Acknowledging the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care

To all the churches in the CCCNZ/Open Brethren Heritage movement: 
 
On Wednesday 24 July, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care released the final report of the inquiry, called Whanaketia: through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. (1)  
 
The Royal Commission met for six years and heard from more than 3,000 survivors of abuse. Horrifically, the report estimates that between the years 1950-1999 up to 200,000 people were abused in care. (2)   
 
This comprehensive and detailed report is an important document in our nation’s history and examines the historical and systemic issues within New Zealand’s care institutions. At the request of leaders from the New Zealand Christian community, the inquiry scope expanded to include faith-based institutions and therefore the report includes crucial insight for churches in Aotearoa.   
 
The name of the report directly reflects the experience of many survivors, as they have gone from the isolating darkness of not being listened to or believed, to being heard and looking to the light for healing and restoration. (3) This powerful image of darkness to light is worth noticing and reflecting on as churches.   
 
The report highlights the abject failure of leaders of state and faith-based institutions to care for the many children, young people and adults entrusted to these institutions, “Instead of receiving care and support, children, young people and adults in care were exposed to unimaginable physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse, severe exploitation and neglect.”(4)  The report also highlights that in many cases religious beliefs were used to justify abuse and to silence survivors, and that “Faith leaders similarly fought to cover up abuse by moving abusers to other locations and denying culpability.”(5)  
 
The CCCNZ Board and Staff Leadership Team are in agreement with the report when it states that these actions are “a national disgrace.”(6) We agree with the NZ Christian Network in stating that, “from a Christian and biblical perspective, any form of abuse is invariably wrong and evil. All such abuse goes against the core Christian values: goodness, kindness, respect, compassion, integrity and self-control.”(7) Abuse is never good, and no amount or type of abuse is acceptable. It is also wrong to cover up abuse.    
 
We acknowledge the courage and witness of the survivors who have taken part in the inquiry. We are deeply grieved by what the inquiry has revealed.
 
As Royal Commission Chair Coral Shaw says “We urge you to not look away. Although confronting, this report signals an opportunity to create change in New Zealand's care system so that this can never be repeated.”(8) The abuse and care website: www.abuseincare.org.nz provides full access to the report and a video summary that runs for 40 minutes.