Northern Ireland is so different from Great Britain in matters of faith
A letter from Dr James Hardy:
Paul Coulter, Ben Lowry and Trevor Gribben, all made interesting comments in last weekend’s News Letter (September 26).
Dr Paul Coulter and Ben Lowry noted the rise of secularism, with a drop in Methodist-Church of Ireland-Presbyterian affiliation on census figures. But Rev Trevor Gribben rightly stressed how around 80% of the NI population still self identify as Christian.
How different we are from Great Britain is obvious when reading a memoir by Joan Bakewell, the English broadcaster and Humanist Celebrity of the year in 2017.
‘The View from Here-Life at Seventy’ notes how the 1930’s-1940’s Protestant culture which Joan Bakewell grew up in has gone: Sunday as a day of rest, hats in Church or bishops spelling out public morals.
Irish Protestants still firmly believe in the Lord Jesus (the fleshed out suffering saviour described in Isaiah Chapter 53), but Charismatic-Evangelical scandals have revealed sin (often related to abuse of power, money or sex) snaring celebrity leaders.
An obsession with doctrine, combined with militaristic discipline, wins few souls if leadership abuse scandals emerge.
Should we be more worried by a gay organist playing hymns or mass murder of the unborn?
The Queen warned us about perceiving the Church to be about academic achievement or army type discipline: “God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.”
Dr James Hardy, Belfast BT5