Dolly Parton: a saint in heaven?

I have been fascinated by a large series of reels on social media following the death of Dolly Parton. They show Dolly Parton as a brilliant star of entertainment, mostly through her music but also in her films, and as a quick-witted, endearingly self-deprecating, very humourous interviewee of many TV talk shows. She was also a canny businesswomen who stood her ground against men in the entertainment world who tried to make more dollars from her than they deserved, and with her wealth, Dolly was an outstanding philanthropist. To cap everything off in the tributes through the past week, not one person has a bad word to say about her. In fact, lots of warm, sincere eulogies have been made paying tribute to her goodness and greatness as a wonderful human being.

The Living Church offers this report which points to the possibility of the calendar of The Episcopal Church incorporating formal remembrance of Dolly Parton:

"Episcopalians are paying tribute to the artistry and philanthrophy of Dolly Parton, the singer, actress, and songwriter whose rise from poverty to becoming a country music legend and successful entrepreneur draw admiration from a broad swathe of American society.

On Threads, the Rev. Rachel Kessler, rector of Harcourt Parish in Kenyon College, is advocating for Parton’s commemoration in the Episcopal Church calendar on the day of her death, August 25, at the age of 80."

By contrast, I have seen on X comments made by sincere and genuine Christians that Dolly Parton is most certainly not in heaven because she was not a true and wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, the implication being that she has in recent years erred and strayed from the faith of her upbringing, perhaps due to her warm and inclusive embrace of the LGBTi community, to say nothing of a more or less universalist approach to the salvation of all.

We could get stuck in the weeds of the theological suppositions and presuppositions involved in either positing Dolly Parton should be fast-tracked into ecclesiastical calendars or that we (somehow, when we are not God) have a sure and solid ability to determine that Dolly Parton is in the place opposite to where many, many people around the world assume she is.

My thinking (for what it is worth) is twofold.

First, we should celebrate the goodness and greatness of this remarkable human being. She was amazingly talented. She was very, very kind - as many children who have benefitted from her generous book programme delivering books around the world are testifying to, to say nothing of many other beneficiaries of her kindness and generosity. In so celebrating, we could usefully look at ourselves and ask whether we are doing all in our power to do as much good in the world as we can - that is what Dolly Parton did, and she did it with a large dose of personal humbleness. Thanks be to God for her example.

Secondly, we should consider carefully the character she exhibited in her generosity, her inclusiveness, her kindness and her unwillingness to engage in tit for tat meanness. (Romans 12:9-21, the epistle reading for Sunday 30 August 2026, Ordinary 22, is most apt as a lens through which to assess the quality of her character.) If Dolly was a true Christian, then something very, very Christlike shone through her bubbly personality. If Dolly was not a true Christian, then something very, very Christlike shone through her bubbly personality. I am happy to leave it to the God of heaven how he views each and every human being, from the most famous to the least well-known. But I think it might be avoidance if I stop there and do not ask of myself, am I the best self I can be in the light of my belief that the way of Christ is the way to God and to human flourishing? Am I allowing Christ to work on every aspect of myself to transform my heart so that I too have a generous, gracious, kind, warm and relentlessly loving approach to all people I meet?

Might such questions be better questions to ask in relation to the life of Dolly Parton than asking whether she is or is not with the Lord Jesus Christ?

Tonga [updated]

In so many ways it was brilliant being in Tonga for General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui 2026 (GSTHW 2026). The weather was warmer than in Aotearoa New Zealand; the hospitality from local Anglican parishes and St Andrew's High School (our only Anglican school on Tongatapu) was magnificent; the food was plentiful and delicious (though for some this was tempered by some tummy bugs doing the rounds); and our main venue, a world class gymnasium at Tonga High School (built by - you guessed it - China Aid), was very pleasant to meet in.

Anglican Taonga has reports worth reading and looking at the great pics taken by our media team:

On the outstanding formal welcome to the members of the General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui, read this.

On the overall themes of the synod, One Mission, One Vaka, One Ocean, read this.

On the splendid opening eucharist, read this.

On the question of equity re funding in our church, read this and this, and for some Pakeha work on the matter just before the Synod began, read this.

A fair amount of time was spent considering the plight of the islands of our church, especially those within the Diocese of Polynesia, as climate changes ravage us and change the ocean around us. I hope there will be a report in Taonga soon on these important conversations and information sharing.

