The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, delivered the annual Church of Ireland Theological Lecture at The Queen’s University of Belfast this week. The Archbishop reflected on the nature of religiously-justified violence, and as a case study, on the nature, particularly, of the conflict we are facing with Daesh, or ISIS. The full text of the Archbishop’s address follows.
NI First Minister to attend C of I 1916 Centenary Event : Ordinary People in Extraordinary Circumstances - Order of the Golden Wellie for Black Santa at St Anne’s - Christians unite to campaign for LGBTI equality in C of E - Religious education is being squeezed off the timetable in England - Pope Francis ‘considering Scotland visit’ - New British ambassador to the Holy See appointed - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Same - sex marriage in churches, and full access to all three Holy Orders for those in such marriages, are among the goals of a new mission calling for “the full acceptance and affirmation of LGBTI people” in the Church of England, Madeline Davies writes in the Church Times
Temperance brings balance and prevents excess getting a grip, Bishop Éamonn Walsh - Bishop Colton’s regret at closure of Cork Synagogue - Moyross Jesuit parish priest selected as an Envoy of Mercy by Pope - C of I Historical Society offers postgraduate prize - Pope Francis to hold historic meeting with Russian patriarch in Cuba - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
A new book examining the decline of the Church England was withdrawn from circulation by one of the U.K.’s leading publishing houses, Bloomsbury Publishing.
“Hidden Pages from the 1916 Rising” seminar well supported - Churches urged to send out a Clarion Call for Earth Hour 2016 - Workshops to focus on dealing with drug and alcohol issues in south Belfast - Catholics and Anglicans to distribute ashes to shoppers in Sunderland city centre - Emma Gibbins to give Armagh organ recital - In February's edition of the Presbyterian Herald - C of E Archbishops launch evangelism week of prayer - Diocesan "Year of Prayer" coming to an end in Raphoe - Mothers' Union programme reduces domestic violence - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Prayers for HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday published - The Faithful Underground: 40 Years of Christian and Gay witness in Northern Ireland - New Presbyterian Church Moderator Rev Frank Sellar: Some of clergy I admire most are gay - Belvedere College pays tribute to former student Terry Wogan - Sleep out tonight for Dromore charity - Distribution of record breaking Dublin Black Santa Sit Out - Catholic schools are unfairly criticised over their admissions policies Bishop argues - Syrians need more than financial aid says Christian Aid - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
In a statement the members of Vestry and Ministry Team of St John’s Episcopal Church acknowledge the pain the Primate’s final communiqué has caused among sexual minorities, urges the Scottish Episcopal Church to continue with its process of canonical revision and thanks the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church for his witness.
Ashers Bakery discrimination appeal halted - Derry parish’s weekend celebration in renewed centre - Army Chaplain’s tour in Cyprus - Creative approach to Lent at Christ Church, Dublin - C of I dean at reunion of 1965 Queen’s expedition to Morocco - Black Santa funding will benefit more than 220 charities - Chancellor's tax reform plan must start now says Christian Aid - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
The imposing Stormont Assembly – perched on a hill, on the outer limits of Belfast – has always been a place apart, Steve McCaffery writes in “The Detail”
Belfast Minister to be new Presbyterian Moderator - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2016 - Let them speak - listening to our young leaders - ’In Search of Jesus’ – Belfast Lent Course with Brendan McCarthy - Dublin clergy on course - ‘The world shouldn’t fear China’s rise,’ says Pope Francis - Social justice theme of film series at Christ Church, Dublin - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
In his message for Lent 2016, which begins on 11 February, Pope Francis has asked us to live Lent more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy.
C of I clergy send message of support to Presiding Bishop and The Episcopal Church - Prominent gay rights activist backs Christian bakers in cake row - St Patrick focus for Reader ‘mini-retreat’ conference - C of I bishop and Baptist pastor to lead Lent workshops - Presbyterian Moderator is on his third and final Presbytery tour - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Pope Francis and the Future of the Family in Ireland - How Presbyterians have lost ground over gender equality - Bishop of Central Tanganyika visits Finaghy Methodist Church for World Leprosy Day - Insight of Ireland’s first female botanist in C of I Archives - Credo: a new C of I network - More Anglicans now back gay marriage than oppose it, poll suggests - Presiding Bishop Curry looks to the ACC to respond to the Primates’ ruling -News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Europe has become more integrated legally in the last ten years and more divided politically and spiritually and emotionally, says former Taoiseach, John Bruton.
