| THE Church of Ireland is in a pivotal position to share leadership in the new, inclusive Ireland the President, Mary McAleese (above), told the General Synod last week.
President McAleese was the first head of state to address the Synod. She said that, in an Ireland at peace, which had room for tolerance and diversity as never before, a steady and strong leadership would be of great importance in mapping the shared journey ahead.
“As an all-island body, as a church body which promotes the Christian message, I know that deepening, spreading, and sustaining the growing culture of reconciliation will be very close to your hearts”, she said.
“For the first time ever, this island has a chance to feel the surging power that comes from working hand-in-hand rather than going toe-to-toe. The site of the Battle of the Boyne, where Williamites triumphed and Jacobites were defeated, has suddenly become a symbol of new, contemporary friendship and indeed partnership between the children of the winners and the losers, all of whom are now winners in this new and generous dispensation.”
In a reference to the new Northern Ireland Assembly, President McAleese said that in the past year in particular there had been an almost miraculous release of positive energies, softer language, and more respectful relationships and working partnerships between old enemies who now characterised themselves as colleagues.
“Are these not the very things that vindicate the work of all those who laboured so long and so hard, often, it must be said, with scant possibility of success, among them so many of the members of the Church of Ireland and the other Churches, who were the persuaders, the evangelisers, who insisted that peaceful politics would work, and only peaceful politics could work?”
She said that it was far from the whole truth that the Churches were in the past guilty of failing to curb sectarianism and by their inaction were part of the problem. “In some of the most inhospitable of circumstances the Churches have been the carers for the bereaved and wounded, the constant persuaders for peace, and the unobtrusive but determined builders of healthy cross-community and cross-border relationships.”
“With the things that paralysed us behind us, and a fascinating momentum at our hand, this island has the chance not just to heal itself and reveal its best potential yet, but to be a light to the world where so many live in the darkness and defeat of conflict, poverty, and disease. Our story of transcendence is not just our hope: it is also theirs.”
A MOTION asking for a Bill to be presented to the 2009 Synod to allow payment to be made to non-stipendiary ministers was passed.
Wilfred Baker (Cork) stated that non-stipendiary ministry had been a victim of its own success. Andrew McNeile (Dublin) told Synod that “the commission recognises that in many parts of the country non-stipendiary ministers are carrying out roles that are much broader in scope than was possibly originally envisaged, sometimes even equivalent to a fulltime incumbent.”
The Ven. Robin Bantry White (Cork) remarked that “there would be no hospital chaplaincy going on at all this week in Cork, were it not for non-stipendiary ministry. It would be best if the structures were adapted, and adapted correctly.”
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, while supporting the motion, said there could be some statutory difficulties with such payments. “It is not a canon-law difficulty, it is a civil-law difficulty, and we have to get that sorted out.”
The Bishop of Cashel, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, said: “This motion addresses an injustice and a folly in how we structure our ministry.”
THE COVENANT COUNCIL urged parishes to continued to celebrate the covenant relationship with neighbouring Methodist congregations. A motion to promote events on or around 26 September to mark the signing of the Covenant on that date in 2002 was passed unanimously.
Proposed by Canon Professor Adrian Empey (Dublin), the motion also called on the Church to deal urgently with the issue of producing ecumenical canons. Such canon laws would provide for closer cooperation between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church on a range of issues. The Bishop of Down & Dromore, the Rt Revd Harold Miller, said: “The work of the Council is at an exciting, but critical point, especially in relation to interchangeability of ministries.”
PRESENTING the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue’s report to the Synod, the Bishop of Meath, Dr Richard Clarke, encouraged the Church to “try and root the work of this Commission in the work of the Church as a whole”.
Canon Horace McKinley (Dublin) commended to the General Synod Guidelines for Interfaith Events and Dialogue, a book produced by the Commission. Describing the book as “the first of its kind in the provinces of the Anglican Communion”, he expressed his view that “pats on the back should be given for that.” Canon Patrick Comerford (Dublin) described the Commission’s initiative in producing the book as “trail-blazing”.
A BILL to revise procedures relating to the ecclesiastical courts and tribunals of the Church of Ireland was passed by the General Synod.
The Bill seeks to replace Chapter VIII of the Constitution with a new chapter that will comply with the legislation of both jurisdictions in Ireland and the requirements of European human-rights legislation.
Canon Michael Kennedy (Armagh) expressed his reservations about the potential of “the law of unintended consequences”. He said that the Bill’s provision for a complaints committee and a complaints administrator might serve as a “complainant’s charter”.
A BILL to amend the clergy pensions scheme for the Church of Ireland, which would change the retirement age from the present 65 years to 67 for new entrants, was described as “repugnant” by the Archdeacon of Down, the Ven. Philip Patterson.
Amendments to the Bill will also alter early and late retirement tables for all serving clergy who continue in service after 31 December 2008.
Archdeacon Patterson argued that new entrants should enter the scheme on the same terms as those already in the scheme, and that additional funds should be found by other means.
Lady Sheil (Down) responded by saying that the Bill was “brought in good faith by the Church of Ireland Pensions Board and the Representative Church Body to try and maintain an excellent and sustainable defined benefits scheme”.
The Revd Ted Woods (Dublin), a member of the Pensions Board, said the options in this Bill were the most palatable of those considered.
The Bill passed through its three readings. It will amend Chapters VI and XIV of the Constitution to raise the normal retirement age from 65 to 67 for those who join the Fund, or rejoin the Fund having ceased to contribute for a period, from 1 January 2009.
A RESOLUTION to “soften” the uncompromising language of the Thirty-Nine Articles by including an explanatory schedule before the Articles in all future editions of the Book of Common Prayer was passed by an overwhelming majority of both Houses at General Synod.
Proposed by the Dean of Armagh, the Very Revd Patrick Rooke, and seconded by Dermot O’Callaghan (Down), the resolution sought to insert a declaration explaining the historic nature of the Articles and especially their references to the RC Church. “Negative statements towards other Christians should not be seen as representing the spirit of this Church today,” said Dean Rooke.
The Revd Dr Eric Culbertson (Armagh) asked: “Why must we be always watering things down in the Church of Ireland?”
The Bishop of Cashel, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, said that the declaration would liberate the Articles from the language of their time rather than weaken them. He was supported by the Archbishop of Dublin.
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