Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand
The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand (CCAANZ) is an evangelical Anglican denomination in New Zealand. It is not a member of the Anglican Communion as recognised by the current Archbishop of Canterbury, but is recognised by the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON). The church consists of 17 parishes, some of which consist of clergy and church members who left the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia after it allowed bishops to authorise blessings of same-sex marriages, and some of which were newly established at the time of the formation of the church. History The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand grew out of the New Zealand branch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans and was established on 17 May 2019. This followed the decision by the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia to allow the blessing of same-sex marriages and civil unions. Leadership Jay Behan is the inaugural bishop. Behan's episcopal consecration took place on 19 October 2019, led by Archbishop Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America, the chairman of GAFCON Primates' Council. The consecration service was attended by several representatives of GAFCON, including Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of the Anglican Church of