Gloriavale Christian Community

The Gloriavale Christian Community (also known as the Cooperites)[1] is a small and isolated Christian community located at Haupiri on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand, and it has an estimated population of over 500.[2] It has operated on a property owned by a registered charity since 2008.[3]

History

The group was founded in 1969 by Neville Cooper (aka "Hopeful Christian"), an Australian-born preacher who was invited to New Zealand,[4] having earlier (as a member of the Voice of Deliverance Evangelist Mission) survived a near fatal 1965 plane crash in south-east Queensland.[5]

Cooper founded what became known as the Springbank Christian Community near Christchurch, moving to a larger property on the West Coast of New Zealand between 1991-1995 when the community grew too large for its existing home. This new settlement, located in the Haupiri Valley was named "Gloriavale", and established the existing Gloriavale Christian Community, roughly 60 kilometres (37 mi) inland from Greymouth.[6][7]

Overview

Known by some outsiders as the "Cooperites" after their leader Neville Cooper, the group rejects this name and members refer to themselves only as Christians.[8] Members of the community live a fundamentalist Christian life in accordance with their interpretation of the teachings of the New Testament. The community attempts to uphold the example of the first Christian church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41–47) for its principles of sharing and holding all things in common. The group teaches that the only true way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to the commands of God.[9]

The community earns its income from several ventures including dairying, deer and sheep farms. The community also earns income from the manufacture of gardening products made from sphagnum moss, as well as formerly running scenic and charter flights from Greymouth[10] through their company Air West Coast.[11]

The community runs Gloriavale Christian School, a private coeducational composite (years 1–13) school with a roll of 200.[12] The school moved to the West Coast in 1990.[13]

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand designates Gloriavale as a rural settlement, covering 20.73 km2 (8.00 sq mi) around the community.[14]

The Gloriavale settlement had a usual resident population of 609 people at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 114 people (23.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 249 people (69.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 285 males and 324 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.88 males per female. Of the total population, 366 people (60.1%) were aged up to 15 years, 120 (19.7%) were 15 to 29, 108 (17.7%) were 30 to 64, and 18 (3.0%) were 65 or older.[15]

In terms of ethnicity, 100.0% of the population identified as European (Pākehā), 3.4% as Māori, and 0.5% as Pacific peoples (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).[15]

Controversies
Former Gloriavale members protesting at The Press leaders' debate in October 2020

In 1995, Neville Cooper was jailed for almost a year on sexual abuse charges. He was convicted based on the testimonies of his son and a young woman who had fled the compound.[16] Cooper later changed his name to Hopeful Christian.[17] Cooper died of cancer on 15 May 2018, aged 92.[2]

Those who leave the community are sometimes shunned and denied contact with family members who have not left Gloriavale; because most residents in Gloriavale are born into the community, this can often comprise a person's entire family.[18] The Apologetics Index, a Christian cult-watching organisation, refers to Gloriavale as a "cult, both theologically and sociologically", stating that "theologically, this group is a cult of Christianity, as its theology - as well as its practices based on that theology - places it well outside the boundaries of the Christian faith."[19] A wide-ranging government investigation into the community began in 2015, leading to a number of charges. A police investigation is still ongoing, with no charges yet brought against Gloriavale or members of its community.[20]

In 2016, a three-part documentary on TVNZ 2 extensively covered the community, with the documentary team being given unprecedented access to the community.[21][22] The series is available online within New Zealand.[23] An additional set of 8 mini-episodes, titled Gloriavale: The Return was released in 2018.[24] Television channels made additional films about the cult community in 2017 and 2018.[25]

In 2017, Lilia Tarawa, the granddaughter of Gloriavale's founder, spoke at a TEDx Christchurch conference on her experiences as a member of the community and during the conference, she detailed how she had grown up within it.[26] Tarawa described abusive practices as part of daily life for members of Gloriavale, including beatings, forced marriages, and psychological control, leading some of Gloriavale's members - including some of Tarawa's siblings - to run away and escape from it if they could. The video of Tarawa's talk became widely popular online following its upload to YouTube.[27] Stories of child abuse, rape, and other forms of cruelty and subjugation also emerged from other former members.[28]

News of controversial practices in the community led to the police making daily checks on the community in 2018.[29]

On 29 March 2020, it was reported that members of the Gloriavale community were failing to comply with lockdown procedures amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, with reports that childcare at community-run daycare centres, lessons at community-run schools, and meetings were all continuing despite social distancing measures.[30] Police forces within the area later confirmed that they were working with Gloriavale in order to ensure that members of its community abided by lockdown restrictions.

