Church leaders tell us to agree a deal, yet no contents of any deal are known

This is the lead letter in our print edition today. It has been written by Samuel Morrison, but his name was inadvertently cut out of the print edition:
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Dec 2019, 07:30 BST
Updated 24th Dec 2019, 09:29 BST
From left, Rev Sam McGuffin, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Most Rev Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dromore & Primate of all Ireland, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All Ireland, Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of ChurchesFrom left, Rev Sam McGuffin, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Most Rev Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dromore & Primate of all Ireland, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All Ireland, Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of Churches
From left, Rev Sam McGuffin, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Most Rev Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dromore & Primate of all Ireland, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All Ireland, Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of Churches

I note the statement by the four main church leaders calling for politicians to agree to a deal restoring devolution even though no deal is published and therefore they cannot know its contents.

It is worth remembering that religious leaders who use the language of peace are not always commended in Scripture. I am sure none of them would want to be numbered with the religious leaders of Ezekiel’s day who are condemned by God because ‘They have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace’.

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Appeals for a false peace by religious leaders are not an uncommon occurrence in Scripture. In Jeremiah 6 we are told that the prophets and priests ‘healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace’.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Jesus Christ is, as the church leaders remind us, the Prince of Peace. But that’s not the only title given to Christ in Hebrew 7. In fact, it is not even the preeminent one:

“King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace” (Hebrews 7:2).

Given that Christ is firstly King of Righteousness surely it would only be Christian to evaluate the content of any deal before signing up to it?

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Consider what the Presbyterian Church said in its official response to the legacy consultation. The PCI pointed out that ‘a serious effort must be made to deal with the sense of moral and judicial outrage and hurt caused by the current legal definition of a victim which makes no [distinction] between the perpetrators of violence and those attacked. This is morally unacceptable’.

What if a deal sees Northern Ireland implement legacy proposals founded upon that which the Presbyterian Church has rightly described as ‘morally unacceptable’? Would Christ really want politicians to agree such a deal?

Samuel Morrison, Dromore Co Down

Related topics:Presbyterian Church