Anglican Observer at the UN Will Return to New Zealand to Lead Theological College
Episcopal News Service. March 17, 1993 [93046]
Bishop Whakaluihui Vercoe of Aotearoa, the diocese of indigenous Maoris in the Anglican Province of New Zealand, has announced that Sir Paul Reeves will become head of Te Rau Kahikatea, the Maori Anglican theological and ministry training college in Auckland.
Reeves, who has served as Anglican Observer at the United Nations since 1991, will take up the new post beginning in February 1994.
"Sir Paul's appointment...comes at a very crucial stage of development within the [Diocese of] Aotearoa of a strategic plan for implementation of a training program for ministry formation and theological education," said Vercoe.
Te Rau Kahikatea is a residential college that offers theological and ministerial training. Reeves will share oversight of the network of regional training programs that involve more than 40 educators, enablers and advisors to the diocese.
"To facilitate the delivery of high quality education and training, [the college] will have an important role to play as a resource center to prepare, plan and deliver the program to satisfy the needs of a wide range of interests within the [diocese]," Vercoe added. "This will be the arena that Sir Paul will enter and we look forward to his coming among us to help bring these dreams to reality."
Reeves said, "I look forward to doing three basic tasks to the best of my ability: oversee the training and support of Maori Anglican clergy, help the church as a whole to understand what partnership between the races means and take part in the wider life of New Zealand in whatever way I can."
Prior to his appointment as Anglican Observer at the UN, Reeves served as bishop for two New Zealand dioceses before his election as primate and archbishop in 1980. He was appointed Governor General of New Zealand in 1985. In January 1991 Reeves became the Anglican Communion's first full-time observer at the United Nations. The UN post was a joint appointment by the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and the archbishop of Canterbury. Reeves supported efforts to increase visibility around issues concerning human rights of indigenous peoples and environmental issues flowing out of the 1992 Earth Summit.
At the recent meeting of the ACC and Anglican primates in South Africa, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey praised Reeves for "his energy, commitment and success in establishing the office of Anglican Observer in such a short a time," and expressed "great satisfaction that Anglicanism was represented by a person of such expertise and distinction."
"The presence of Bishop Reeves at the UN has enabled a voice of a Christian church to be heard in discussions that affect peace-making, human rights issues and interfaith understanding," said Canon Sam Van Culin, secretary general of the ACC. "I thank sir Paul for his effective and energetic work and pay tribute to those who have made this work possible by their generosity and commitment."
based on a report by James Rosenthal, communication director for the Anglican Consultative Council.