We also made some important changes to Title D our canon on ministry standards.

Am I hopeful for our church?

On the whole, Yes, but it was good to be reminded by one member of the synod that various statistics tell us we are a church in numerical decline, and we should be the opposite of complacent about this reality.

UPDATES

A. Lovely reflection via video of the GSTHW here.

B. Since posting the above, news has entered the public domain of a boating incident on the last full day GSTHW members had together on Tonga, some of whom went on a whale-watching trip. Taonga has now posted a news report about this, here.

General Synods Down Under, and ARCIC progress

Although this is being posted on Wednesday 12 August, think of it as next Monday's post, 17 August 2026. 

I will be in Tonga then, participating in the biennial General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. 

From time to time the Diocese of Polynesia hosts the General Synod in Polynesia so it is a privilege to be able to travel to Tonga to enjoy their hosting. (Polynesia has hosted previously in Fiji (1990, 2012), and South Auckland (2000).)

All details about our meeting, including links to bills and motions can be found by heading to this site.

Pray for us, please!

Interestingly, the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Australia is meeting this week in Melbourne. I have enjoyed following Professor Peter Sherlock's reflections - his reflections on the first day is here.

If none of this synodical stuff interests you, or you love it but have further reading time available, then a few weeks ago I was very much taken by this account of the state of Anglican-Roman Catholic conversations (= ARCIC).

Enjoy!

If ever someone was anointed by the Spirit

In the midst of all the stuff happening around us these days, as appalling wars continue, peace talks grinding into moribundian dust, and economic gloom clouds over our everyday material hopes for a better world, it is possible to find moments when heaven meets earth. Yesterday I had one of those walking into the cathedral late yesterday afternoon, to find the combine choirs of The Cathedral Grammar School rehearsing Johann Sebastian Bach's moment of Jesus which is Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

Within the livestream of the service itself you can hear/see this at  28.40 at this link: Jesu joy of man's desiring.

The lyrics are:

Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Holy wisdom, love most bright

Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned
With the fire of life impassioned
Striving still to truth unknown
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.

We sometimes talk about someone being "anointed by the Spirit" - the Holy Spirit is at work in a believer in a very, very special way, with wonderful outcomes. Is not this psalm to Jesus a mark of J.S. Bach being anointed by the Spirit?

170 years for the Diocese of Christchurch and the City of Christchurch

On Friday evening, 31 July 2026, an event was held at Christ's College, here in Christchurch, to celebrate 170 years of the City of Christchurch being formally declared a city by Queen Victoria, 31 July 1856, this being simultaneous with the See of Christchurch being established with Henry John Chitty Harper being made the first Bishop of Christchurch (ordination happening in England), all written up in "letters patent."

The key statement in the letters patent was (and remains):

“…  And we do further by these our Letters Patent ordain and constitute the Town of Christchurch in the said Diocese of Christchurch to be a Bishops See and the seat of the said Bishop and do ordain that the said Town of Christchurch shall be a City And we do further thereby ordain and declare that the Church of Christ Church in the said Town or City shall be the Cathedral Church and the See of the said Bishop of Christchurch and his successors…”.

Now we can (rightly) note that Nelson was [British/European] settled in 1842, Dunedin in 1848 (and Christchurch in 1850), but this specific rendition of the town of Christchurch as the City of Christchurch makes it the first ever city of New Zealand.

Definitely something to celebrate. There were drinks and fruit cake in the College Dining Hall. There were talks in the College Chapel reciting aspects of the history of +Harper, the Diocese and the City from 1856 onwards into the early years of establishing Diocese and City. Some of +Harper's adventures in travelling made me realise what a lucky and somewhat "pale" life I lead as one of his successors. I have never fallen off my horse, for instance. Nor have I had to sleep in rough circumstances in a primitive cottage. Let alone travel into the face of a bitter southerly, unless in the comfort of my car.

My modest contribution to the evening (and intentionally modest in terms of its planned brevity) was to reflect on the continuing relationship between the Diocese and the City. Here is the text:

"I try to discipline myself not to read social media comments in relation to Christ Church cathedral but sometimes I get a glimpse and realise with some parts of our city, the Diocese's relationship is rocky if not on the ropes.

The relationship, as set out tonight, has history and an express joint beginning in 1856 with the letters patent and the arrival of +Harper.

