The New Zealand Christian Church as cultural capital: a survey of the Church's role through New Zealand's past, present, and future

Abstract

'The New Zealand Christian Church as Cultural Capital' surveys the interactions between Church and Society, in a New Zealand context, from the past to the present, and the options available to the Church in the future. With Church Leadership acting as the third component of a Triadic Paradigm, the consistent failure of the Church immediately preceding European involvement in New Zealand, and continuing to the present day, has been due to the actions of its leaders in attempting to preserve the Church's traditions by retreating from Society in general, and the Enlightenment in particular. While identifying a number of the errors and abuses that have arisen from the actions of the Church, this study does not lead to the conclusion that the Church is a lost cause. Rather the conclusion reached is that the Church could regain its earlier significance, provided that it adopts a more tolerant attitude to religious beliefs and came to terms with the Sciences.