Te tiriti O Waitangi (The treaty of Waitangi) is Aotearoa/New Zealand’s founding document. It was drafted by missionaries. Over 500 Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown signed the Treaty in 1840.
Like all Treaties, it is an exchange of promises. Thus, the signing of the Treaty is still considered by many Māori and Pākehā as being a kawenata (covenant) that was witnessed and affirmed in the presence of God.
Treaty Affirmation Statements
We the Baptist Union as the Whānau of churches believe that the Gospel of Christ breaks down barriers and brings people into new relationships. Because of this we have a definitive role in acknowledging and supporting the special relationship that was created by the Treaty of Waitangi, between Tāngata Whenua and the Crown.
Therefore we present the following Treaty Affirmation Statements:
1. WE THE BAPTIST UNION AS THE WHĀNAU OF CHURCHES AFFIRM:
1.1 The Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa/New Zealand; therefore it influences the relationship between Tāngata Whenua and the other citizens of this country.
1.2 Our willingness to break down insitutional and other cultural barriers that prevent Māori responding as ‘Māori’, to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1.3 Our role in bringing reconciliation and development between Tāngata Whenua and Pākehā also includes the bicultural spiritual dimension as expressed in the Christian Scriptures:
“Nā reira ehara koutou i te tāngata kē, i te manene rānei; engari he tāngata whenua koutou tahi ko te hunga tapu, nō te whare hoki o te Atua”. – Epiha 2:19
“So then, you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God”. – Ephesians 2:19
2. WE THE BAPTIST UNION AS THE WHĀNAU OF CHURCHES WILL:
2.1 Encourage churches to be informed about their Māori communities and to work constructively with, and in, their local Māori communities.
2.2 Actively promote understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi, our history, the lands history prior to 1840, and the responsibility that lies on our government to honour the provisions of the Treaty, and the responsibility that lies on us the Baptist people to encourage our government to do so.
2.3 Encourage our members to acknowledge injustices inflicted upon Māori locally, nationally, and within our movement, and to support all attempts to redress the wrongs of the past, and to prevent further wrongs being inflicted upon the Maori minority.
2.4 Affirm the development of systems within our churches, ministries and mission, appropriate to Tāngata Whenua. Treaty issues involve special legal status for Māori as indigenous people with ‘Treaty Rights’. Māori interests should not be subsumed within multi-ethnicity.
2.5 Encourage our members to recognise that the Treaty of Waitangi continues to speak into the relationship between Tāngata Whenua and the Crown, and to support that ongoing relationship.
3. SO THAT WE THE BAPTIST UNION AS THE WHĀNAU OF CHURCHES WILL IN FUTURE:
3.1 Establish and resource a Baptist Working Group to further these strategies and monitor the implementation and progress of our commitment.
3.2 See greater participation by Tāngata Whenua by not losing sight of the Treaty issues and process and furthermore, create separate groups to address multi-ethnic issues for inclusion.
4. SO THAT WE, AS PART OF BOTH THE WIDER CHURCH AND SOCIETY IN AOTEAROA/ NEW ZEALAND WILL WORK FOR:
4.1 Greater appreciation of things of value that exist within Te Ao Māori (The Māori worldview).
4.2 New social/church structures and systems appropriate to Tāngata Whenua.
4.3 Increased co-operation and leadership interdependence between the Tāngata Whenua.
4.4 Just settlements of Treaty claims.
In offering these statements we recognise God’s truth, justice and the offer of reconciliation through Jesus Christ the head of the church. We believe that these statements will encourage us to work better together to produce greater relationship between us all.
Amended
(Assembly Council, October 2018)