But a lot has happened since 1856. Anglicans were not the only kind of Christians in Chch at that time, but we were the dominant species.

We cannot say that today. The dominant denomination is the Catholic Church. The most numerous form of Christianity is Pentecostalism.

Nevertheless, we are still in the city.

We are here with 27 parishes (approx half of all our parishes) and 46 churches (a quarter of which are in Banks Peninsula*). That is more numerical presence than any other denomination.

We offer service and care to the last, least and lost, as well as to the well off, the comfortable middle class, and the recently arrived.

We have much to be humble about in our no longer dominant church but we are proud of the brilliant work our City Mission undertakes, and we are pleased to offer education through our five outstanding Anglican schools.**

We are grateful to the Christchurch City Council for it support for Christ Church Cathedral through many years, before the 2011 quakes and since.

At the heart of the centre of the city sits this singular symbol of the Church of England settlement's intentions, that this city would be a place of godliness and learning.

While views may vary about the re-opening of the cathedral, and how it should be funded, it is a simple fact of our past as a city that we are a cathedral city.

My hope, nevertheless, is that the future of the relationship between the Diocese and the city is not marked by controversy and debate over this extraordinary symbol, but instead by our continuing service to the people of the city through all our churches, our schools and the City Mission.

The ability to continue that relationship of service is not a matter of funds but of faith in Jesus Christ.

Our English forbears believed in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Saviour of human­kind, as the Source, Centre and End of history.

"Christchurch" and "Christ's College" are not merely good old English names but signs of the One who matters above all things.

May our city continue to bear Christ's name and our Diocese continue to serve this city." 

*For those unfamiliar with the boundaries of Christchurch city, it now includes Banks Peninsula, a largely rural area to the south-east of Christchurch's main, contiguous urban areas.

**This is a reference to five Anglican schools for which the Diocese has a structural relationship, including me being the Warden of these schools. There is a sixth school which is also "diocesan" in Timaru. There are two further schools in Christchurch which have no structural relationship with the Diocese but do have enduring relationships with their respective local parishes. 

Church: alive, dying or dead?

Is the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia alive, dying or dead?

I ask the question as a kick off point to some reflections below, but I am aware in posing the question as such a kick off point that there are friends and colleagues within our church, to say nothing of observers from outside our church who not only pose the question but ask it, sometimes in tones which express concern/empathy/sympathy, sometimes in tones which make me wonder if they are being just a tad triumphalistic about other ways of being church here which are most definitely "alive"!

Recently I have been part of events which have involved gathering people from several corners of our church, and, of course, I continue as bishop to be part of contemporary church life in different ministry units in Canterbury, Westland and the Chatham Islands from Sunday to Sunday. I find myself offering an answer to the question above which is nuanced. It goes like this.

There is no doubt some parts of the church are dead (or, "dead"), meaning that we have lost members (through death, transfer to other denominations, dropping out of regular participation in corporate worship, etc), we have closed churches, we have fewer parishes than we used to, and, in some parishes, we are very concerned about missing generations.

There are also searching questions about whether our church is dying (or, "dying"), meaning that we look around us (at, say, ageing members, fewer attending, smaller offerings) and we look at our statistics for the past whenever years and chart graphs which suggest by 2037 or 2056 or 2071 this diocese, or that diocese or the whole of theAnglican church in these islands - Polynesia likely will be another prognosis - will be gone, finished, deader than Monty Python's parrot. (There are some graphs which do predict years of final demise but those years above are made up by me). We are alive as a church in 2026, but we may not be so some years hence. Thus, we are dying (unless there is revival and resuscitation).

We may not, of course, be doomed to follow the exact path of statistical decline. Apart from what I am about to say about our church being alive (or, "alive") in the next paragraphs, we are a nation of many migrants. While most Christian migrants are Catholic, some are Anglican or are keen to associate with the Anglican church. If we are looking ahead to, say, 2050 (the two hundreth anniversary of the arrival of the First Four Ships of the CofE Settlement of Canterbury), then we cannot predict where migratory patterns might take our Diocese and other episcopal units in our church. (We might also, cheekily, observe - speaking very locally - that some internal migration is taking place these days as cool city Christchurch with a stadium, plentiful housing, jobs, etc is drawing people here, and that is bring new people into our churches). The dying parts of our church may yet reverse, shifting from surviving to thriving. 

