7 Jul 2012

Synod to open with Fiji election appeal

11:33 am on 7 July 2012

The Anglican Church says it will endorse Fiji's timeline to democracy at its biennial synod held this year in the Pacific nation.

Strict guidelines from the Fiji military regime meant permits had to be obtained to hold the synod in Nadi, which is being attended by 160 senior church members from New Zealand and elsewhere in the Pacific.

Archbishop David Moxon said the location was the choice of the Pacific Anglican community and was not politically motivated.

However, he says the church is not avoiding the political issues in Fiji, and will begin the conference by appealing to the regime to keep its promise of elections by 2014.

"We are deliberately making a statement about the return to democratic elections and the timeline as the very first statement we make."

The synod begins on Saturday morning and will include discussions on same sex marriage and ordination.