"We Never Set Out For A Gold-Plated Reinstatement In The First Place," Says Bishop Carrell About The Christchurch Cathedral.

“Councils, and to a degree the government in New Zealand, don’t want us, the population, to wake up one day and say ‘there’s not one building in the city or town that’s older than 10 years’. So heritage is worth preserving, and of course in terms of another building, we are working very hard to preserve the heritage in associated with the Cathedral in the Square,” says Peter Carrell (below), the Anglican Bishop of Christchurch, over a cup of tea in the church’s Durham Street offices.

Source: anglicanlife.org.nz

Church Property Trustees owns about 100 buildings. Among its large property portfolio just two buildings-the Cathedral and St. James Church-are left to be restored since the 2011 Canterbury Earthquakes. Carrell is adamant the Cathedral needs be restored with a tower; he is also adamant that the church wants to sell St. James in the face of council opposition to the lifting of a heritage order.

The Square, Cathedral and surrounding area. Bottom right: St. James Church

However, the church faces other challenges, not least of all, how to raise its flag in a society in flux and with young people and how to be relevant.

In Part One of this podcast series, the NZR discusses with Carrell the relevance and role of the Anglican Church in modern society, whether it has a role in helping people with drug, alcohol or mental health problems, the future of worship and ‘bricks and mortar’ churches, the challenge of digital media and bringing people back to church, and more. Part One is free.

In Part Two, Carrell speaks to why the Cathedral needs to be reinstated with a new tower; whether water and an underground spring poses a problem, and why the council has fought the church’s request to lift a heritage order on St. James Church in Riccarton. Part Two is for paid subscribers and subscribers on a free trial.

Enjoy!