Is our church alive? There are definitely thriving congregations, especially in our larger cities. New people are becoming Christians in Anglican contexts. Christians are being drawn to the Anglican way of being Christian and being church. God is - simply being consistent - still in the spiritual business of transforming lives, growing Christians in grace and gifts, and drawing believers deeper into the spiritual nourishment which comes through the ministry of word and sacrament. For some new(ish) Anglicans, it is our comfortableness in being bicultural which is a "drawcard" factor in becoming Anglican. These aspects of church being alive are simply about numbers of people turning up on a Sunday or getting involved in small groups and outreach activities, they are about people journeying ever more deeply into the resurrection life of Christ.

The past couple of weeks have been especially precious through various events which have reminded me of the mixed up life of our church: signs of death, of dying and - thanks be to God - of life.

Palestine and Anglican action?

Yesterday and today our Diocese is part of churches in Christchurch hosting two visiting Palestinian theologians, as part of a speaking tour organised by Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine.

While the names of the theologians are public (e.g. on the site I have just linked to in the preceding paragraph), I am not going to use them here, out of respect for their bravely taking the risk of speaking up for peace in Palestine and thus not wishing anything here to be google-connectible to them. There will enough searchable things from this speaking tour elsewhere.

My reflections on what I have heard (through two sessions yesterday) are, of course, my words and not theirs, but I thank them for illumination and insight which, of course, can only come from those indigenous to the pain and suffering Palestinians are and have been experiencing, not only recently, but since the settlement of the modern state of Israel in 1948.

I am conscious as I offer some reflections that in the last week or so, the Church of England's July session of its General Synod, meeting in York, has somewhat controversially discussed Palestinian matters, as you could see via these links: Ian Paul on Psephizo (opposed to what happened); The Guardian; and reports, one and two, linked to by Thinking Anglicans. My reflections are not a discussion of the Cofe discussion and debate, though I note one vital aspect of those synodical interactions, common to our experiences here through these two days: we must listen to Palestinian Christians. In the cacophany of sound coming from the Middle East: social media, propaganda, news, fake news, information and misinformation, it is highly appropriate that Christians far away listen to the voices of their Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ.

First, let's keep in mind two Scripture texts cited in one of the talks I heard:

"Speak up for people who cannot speak up for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9 GNB)

"See that justice is done - help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows." (Isaiah 1:17 GNB).

Then, our question could be (and, of course, not only for the situation in Palestine-Israel),

"Do we see people, every one of whom is a human being, and do we value them equally as an image-bearer of God, Israeli and Palestinian, Arab and Jew, those who have citizenship of the State of Israel and those who do not?"

If one thing has impressed itself on me through the past two days, it is the many and varied ways in which Israel de-humanizes Palestinians. This de-humanization is not only through death and destruction - war in Gaza, violent colonization of the West Bank - but also through walls, checkpoints, barbed wire, surveillance, and the like. De-humanization of Palestinians is through displacement as well as through shooting to kill.

This de-humanization is not confined to the actions of Israel. It is also implicit if not explicit in some Christian theologies which support the Zionism which drives Israel's de-humanization: any theology which sees (the modern state of) Israel as the fulfilment of God's promises to ancient Israel consequentially sees Palestinians as a problem to be solved, a people to be displaced because they stand in the way of that fulfilment. But that cannot be right when we (say) focus on Palestinian Christians: they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. In Christ alone are God's promises fulfilled and we Christians outside of Israel-Palestine should not cheer Zionism on with our theologies of fulfilment but challenge and critique Zionism with a correct theology of fulfilment, that asks of Israel how all may find flourishing lives in the region, not least our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have been reminded that when Jesus spoke in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30), the people hearing him preach were not angry with him when he cited Isaiah 61:1-2 and announced that the passage had come true that very day (v. 21). It was when he went on to talk about Elijah and the healing of Naaman the Syrian that they were "filled with anger" (v. 28). In other words, when Jesus told his Jewish hearers that other nationalities mattered to God, that was too much for them. The kingdom of God is the upside-down kingdom which includes all peoples, not just some and excludes the rest.

It has been good to listen to Palestinian Christian voices.

I have other thoughts ... but that will do for today. Next week I might come back to consider the "one state" v "two state" solution to the challenge of how Palestinians and Israelis might live in harmony.