Press Releases09 Oct 19

Autumn SEARCH out now

The autumn issue of the Church of Ireland journal, SEARCH, edited by Canon Ginnie Kennerley, is now out.

Subscribers will receive their copies in the usual fashion and it was also available at the SEARCH stall at Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Synods in Taney Parish Centre yesterday afternoon from Michael Denton and the SEARCH team – Chair Raymond Refaussé, Honorary Secretary Elizabeth Oldham, and editorial committee members Margaret Daly–Denton and the Revd Bernie Daly.

This edition centres around issues that emerged at the Spring 2019 SEARCH Colloquium which explored such questions as: How is God prompting us to develop the ordained and lay ministry of the Church of Ireland today? What does God want for our future? Could death and resurrection be in the plan somewhere?

The Revd Barry Forde and Bishop Paul Colton write on the need for changes in the Church’s constitution to foster new ministry initiatives, while Tanya Olhausen explores one markedly effective tool for Christian outreach and encouragement, the increasingly popular Alpha Course. The Revd Robin Stockitt discusses issues of  identity and authenticity within the embrace of the Triune God, whose indwelling enables us to love and value one another.

At this time of political crisis and increasingly clamorous argument two further issues are inescapable: the future relationship between the two jurisdictions and multiple communities in Ireland, and that between people of faith and non–believers. Dr Johnston McMaster of the Irish School of Ecumenics Reconciliation programme in Belfast considers possibilities for harmony in the future of this island, while Peter Admirand, along with US philosopher Andrew Fiala, demonstrates the possibility of respectful ‘believer – nonbeliever’ dialogue.

This issue closes with a Liturgica penned by Dr Bridget Nichols and with a varied crop of book reviews.