NZ Anglican priest quits diocese over gay blessings

06 Jun 2014
by George Conger

An Evangelical Anglican vicar in the Diocese of Auckland has quit the Anglican Church of Aoteara, New Zealand and Polynesia in protest over last month’s vote by General Synod to begin the process towards regularizing gay blessings.

The Rev. Charlie Hughes, (left) vicar of St Michael’s Anglican Church in Herndon reports that he and half of his staff along with two thirds of the church wardens had quit the diocese in protest over synod’s vote to “formally recognize” same-sex couples who are in civil unions or state same-sex marriages.

A participant in the 2013 Gafcon conference in Nairobi, Mr. Hughes said he had “received several offers of support and episcopal oversight, all of which are kind and may well appeal to others in my situation. However, I have instead chosen to join an existing non-episcopal congregation. Those who choose to leave with me will amalgamate with that congregation and I will join the current pastor in the leadership of the new hybrid,” he told Anglican Ink... the rest