DESTINY BOOK LAUNCH - A WARM AND HAPPY OCCASION

Report by Sarah Thornton

The media were expecting a bit of a brouhaha at the packed launch of Destiny: The Life and Times of a Self-made Apostle (Penguin Group NZ) by noted historian and academic, Associate Professor Peter Lineham, on Thursday evening. It didn’t happen. Instead, the mood was overwhelmingly positive and warm, as Bishop Brian Tamaki, Destiny Church members, academics, the public and a cohort from Penguin gathered together, to celebrate with author Peter Lineham at Massey University’s Albany campus.

 Speaking first, Penguin’s Commissioning Editor Jeremy Sherlock talked about the genesis of the book project; from his robust working relationship with Peter Lineham to his personal pride in publishing such a significant history. He then handed the floor over to Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley, who paid tribute to the rigours of Peter Lineham’s scholarship and spoke poignantly about the experience of being a writer, and the emotions expended in the days leading up to and immediately after your book was launched. Then it was Bishop Tamaki’s turn to speak. Visibly moved by the gravitas and significance of the occasion, Tamaki spoke with humility and dignity, recalling how happy he was when he knew that Peter Lineham had been commissioned to write a book about Destiny. Indeed, he said that he welcomed it and that “primarily the book is quite positive, and tells the story of Destiny Church which has grown to something from nothing”.

In response, Peter Lineham said that Destiny Church members “actually embraced what he was doing”, going on to say that “it’s very interesting because I think in the relationship of just talking to them they came to respect what I was doing and I think that says something for them, that they’re willing to do it.” He believes that his book will change public perception of the movement – away from the hysteria and media headlines that have dominated until now – informing and challenging them to think again about Destiny and how it fits in to the religious, political and cultural landscape of contemporary New Zealand. Destiny is the first truly objective and independent account of the church, its people and the contentious man behind it – Bishop Brian Tamaki – published in the run-up to the launch of its grandiose ‘City of God’ vision.

 The audience were clearly moved by the occasion, as were the speakers themselves. In the days immediately following the launch, Brian and Hannah Tamaki have tweeted and uploaded pictures of the evening (pic.twitter.com/6bqNeLND52)  saying how much they enjoyed working with Peter Lineham and how proud they are of the book. Praise indeed.
 

 Sarah Thornton with author Peter Lineham

 

Richard Lewis, Sarah Thornton, Bishop Brian Tamako, Paul Mason.