Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Saturday 26 October 2013
Autumn Issue of Search
The autumn issue the Church of Ireland Journal Search is now available and includes articles on a number of topical issues.
Much attention has been focussed this year on Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby, elected within months of each other to lead the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches respectively; and much hope is being placed in these two “new brooms”, whose style is different from their predecessors. Peter Admirand and Yazid Said, Roman Catholic and Palestinian Anglican theologians respectively, both teaching in the Mater Dei Institute in Dublin, reflect on their words and deeds, both recent and less recent, in an attempt to consider the challenges that lie ahead in our two communions
Closer to home, Bishop Harold Miller considers the deep concern at the street violence prompted by flag riots and Orange marches around Belfast over the past eighteen months and reflects on the lessons the Church needs to learn from them, and how we can best minister to those involved so as to go forward into a truly Christian future.
Increasing poverty at home and the threat of climate change world–wide, are two other concerns that have led to animated discussion this past year, and particularly last month. Alec Purser of the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Revd Andrew Orr of Eco-Congregations Ireland offer some challenging thoughts on these two subjects. Relating to another topical issue, the noticeably increasing number of people of different faith traditions in Ireland north and south, Celia Kenny takes a radical look at how we read the Bible in relation to pluralism.
To complete this issue, past relationships between different cultures in Ireland are discussed in Mark Empey’s careful study of Protestant links with Gaelic culture in the 17th century; the historical theme continues with Bishop Samuel Poyntz’s celebration of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, 400 year’s after the great churchman’s birth; and the Very Revd Dr Robert MacCarthy offers an In Retrospect on an episcopal figure of more recent times, Robert Wyse Jackson.
Today (Saturday) at the Changing Attitude Ireland AGM there will be a public lecture in St Ann’s church, Dublin, at 2pm when Judge Catherine McGuinness will speak on ‘20 Years after Decriminalization: What next for Same –Sex Couples? In the evening, at 8pm, the Gaudete Singers will perform ‘An Evening of French Music’, including Faure’s Requiem, in St Bartholomew’s church, Dublin.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Dean Herbert Cassidy Memorial Organ Recital will be given in St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, at 4.15pm. The recitalist will be Joshua Stephens, hailed as one of Britain’s ‘most brilliant and exciting young musicians’. The lunchtime recital in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick on Wednesday will be given by Una Barry (soprano) and Irina Dernova (piano). There will be a retiring collection in aid of the Companions of St Mary’s Cathedral Music.
Protestant Aid is seeking a charitable services officer. The post will be half time and paid and will suit an NSM, social worker or similar with pastoral skills and experience in working with people in distress. The charity handles about 1,100 cases annually, distributing about €3/4m. Applications to [email protected].
The Church of Ireland Historical Society will meet next Saturday, 2 November, in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, at 10.30am. The speakers will include Dr Jason Mc Elligott from Marsh’s Library, Liam O’Rourke, a research student in the university of Kent, Dr Sylvie Kleinman from the Centre for War Studies in TCD and Dr Jacinta Prunty from NUI Maynooth. A new website for the Society will be launched.
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’