Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Summer issue of Search
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 Werner 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.
Professor 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.
The proceedings of the colloquium are complemented by a stellar cast of reviewers – the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Ian d’Alton, Aonghus Dwane, Professor Raymond Gillespie, the Revd Suzanne Harris, the Very Revd Houston McKelvey and Canon Michael Kennedy – who consider volumes on subjects ranging from 1916 and Word War One, through parish histories to theodicy, liturgy and catechetics.
Today (Saturday) the Dean of St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, will hold his annual Gift Day. Dr William Morton will be in the cathedral from 11.30am until 1pm to receive gifts which this year will be used for new railings in the graveyard. The Greenwich Academy Madrigal Singers from Connecticut continue their Irish tour with a concert at 8pm in St. John’s church, Tralee. Tomorrow (Sunday) they will sing at the 11am service in St. Mary’s church, Killarney, and the tour will conclude with a concert on Monday evening at 8pm in St. Nicholas church, Adare.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 11.45am RTE Radio 1 Extra will broadcast Morning Prayer from St Michael’s church, Ballina, led by the Rector of the Kilmoremoy union of parishes, the Revd Stephen McWhirter, assisted by his wife, the Revd. Jennifer McWhirter, priest–in–charge of the Killala union of parishes. At 3.30pm in Christ Church cathedral, the Archbishop of Dublin will preside at the Service of Thanksgiving for 40 years of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
The Munster Retired Clergy will meet next Tuesday in Kingston College, Mitchestown, where the speaker will be Bishop Michael Mayes.
On Thursday evening, following Choral Evensong at 6pm, an exhibition of icons by Adrienne Lord will be opened in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin. In Holy Trinity church, Aghalee, Co. Down, the Revd Paul McAdam will be instituted as rector. Mr McAdam, who was ordained in 1993, has been Rector of Loughgall in the Diocese of Armagh since 2002.
To mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation a major ecumenical conference will be held on Saturday 24 June in the Church of St John the Baptist, Seafield Road, Clontarf. The facilitator for the day will be Philip McKinley, and there will be contributions from Dr. Gesa Thiessen (TCD), Dr. Andrew Pierce (ISE), Fr. Gabriel Daly OSA and Gillian Kingston (Interim Vice President of the World Methodist Council). The cost of the day is €20 per person.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times