top of the national agenda.

‘Many Christian communities feel a particular responsibility towards the honouring of the Treaty because Christian missionaries were so involved in the events leading up to the signing of the Treaty and afterwards. Also, in recent years, a number of Churches have done significant work into the study and implementation of Treaty commitments.

‘The project is funded from grants from CWS (Christian World Service), CARITAS (The Catholic Agency for Justice Peace and Development), CASI (Church Agency for Social Issues), and CCANZ (Conference of Christian Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand). Their funding enables us to provide resources that will be of help to Christians who want to understand and respond to the issues.’

For further background on the Ecumenical Coalition for Justice and this project, contact:
John Roberts mm-e@ clear.net.nz
David Tutty davidt@ cda.org.nz

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