A fissure in the American Methodist church is unlikely to open up in New Zealand - where the matter of gay rights was settled two decades ago.
(File photo) Photo: RNZ / Paul Bushnell
The American church plans to split into a traditional and a liberal branch because it cannot reach consensus on same-sex marriage and gay faith leaders.
Its African and European outposts will also be divided.
The Methodist Church of New Zealand's general secretary David Bush said it was unfortunate the American church had decided to split.
"Personally I think it's very sad that it's come to this, that they haven't been able to find some way of working together, but I can fully understand why they've decided to in a sense put this argument to one side and allow each group to continue with the viewpoint that they've come to."
The New Zealand Methodist Conference decided around 1999 to bless same-sex relationships and allow gay preachers, and Rev Bush said 10 to 15 percent of the congregation left at that time.
"A number of our leaders are people who are in same-gender relationships, and the Methodist Church of New Zealand is totally independent of methodist churches in other countries."
He said the Tongan, Samoan, Fijian and Korean Methodist conferences also had churches in New Zealand and took a less liberal stance.
"Probably most of them would not be in agreement, however that doesn't stop them working with us. Having said that we have a lot of Tongan, Samoa, Korean, Fijian members who are part of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. It's a very diverse church."
He said he thought the split in the US would affect the way the church was perceived.
"I think particularly in the United States. In a more liberal society I think there are people who will find that quite attractive, that there's a church that is open, so yeah I think that could be very positive indeed."