Church of Ireland cleric presented with France’s highest decoration - Minister’s announcement does not change religious education in Catholic schools - Moderator visits Wycliffe Bible Translators - New Lent Course explores Pope Francis’s ‘The Joy of The Gospel’ - GB Hetrosexual couple lose civil partnership court challenge - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Church of Ireland Gazette calls for blessings for same-sex marriages - New petition launched to support Ashers Baking - North West Schools in major new project ‘Jointly Remembering the Centenary 2016’ - Belfast launch of C of I’s Human Sexuality guide online and on RTE - Spirit Radio reaches half a million people a week - Grace is theme of bishop’s Lent series in Connor - Bishop Christine of Newcastle takes her seat in House of Lords - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Derry and Strabane Holocaust Memorial event - Female cleric laments lack of women at top of Presbyterian Church - Opening the Door of Mercy conference - Cork tractor run proves popular - Holy Land pilgrimage opportunity - Canterbury: Caricature and prejudice can lead to 'violent persecution and genocide' - Pope Francis: ‘Patch up family feuds during the Year of Mercy’ - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Launch of Catholic Schools Week 2016 - Three nominees for this year’s Presbyterian Moderator - Holocaust Memorial week programmes on Belfast Local Television - 1916: A Hundred Years On, A Contemporary Christianity Project - Irish Presbyterian heritage tour launched - Ulster rugby players draw over 1,000 people to hear about their faith - Ask your council to get tough on tax dodgers, Christian Aid urges - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Pope Francis has apologised for behaviour towards Christians from non-Roman Catholic churches that “has not reflected Gospel values.” The Pope made his comments during a Vespers service in the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See, Archbishop Sir David Moxon.
St Patrick’s Cathedral Sets Scene for Year of Commemoration - Bishop of Limerick launches book on the message of mercy - C of I Day of Prayer for Young People and Youth Ministry - New Methodist Church World Development web site - Le Tour de Church 2016: Armagh style - Kilbroney Adventure Camps booking now open - Don’t confuse traditional marriage with other kinds of unions, says Pope - Real Easter Egg production moves to UK - Canadian Anglicans pledge $300k for displaced Syrians - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Irish 1916 minister extends welcome to NI leader Arlene Foster - 1916: A ‘Hidden pages’ from the Rising seminar - Remembering 1916: Full house for Cork C of I inaugural lecture - Former President, Mary McAleese begins new role at UK Catholic college - Irish churches and same sex relationships - Launch of Lenten Bible Studies on reconciliation - Church Music Workshops in Clogher and Armagh - Belfast generosity to Methodist Central Mission - New C of I chaplain at TCD - 51st International Eucharistic Congress gets under way - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Alexandra College’s 150 years pioneering the education of women - Launch of The Art of Listening Belfast 4 Corners Festival - Methodist President calls for a nimble Church - 1916 : themed lectures and events planned for Cork over the next week - New York celebration of Corrymeela anniversary - Sligo suicide prevention seminar - Broadcast service from Ardee on RTE Radio - Vicars should grow beards to reach out to Muslims, bishop suggests - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
Senior Anglicans who wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury on the eve of last week's Primates Meeting have thanked him for his apology for the way the Church has treated the gay community, but warned that his words must be followed by action, writes Ruth Gledhill in Christian Today.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has written a reflection on the meeting of Anglican Primates in Canterbury last week.
Major interview of C of I Primate in The Irish Catholic - The Art of Listening: Launch today of the Fourth Annual 4 Corners Festival - ‘Relentless prayer’ to unite Lisburn churches this Lent - Leadership insights from Irish rugby head coach, Joe Schmidt, at C of I institute - Former Methodist President speaker at unity service - Mass attendance in Dublin to drop by one-third by 2030 - Catholic Church must accommodate change, Nuala O’Loan - Jutland, iconic ceramic poppies display at Orkney's Cathedral - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Rt Revd Michael Curry, has emphasised the autonomy of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), in the wake of the Primates’ decision to censure his Church, Madeline Davies writes in the Church Times.
The global communion suspended its Episcopal branch for accepting same-sex marriage—yet has failed to address dubious behaviour of its leaders elsewhere. If the Anglican Communion wishes to scrutinize the Episcopal Church’s positions on homosexual marriage, then those branches outside of the United States need to get their own houses in order. Otherwise, the Anglican Communion will not just be the world’s largest Protestant denomination. It may also be the world’s largest body of hypocrites, Jonathan Merritt writes in “The Atlantic”.
Easter Rising a reminder of the danger of deafness, former Moderator at Dublin Unity service - Events of Easter 1916 focus of Navan Shamrock Festival’s ecumenical service - Belfast cathedral choirs combine for Unity service - Pope Francis: for Christians, baptism is stronger than differences - Two leading Catholic grammar schools are to stop 11-plus tests - Including people with intellectual disabilities in Christian communities - General Assembly debate on calling of ministers in same-sex marriage - News links to reports on faith, politics and education
A leading canon lawyer has stated the Primates’ meeting decision on Episcopal Church has no legal basis, may be ignored and is unenforceable. The foremost Anglican newspaper, “The Church Times” has reported the assessment of the director of the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff University who says the Primates’ communique is “completely unacceptable interference with the autonomy” of bodies like the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), or an Anglican body such as the Anglican Consultative Council "as they transact their own business”. It may be ignored. It is unenforceable.