News & Views
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Religious Diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand
The new edition of the document “Religious Diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand”, a Statement on Religious Diversity was launched in Auckland on the 1st of July 2026. Members of the Auckland Inter-Faith Council were also included in the consultation phase of this 4th edition since 2004.The introduction to the document starts with these words:“Aotearoa New…
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Our Common Future Built on Faith
“A happy and engaging event of people of faith” – a comment made by one of the attendees summing up a celebration organised by the AIFC (Auckland Inter-Faith Council) on 15 June 2026.In 2023, when the AIFC celebrated its 20th anniversary of its first inaugural meeting of the Council which was held on 11 June…
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Meeting under God’s Rainbow
Members of the Abrahamic traditions celebrating 30 years of the Auckland Council for Christians and Muslims (CCM) The big windows in the Selwyn Chapel of the Auckland Anglican Trinity Cathedral provided an amazing view: the sun and rain taking turns – and sometimes they even seemed to be visible at the same time…This was a…
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Ecumenical Walk 2026
More than 150 people joined the traditional Good Friday Ecumenical Walk in Beach Haven and Birkdale in 2026. In imitation of the beginning of Matthew’s account of the Passion of Jesus, we began by gathering in the Cedar Centre’s Community Garden. Standing between vegetable plants and herbs in the Anglican Community Garden gave us a…
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NZCBCIR Meeting 2026
“Our Kaupapa is Dialogue” Aotearoa New Zealand is ranking as the 16th most religiously diverse nation in the world. With only about 4.6million people and about half of the population considering themselves as not affiliated to any religion, the other half is religiously very diverse. Even the diversity of Christian churches and denominations is increasing.…
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World Day of Prayer 2026
“I Will Give You Rest: Come” – the title chosen for this year’s World Day of Prayer featured women of Nigeria.Every year, on the first Friday of March, women (and men) across the world and from different Christian Churches are praying together. The theme for 2026 is taken from the Gospel of Matthew and reminds…
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The Beauty of Truth
What is true and what is not true? How is truth connected to beauty? On Saturday, 21 February 2026, a conference led by the Dominican Friars of Australia and New Zealand focussed on the “Beauty of Truth” as seen through the writings of St Thomas Aquinas. St Thomas Aquinas was born 800 years ago and…
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Building a Climate of Hope
At the end of the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2026, more than 50 participants of 15 different faiths or religious groups met for a workshop in Browns Bay, Auckland, to discuss their personal and communal contributions of how they could mitigate Climate Change while also looking at ways of adapting to the impacts of climate…
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Iconography in Auckland
Chris Verryt is an iconographer from and in Auckland. Iconography is the art of ‘writing’ icons, pictures who are much more than paintings. Similar to icons on our computers, they point towards something bigger… The most recent icon written by Chris Verryt depicts the Wedding of Cana. It was here that Jesus started his ministry…
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Majestic Kauri Trees
Kauri trees of different sizes, tūī birds, kererū (NZ woodpigeons), – and the feeling of nature in the middle of New Zealand’s biggest city. It is amazing what the reserves in Auckland offer. The new Kauri Glen Reserve in Birkenhead is a fine example of these kinds of oasis.The pathways and bridges are wide enough…