Press Releases
Church of Ireland Supports Call for Parity of Christian Ethos
The Church of Ireland has passed a resolution of support for the Transferor Representatives’ Council’s call on the Minister for Education for Northern Ireland to ensure parity of protection for the Christian ethos in schools in the controlled sector.
At the meeting of the Standing Committee of the General Synod on 17 June, the following resolution was passed:
The Standing Committee of the Church of Ireland unreservedly supports the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) in seeking to ensure parity of protection for the Christian ethos in schools in the controlled sector with that currently enjoyed by schools in the Catholic maintained sector in Northern Ireland.
The statement of support was called for by the Church of Ireland Board of Education (NI), following the Transferor Representatives’ Council’s concerns on the issue. The TRC has membership drawn from the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches. Similar resolutions have been passed by both other Churches.
The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Reverend Alan Harper, chair of the Church of Ireland Board of Education, commented that this is a matter of great concern and that the resolution passed by the Standing Committee highlights the depth of feeling held on it at the level of the most senior body of the Church.