Concern voiced about Sinn Fein’s attitude to Christian preaching as party objects to services in a park

Concern has been voiced about Sinn Fein’s stance on Christian evangelism after the party objected to a public park hosting open air services.
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David Smyth, the head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland, was speaking after the republican party unsuccessfully tried to veto a weekly service in Lurgan Park.

Lurgan Baptist Church had applied to the council use the park for seven evenings throughout July and August between 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

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The request came before Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon’s environmental services committee on Tuesday, where it was given the OK by all parties except Sinn Fein.

Councillor Haughian and David SmythCouncillor Haughian and David Smyth
Councillor Haughian and David Smyth

Councillor Keith Haughian said: “Our party are opposed to this... as our parks and leisure facilities, Lurgan Park in particular, is used by all sections of the community.

People use the park as somewhere they can go to escape the kind of pressures of daily life.

“It is actually irrelevant which church it is, we don’t feel and I don’t feel, that any church or group should be using the park on a consistent basis like this.

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“To come into a public space for seven Sundays this year is something that I find incredible that we, as a council, are even considering.”

The interior of Lurgan Baptist Church; the church is to hold a series of open-air park services in the coming monthsThe interior of Lurgan Baptist Church; the church is to hold a series of open-air park services in the coming months
The interior of Lurgan Baptist Church; the church is to hold a series of open-air park services in the coming months

‘LONG HISTORY OF FAITH IN PUBLIC SQUARE’:

Mr Symth said he recognises there a responsibility on Christians to be respectful of others in terms of how they evangelise, and to promote a culture of “living well together”.

He went on to add: “We think in this country there are amazing freedoms we have to share your faith with others – or humanist beliefs, whatever your beliefs are.

“We want to see that protected, not constrained.

“If this is Sinn Fein’s party position as it has been articulated, the inference would seem to be that faith isn’t welcome in the public square – in a park, or wherever.

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“We’d simply be making the point that actually there’s a long history of faith-sharing space in the public square.

“We recognise not everyone will agree with it.

“But certainly we’d have concerns if that is Sinn Fein’s party position: that the articulation of your faith is not appropriate in publicly-owned space.”

Sinn Fein was contacted to ask for further details on its stance on public preaching but did not respond.

PARTY STANCE HAS SHIFTED:

In recent years there has been a growing gulf between Sinn Fein and the Catholic church with which it was often associated, with the party’s former anti-abortion views giving way rapdily to a pro-choice stance, for instance.

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The party has also voiced support for transgenderism (the belief that people, including children, can switch gender by the power of thought, and that there are many genders, not two) – something in stark conflict with the views of the Catholic hierarchy, and most churches in general.

In April this year, west Belfast priest Fr Patrick McCafferty berated the party by name.

He said that nowadays “the evil of abortion is promoted by parties like SF and the SDLP”, and condemned plans (which are supported by both parties) to curb the ability of pro-lifers to protest near clinics.

Lurgan SDLP councillor Ciaran Toman told the News Letter he believes similar services have been held in Banbridge’s Solitude Park without any issues.

He said: “It’s a public park – it’s open for everyone.

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“If we are to co-exist between two communities we have to respect each-other’s different beliefs and religious groupings.

“I certainly have no issue with it and I’m not too sure what the reason was for Sinn Fein objecting to it, other than they didn’t want to hear it on their daily walk.”

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