The Christian Heritage Party Deputy Leader, Mr Grant Bradfield, was reported in the NZ Herald as saying that the church was risking mass defections by continuing to tolerate homosexuality. He also said that if the church did not put the issue of homosexuality to a formal vote the church would blow apart.
Rev Graham Capill, CHP leader, was reported in the same article as describing himself as a Presbyterian by conviction who attended an Anglican church because the Presbyterian Church had become too lax on moral issues.
Rev Stuart Lange, spokesman of Presbyterian Affirm (evangelical/charismatic group) said the issue was not the person or the calibre of Mr Dickson. At stake was whether homosexual behaviour was within the purposes of God as revealed in the Scriptures. He also said that the majority of Presbyterians believed on biblical, theological and moral grounds that homosexual behaviour was wrong.
Rev David Clark, a gay Presbyterian minister was reported as saying that Mr Dickson had superb gifts for ministry and it would be a tragedy if he were not able to exercise them within the Presbyterian Church.
