Can you tell us about your journey? Rountree: To begin with, I come from Ngai Tuteauru and Nga Puhi, two Iwi (tribes) from the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. My people were among the first to be converted to Christianity in the country, so we have a long history and tradition of engaging with Christian teachings. I say that deliberately because our experience and identity as Christians is somewhat different from what might be considered the mainstream. Our ways of understanding and practicing Christianity are shaped by our own cultural worldview. Both of my parents were Methodist ministers, and my family has a long history with the Methodist Church. I am currently serving as president of the Methodist Church until October this year. This role has given me insight into both the synergies and the tensions between Māori ways of knowing and being, and Christian teachings—particularly in how we interpret the Bible. We tend to interpret scripture differently, especially within our context, and that can lead to interesting conversations, as well as challenges, within the life of the church. In terms of my path into this work, I come from a Māori background. I was teaching at the University of Auckland when my aunt—who was head of the Māori division of the church—asked me to teach a course at Trinity College, the Methodist theological college. The course focused on Māori society, which is compulsory for all ministry students because the church is bicultural. Over the past 10 years, I’ve continued teaching there. During that time, I’ve also served on many boards and committees within the church. Because we are a bicultural church, Māori representation is required across all leadership structures—and since there are relatively few of us, we often serve in multiple roles. This gave me exposure to many different parts of the church and allowed me to engage with people who were sometimes unfamiliar with, or even resistant to, Māori perspectives. Those experiences helped shape my understanding of where the church needed to direct its attention, particularly in relation to my people. Along the way, I’ve made many friends—and perhaps some enemies—because my theology doesn’t align with everyone’s, especially when it comes to integrating Māori cosmology with Christian teachings. Eventually, I was nominated for the presidency by multiple groups within the church, including both Māori and non-Māori communities, which is unusual. The Methodist Church in Aotearoa operates through a partnership model, so leadership reflects that bicultural relationship. As a result, our current leadership embodies that partnership: my colleague is Pākehā, and I am Māori. Together, we represent that shared responsibility. This has brought challenges, particularly around new ways of thinking about the church’s direction, but I believe the church is in a place where it is ready to engage with and build on these ideas. How do you build relationships and bridges across different communities? Rountree: One of the fortunate opportunities I’ve had was being part of Te Runanga Whakawhanaunga i nga Haahi, the National Māori Council of Churches, which grew out of early ecumenical movements in Aotearoa. It represents an Indigenous expression of ecumenism. This experience shaped how I understand ecumenism from a Māori perspective. A simple example comes from our cultural practices: when we gather, no one is excluded. Our customs require inclusion. In my own family, we have members from different Christian traditions—Methodist, Pentecostal, Mormon—and when we come together, everyone participates. Our gatherings can last several days, and all traditions are respected. So I often say that, as Māori, we are ecumenical by default. Our cultural values require us to be inclusive. From a young age, both in the church and on the marae, I experienced how Christian teachings and Māori traditions coexist. We live in that overlap—where both frameworks inform our identity and practice. Through the Māori Council of Churches, I’ve also engaged in broader ecumenical and global spaces. This has helped me understand not only my own context, but also how we fit within global Christianity. At the theological college, we also emphasize interfaith engagement. Students visit other faith communities—such as mosques and temples—to develop a basic understanding of different religious traditions, especially those often seen as“other” in relation to Christianity. I’ve had many opportunities to engage in these spaces myself. For example, I attended the World Council of Churches assembly, where I participated in discussions with the Indigenous assembly. I was there representing the Māori Council of Churches rather than the Methodist Church directly, which allowed me to explore how Indigenous voices can be strengthened in global forums. What are the main challenges facing churches in the Pacific today? Rountree: One of the greatest challenges is climate justice. Pacific communities have contributed the least to climate change, yet they are among the most immediately and severely affected. This is not a distant issue—it is already happening. So it’s critical that these realities are addressed, both locally and globally. There is also a responsibility for global organizations, such as the World Council of Churches, not only to talk about these issues or produce statements, but to truly engage with affected communities—to understand their lived experiences and take meaningful action. In my tradition, it’s not enough to talk—we must act. And that action must be collaborative, working alongside those most impacted rather than trying to “fix” things from the outside. Another major challenge is social issues, particularly violence. In our context, family violence and domestic violence are significant concerns. Sometimes faith can be both a help and a hindrance. There can be a tendency to say, “just pray more and things will get better,” but that approach alone is not sufficient—it doesn’t address the root causes. In some cases, conservative interpretations of Christianity can prevent honest conversations about these realities. There can be a disconnect between what is preached publicly and what happens in private lives, even among church leaders. We are still working through how to address these contradictions in meaningful and effective ways. WCC member churches in Aotearoa New Zealand | 
