From 1-5 Feb, 2016, Professor John Swinton of the University of Aberdeen will teach an intensive course in Dunedin entitled: A Practical Theology of Disability and Mental Health – What does it mean to be Human? The course is jointly offered by the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Otago, and the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership. 

Are you ready to dig deeper this winter? "Every Day Matters" is a winter series of evenings for digging deeper into your spiritual growth & development. Moderator Rt Rev Andrew Norton will lead reflection and Rev Malcolm Gordon will lead sung worship. July 28, and August 4 & 11 from 7pm-9.15pm at Greenlane Presbyterian Church, 211 Great South Rd, Auckland. The evenings include workshops with Andrew, Kids Friendly coach Jill Kayser, Malcolm Gordon, Mark & Carolyn Kelly-Johnson, Anne Overton of PSN and Rev Kyoung Han.

The Presbyterian Church has added its voice to those speaking out against New Zealand’s binge-drinking culture, saying that more alcohol-free activities for youth are part of the solution.

Providing more “dry” all-ages community and neighbourhood events will contribute to addressing the problem drinking habits of Kiwi young people by providing safe, alcohol–free alternatives, says Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, the Right Rev Andrew Norton.

St John’s in City Presbyterian Church, Wellington, along with Victoria University, is hosting Prof David Gushee to New Zealand for the St John’s Visiting Scholar lecture series, "Christian memory and witness in a time of violence."

The Presbyterian Church has launched a new blog for church leaders. The blog – called Candour – replaces the printed and online magazine of the same name that ceased publication in March 2015.

The Presbyterian Church has enthusiastically welcomed Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment which addresses one of the great moral challenges of our time, climate change.

“Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods,” the papal statement says. “It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.”

Last week the Moderator, Rt Rev Andrew Norton, sent his White Paper It's a Matter of Faith to all parishes, presbyteries and Synods.

Click to download the winter edition of Spanz magazine.

In December this year, countries will meet in Paris to establish a new international climate change agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Government sought submissions on what New Zealand’s target to reduce emissions after 2020 should be.

The fastest growing religion in New Zealand is a religion of no religion.[i]

This does not represent a decline in religion but a transfer of religious affiliation. The new religion of New Zealand is “civic religion”.