TUESDAY'S NEWS
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Archbishop Eames’ address to Synod
(report courtesy of Rev Gregg Ryan of the Church
Times) The failure of the two
governments to resolve the impasse on the Good Friday Agreement has
created a dangerous vacuum in Northern Ireland, the Church of
Ireland Primate Dr. Eames said in his address to Synod in Dublin on
Tuesday. “Despite strenuous efforts it
has proved impossible to restore devolved government to the
Province. Those efforts continue but we are told that insufficient
trust and clarity exist to re-establish power-sharing institutions.
This failure is undoubtedly a set-back to the political element of
the long road to peace and stability. It has produced a dangerous
vacuum. But it is and must be only a set-back. There is no doubt
that the vast majority of people want to see and deserve genuine
stability.” Political progress and
structures of government are but only part of the peace process, he
said. The real power, the real strength and the real ability to
build a just and peaceful society rests with people.
“It rests with people in their lives,
in their homes, in their work, in their relationships and in their
attitudes. That is where the real power lies. They may have their
political and religious expressions but they have the power to
change and influence a community.”
However, political failure in Northern Ireland has the consequences
of years of social deprivation and neglect in working-class areas. Top
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“In both nationalist and unionist areas
a failure by political power to address social need has produced an
environment of alienation, community need and the atmosphere in
which paramilitary organisations have flourished. That heritage of
political neglect is tragic and has contributed largely to the
despair and desperation clergy encounter in working-class areas
today. We are now seeing the alienation from traditional political
structures on the part of many who feel a lack of relevance for
their lives in high-level political dialogue.”
This alienation is reflected in the distrust which manifests itself
in sectarianism which continues to produce levels of distrust across
Northern Ireland.
Referring to the report on sectarianism
to be debated at the Synod, Dr. Eames said ‘The Hard Gospel’ is one
of the most significant documents in the long history of the Church
of Ireland.
“As a Church we have begun a profound
and extensive examination of sectarianism within our structures and
within our attitudes. We will find a great deal to make us all feel
uncomfortable as a Church. We must recognise failure, we must
address attitudes and we must recognise that this is not a problem
which only causes riots or murders or which is confined to concerns
for our Church in the north only. It speaks to our Church in the
Republic. Too often comments on northern issues from the Republic
and comments from the north on issues in the south have themselves
disclosed sectarian mind-sets. The comfortable pew, the pulpit, the
sanctuary, the youth club, the Select Vestry, the training of
clergy, the relationships with other Churches – every aspect of the
Church of Ireland must be a part of the process we have begun.
Eighty per cent of parishes have responded to the work which has
produced this Report. That figure in itself is remarkable. We have
begun a process.”
(report courtesy of Rev Gregg Ryan of
the Church Times) Top
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