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Search examines ‘Reform’ issues in summer issue

Search examines ‘Reform’ issues in summer issue

Thoughts from Bishop John McDowell and Bishop Kenneth Kearon on “Reform in Today’s Church” feature in the special issue of Search, out this week, along with papers by a wide variety of theologians and church historians.

The issue contains all the papers presented at the Spring Colloquium “Ecclesia Semper Reformanda” (the reformed Church, always in need of reform) organised to mark 500 years of Reformation thinking in the western church.

The “Protestant principle” that affirms the inadequacy of all human structures in the face of God was a leading theme introduced by Professor Wener Jeanrond, Master of St Benet’s Hall, in Oxford. The theme was referred to throughout the day as participants reflected on what Reformation thinking has to teach us today, as well as the dangers of absolutising the theological concepts and structures of the past.

Prof Alan Ford and Revd Dr Maurice Elliott looked at issues largely concerning the Church of Ireland in morning session, followed in the afternoon by Bishop Kearon and Professor Linda Hogan on more global concerns – governance, prayer, unity and diversity in today’s world. Respondents Kate Turner and Dr EImhin Walsh prompted discussion after each of their talks.

This issue also contains reviews by – to name a few – Archbishop Richard Clarke, Houston McKelvey, Raymond Gillespie and Michael Kennedy of volumes on subjects ranging from 1916 and Word War One, through parish histories to theodicy, liturgy and catechetics.

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