Church leaders tell politicians to lay off

Stuff reports:

Christchurch religious leaders have rallied to support Anglican bishop Victoria Matthews in her battle over the Christ Church Cathedral.

Eight religious leaders from all the major Christian denominations – including Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic – have written a letter to The Press calling for Anglicans to be “left to make decisions as to the future of the cathedral”.

“The role of the wider community (including other Christian denominations) is to respect their decision (whatever it might be) as being one that is true to their understanding of their call from God, in this place, at this time,” the letter states. …

The letter states church buildings are primarily places of worship.

“The costs – spiritually, emotionally and financially – of all our buildings are borne by those for whom these places of worship are their spiritual home,” the letter states.

“First and foremost the Cathedral in the Square, like all Christian church buildings, is a place of worship to the God we know in Jesus Christ and a reminder to the wider community of God’s presence. The reason why all churches exist is to make Jesus Christ known and to enable people to gather in community and worship. The church is not primarily a landlord tasked with caring for stone or wooden edifices.”

Either someone should buy the cathedral off the church, so they can turn it into a tourist attraction or they should leave the Anglican Church alone to make a decision.