Press Releases29 May 14

Statement from Irish Inter–Church Committee on Diversity

At today’s quarterly meeting of the Irish Inter–Church Committee, the following statement was agreed:

‘We regret that many people in Northern Ireland have been deeply hurt by the content and tone of Pastor McConnell’s comments in his recent sermon and we welcome the First Minister’s clarification of his own position.

‘We reaffirm our commitment to embracing diversity, promoting religious freedom and building inclusive communities. We also express our solidarity with all those throughout the world who are persecuted for their beliefs.

‘Christ calls us to love our neighbours. We pray that we may continue to build good relationships between Muslims and Christians throughout Ireland. We trust that our friendships will deepen and that our understanding of each other’s faith will help us work together for the common good.’