Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Anglican–Oriental Orthodox Commission Meeting in Dublin
The Anglican–Oriental Orthodox International Commission will meet in Dublin from 23 to 28 October for the first time since its foundation. Hosted by the Archbishop of Dublin, who is one of the founding members, the Commission will consider two main items. The first is the completion of an agreed text on the Holy Spirit that will be linked with the mission of the Church and the second agenda item is an initial exploration of areas around ‘authority in the Church’.
This will be the sixth meeting of the Commission since its foundation in 2001. While in Dublin, members will attend St Maximous and St Domatius Coptic Orthodox Church in Drumcondra for prayers in the Coptic tradition. They will attend Choral Evensong and a reception in Christ Church cathedral hosted by Dean Dermot Dunne and a reception in the Mansion House to meet the Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath/Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha and leaders of other faiths in Ireland and members of inter faith groups.
The Anglican–Oriental Orthodox Commission was established in 2001 to strengthen the relationships between the Anglican Communion and Oriental Orthodox Churches and discuss important theological issues. Among these is the issue of Christology which divided the Church at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, leaving the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Byzantine and Western Churches separated from one another. It quickly produced a draft Agreement on Christology, which is currently being considered by the Churches of the Anglican Communion. The Dialogue resumed in 2013 and in Cairo in 2014 theologians officially representing the Churches of the Anglican Communion and the Oriental Orthodox Churches made history by signing an agreement on their mutual understanding of Christology. Further agreement on the theological understanding of the Holy Spirit at their fifth meeting in Lebanon in 2016.
Today (Saturday) at 4.30pm in the Gamble Library of Union Theological College, Belfast, a new book by Dr Alan Acheson, The Shaping of Northern Ireland: a Historical Perspective, will be launched by Lord Bew. At 5pm the Archbishop of Dublin will officiate at the Service of Commissioning of Readers in Christ Church cathedral where the Revd Dr Laurence Graham, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, will be the preacher.
Tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at 3pm in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, the Very Revd Niall Sloane will be installed as Dean of Limerick. The preacher will be the Bishop of Tuam, Killala & Achonry. At the same time in St Columba’s church, Kells, the Meath Archaeological & Historical Society will host a talk by Dr Angus Mitchell, from the University of Limerick, on ‘Alice Stopford Green, her visit to St Helena, the Boer War and Irish Nationalism’. Alice Stopford Green (1847–1929) was born in Kells, the daughter of the local rector and the granddaughter of a Bishop of Meath. At 4pm in St Fin Barre’s cathedral, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross will preside at a diocesan service to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which will be recorded by RTE. In St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, at 4.15pm the cathedral’s Assistant Organist, the Revd Dr Peter Thompson, will give a recital which will include Reformation inspired works by Praetorius and Buxthude.
On Wednesday the Derry & Raphoe Diocesan Synod will be held in Burt, Co. Donegal. In St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, the lunchtime recital will feature chamber music for flute and strings by Mozart, played by Katie Baseman and friends.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times