Editing Gloriavale Christian Community (section)

== Culture and beliefs ==
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.<ref name="how">{{cite news|last1=Cooke|first1=Henry|title=How Gloriavale's leadership structure works|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/91083617/how-gloriavales-leadership-structure-works|access-date=3 April 2017|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|date=31 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002140530/http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/91083617/how-gloriavales-leadership-structure-works|archive-date=2 October 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref name="CathNews 2013"/>

The group teaches that the only true way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to the commands of God.<ref>''What We Believe'', Springbank, First Edition, The Eighth Month, 1989</ref>

According to [[Stuff (company)|Stuff]], several key beliefs and practices at Gloriavale include [[creationism]], a ban of [[contraception]] and [[divorce]], an emphasis on large families, and female submission to male headship. In addition, members of the community do not celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and holidays such as [[Christmas]] and [[Easter]]. Children are also not immunised. Men and boys are expected to keep their hair short and wear a light blue shirt and dark blue pants, while women wear long blue dresses and cover their heads with scarves. Outsiders wanting to join Gloriavale undergo an initiation process known as "submitting," which involves abandoning their careers, opinions, possessions, outside contact, and free will.<ref name="Stuff July 2014" />

Work at Gloriavale is organised along gender lines. Work opportunities for most women in the community are limited to domestic work including food preparation and cleaning. Male members work in Gloriavale's businesses and construction work.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} According to Tarawa, founder Neville Cooper discouraged female members of Gloriavale from developing leadership qualities due to his belief that women were mandated by God to submit to male leadership; citing his dismissive response to her school report card.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tarawa |first=Lilia |title=Daughter of Gloriavale: My Life in a Religious Cult |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=2017 |isbn=9781760639181 |publication-date=2017-09-23}}</ref>

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.<ref name="TVNZ 19 April 2015" />

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. Police within the area later confirmed that they were working with Gloriavale in order to ensure that members of its community abided by lockdown restrictions.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 March 2020 |title=Coronavirus: Gloriavale breaking lockdown rules – Support Trust |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412843/coronavirus-gloriavale-breaking-lockdown-rules-support-trust |access-date=29 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329004516/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412843/coronavirus-gloriavale-breaking-lockdown-rules-support-trust |archive-date=29 March 2020}}</ref>