I can still detect considerable value in traditional Protestantism

A letter from Dr JT Hardy:

Colin Nevin (‘Biblical dates are hidden by the man-made holy days of the western Church’, April 19, see link below) politely responds my earlier (‘Do not be judged by your response to a festival but by your response to the salvation message,’ April 15, see link below) letter.

I was ordained as an evangelist by the Church of Ireland in 2017, so perhaps Colin may feel I am eager to cover up unbiblical inconsistencies in mainstream Protestantism.

What Colin says has considerable merit and it is definitely possible for people to observe Easter or Christmas rites without much concern for their deeper spiritual meaning.

Colin is certainly right to highlight problems within modern Protestantism.

Mainstream Protestantism has been shaken by scandals involving ill treatment of a whole variety of vulnerable groups.

‘Letters to a Broken Church’ costs £15 from the Church House Bookshop in London and examines problems in the Church of England.

Charismatic-evangelical group leaders have also been guilty of covering up atrocious scandals involving money, sexual abuse and bullying.

Have wayward leaders, sometimes with massive property portfolios and investment nest eggs (or concealed family and marital scandals), often left a trail of damaged lives or suicide and depression?

Having said all of this, my instinct is to still see considerable value in traditional Protestantism, with its focus on Christmas-Easter-Pentecost and Sunday rites.

A very wise old Church of Ireland farmer (from St John’s parish in Ballinderry) impressed upon me the value of receiving monthly Holy Communion and this has proven to be great advice.

It’s possible to observe Church rites, while also celebrating the blessing or holiness of each new day: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it’.

And for anyone who has naively or unthinkingly attended church as a matter of habit, without thought of responding fully to the gospel offer, the Bible offers the hope of new birth:

‘...Today is the day of salvation...’

Dr JT Hardy, Belfast BT5

Letter April 19: Biblical dates are hidden by the man-made holy days of the western Church

Letter April 15: Do not be judged by your approach to a festival but your response to salvation