In late September 2020, WorkSafe New Zealand dispatched inspectors to Gloriavale to investigate claims that some members had been forced to work for more than 20 hours a day.[31] The news company Newshub also reported that current Gloriavale members had been targeted by the sect's leadership for speaking to the media.[32] As a result of the Newshub investigation, Justice Minister Andrew Little had ordered the Police, WorkSafe and the Labour Inspectorate to launch a second investigation into allegations of "controlling behaviour" and labour exploitation at Gloriavale.[33]

On 1 October Little, in his capacity as Minister of Workplace Relations, ordered a major review into practices at Gloriavale after Newshub obtained a government report from July 2017 reporting "oppressive psychological practices", possible exploitation, bullying, manipulation and coercion within the community.[34] On 2 October, WorkSafe instructed Gloriavale's leadership to improve their work practices but found no evidence to suggest that the religious community was not managing the risk of workplace fatigue. WorkSafe had conducted a workplace assessment on Monday where a team of four inspectors assessed Gloriavale, four subsidiary companies, and 13 workers. [35]

References
  1. Father tells of rescuing kids from West Coast cult
  2. "Gloriavale founder Hopeful Christian dies aged 92". Newshub. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018. Gloriavale is home to more than 500 people.
  3. "My life in a religious cult: 'The most dangerous place in the world is the womb of an ungodly woman'". The Guardian. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  4. Reynolds, Emma (30 August 2017). "Life after Gloriavale, the repressive cult run by an Australian sex offender". Australian news. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  5. Clayton, M. 'A wing and a prayer', Aviation Heritage, vol. 48, no. 3 (September 2017), pp.128-130.
  6. Tarawa, Lilia (23 August 2017). Daughter of Gloriavale: My Life in a Religious Cult. Allen and Unwin. ISBN 978-1988547015. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  7. "About us". Gloriavale Christian Community's official website. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  8. Cooke, Henry (31 March 2017). "How Gloriavale's leadership structure works". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  9. What We Believe, Springbank, First Edition, The Eighth Month, 1989 (The book, researched and written by the group, sets out the way its members should live, what they should believe, and how they should behave. The book is never taken to replace the authority of the Bible, but is considered only to be guided to doctrines and beliefs.)
  10. Brown, Giles (9 January 2010). "West Coast Christians in search for gas". Fairfax NZ. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  11. Black, Eleanor. "Life after Gloriavale: Hopeful Christian's granddaughter speaks out". stuff. stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  12. "Schools / Homepage - Te Kete Ipurangi". TKI. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  13. "Private School Review Report: Gloriavale Christian Community School". Education Review Office. November 2004.
  14. "Urban Rural 2020 (generalised) - GIS | | GIS Map Data Datafinder Geospatial Statistics | Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". datafinder.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  15. "Age and sex by ethnic group (grouped total response), for census usually resident population counts, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses (urban rural areas)". nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  16. Quilliam, Rebecca (23 April 2009). "Father tells of rescuing kids from West Coast cult". APN New Zealand. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  17. Ashleigh Stewart (1 May 2015). "Men 'groomed' to have underage sex in Gloriavale, ex-member says". The Press. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  18. "Sunday speaks to families who have recently fled Gloriavale". TVNZ. 19 April 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  19. "Gloriavale Christian Community at a Glance". Apologetics Index. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  20. Gates, Charlie (29 March 2017). "Gloriavale: Nine questions we can answer, and one we can't". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  21. Crowley, Paulette (23 April 2016). "The man behind the award-winning Gloriavale documentary". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  22. Schulz, Chris (5 January 2017). "Best of 2016: What life is like for Gloriavale's female residents". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  23. "GLORIAVALE". TVNZ OnDemand. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  24. "Gloriavale: The Return". TVNZ OnDemand. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  25. "What happens when you dress like a Gloriavale resident in their local town?". www.zmonline.com/. ZM Online. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS7mBbXxJYA
  27. "8 questions with Lilia Tarawa as to how she escaped from Gloriavale, a religious cult". www.theodysseyonline.com. Odyssey. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  28. "Gloriavale dad Clem Ready hit daughters with shoe, slipper, belt as discipline". www.stuff.co.nz. Stuff. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  29. "Gloriavale under pressure as police make daily visits to remote West Coast community". News hub New zealand. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  30. "Coronavirus: Gloriavale breaking lockdown rules - Support Trust". Radio New Zealand. 29 March 2020. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  31. "WorkSafe inspectors heading to Gloriavale after claims of 20-hour work days". Stuff. 25 September 2020. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  32. Morrah, Michael (27 September 2020). "Gloriavale accused of targeting members who spoke out against controlling leadership". Newshub. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  33. Morrah, Michael (28 September 2020). "Police, WorkSafe, Labour Inspectorate visit Gloriavale after allegations of controlling behaviour, worker exploitation". Newshub. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  34. Morrah, Michael (1 October 2020). "Andrew Little orders major review into Gloriavale practices after seeing critical 2017 report". Newshub. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  35. Howie, Cherie (2 October 2020). "Gloriavale: WorkSafe tells controversial Christian community to make workplace changes". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.

Further reading
  • Beale, Fleur (2009). Sins of the Father: The Long Shadow of a Religious Cult. Dunedin. ISBN 978-1-877460-30-2.
  • Lilia Tarawa (2017) Daughter of Gloriavale: My Life in a Religious Cult
  • Tarawa, Lilia (16 November 2017). "I grew up in a cult. It was heaven -- and hell" (YouTube Video). TEDxTalks (Christchurch).

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