COI Gazette 19Mar10

7/31/2019 COI Gazette 19Mar10

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GazetteThe Church ofIreland

www.gazette.ireland.anglican.orgFRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 Price 60p/80c

editorial 2 Home news 3 - 6 world news 7 Focus 8 & 9 columnists 10 - 12

The Bishop of Derryand Raphoe, theRt Revd Ken Good,

has welcomed the award-ing of substantial grants bythe International Fund forIreland to two parishes indey doee - a snt,cooney, n the wteearea of Londonderry, andMaghera.

The funding will enable theemployment of staff, runningof programmes and buildingof facilities that will benefitthe whole community.

a snt cngAssociation, linked to Allsnt, cooney, h eevealmost 600,000 to allow theorganisation to develop aprogramme of communityn o-ounty tv-ties, as well as redevelopingt stet county Hon the ty GeneottRoad.

The Revd Malcolm Ferry,eto of a snt, h

parishioners believed wor-ship should connect in ameaningful way with thosein the surrounding area.

He ontnue: a sntCaring Association was bornout of social conscience, as avehicle for bringing this ideainto reality. There is a trackrecord of delivering advice onsocial need and an informedppoh to o-oun-ty programmes. Therefore, werecognised that what we need-ed was a dedicated building.

we ee ey evengand the International Fundfor Ireland recognised this.

Maghera Parish CaringAssociation, linked toMaghera parish, was award-

ed similar substantial fund-ing. The grant will enablethe employment of threefu-te tff n evey ofcommunity programmes, as

well as a substantial refur-bishment of the parish cen-tre. The development of newinitiatives will benefit every-thng fo pee-bung,

youth work and work withsenior citizens to the provi-

sion of shared public spacesin Maghera, a diocesan state-ment indicated.

mghe ph ttegplan and funding applica-tion were prepared duringthe time of the Revd RobertMiller as rector. Last January,Mr Miller left Maghera to takeup the post of rector of ChristChurch, Culmore, Muff andst Pete n lononey.

Maghera parish is currentlyvacant.

Mr Miller attributed thesuccess in achieving fundingto a team effort in the par-h, ng: we e gtefufo o-ounty potsupport given to the work ofMaghera Caring Association.

The Revd Mark Lennoxis currently CommunityOutreach Officer for theMaghera Caring Association.He commented: The ini-tiatives enabled by this grantfunding come in line with

the diocesan commitment toTransforming Communityrtng cht. we fee sense of excitement at whatGod is going to do throughthese new initiatives.

Bishop Good welcomed theinitiative taken by the parish of

a snt, cooney, to enggepractically with the commu-nty, ng: i eghtethat the International Fundfor Ireland has agreed to the

funding of a substantial newresource to make this workeven more effective. I com-mend the rector and selectvestry for the courageous ini-tiative they have taken andfeel sure this project will ben-efit a large number of peoplein the community.

Bishop Good also wel-comed the decision of theInternational Fund forIreland to make the award toMaghera parish. He said thatthe parish had a proven trackrecord of engagement withthe wider community andadded that he was confidentthat the community will beenriched by the work that willflow from this project.

Bishop Good welcomes majorfunding boost for parish projects

Bishop Ken Good

Est. 1856


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Home NewsCHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 - 3

The present widedivergence and diver-sity among mission

agencies in the AnglicanCommunion is contributingto the divisions within the

Anglican Communion itselfand threatening Anglicanunity, Canon PatrickComerford told a recent ecu-menical gathering.

Those divisions and diver-sity separating the differentmission agencies within the

Anglican tradition of theChurch reflect the divisions

within Anglicanism todayand have also contributed ina large measure to creatingthose divisions, he said.

Canon Comerford wasdelivering the annual ecu-menical lecture-sermon at StPatricks College, Kiltegan, Co.

Wicklow. Director of SpiritualFormation at the Church ofIreland Theological Institutein Dublin, he is a formerchair of the Association ofMission Societies; has workedfor CMS Ireland and theDublin University Far EasternMission; and is on the board ofUSPG Ireland and the councilof USPG in Great Britain.

He went on to say that thedivisions between the mis-sion agencies and within

Anglicanism can be damag-

ing not only for the witnessand mission of one tradition

within the Church but alsofor the witness and missionof the whole Anglican tradi-tion - indeed, for that wholeone Church, the ChurchCatholic.

Canon Comerford believedthe rift threatening to dividethe Anglican Communionmeant that, for example,

African bishops and arch-bishops were sending mis-sionaries and priests to North

America not to convert non-Christians or to plant church-es, but to win away membersof the Anglican or EpiscopalChurch (TEC).

True mission, he asserted,like true ecumenism, is more

concerned with the GoodNews than with good state-ments; is more concerned

with proclaiming justice thanpassing judgment; is moreconcerned with mission than

with conformity; and rejoicesin diversity by finding ourunity in the Word of God.

The emergence of a shal-low fundamentalism that islacking in real spirituality and

which promotes a feel-goodfactor but not discipleship,he continued, threatens theChurch in all its expressionsin various guises. It is, bynature, opposed to all ecu-menism.

Canon Comerford con-cluded his lecture by describ-ing the present crisis in the

Church in Ireland as themost immediate challenge

we face in ecumenism and inmission: a crisis of confidencein integrity, in morality, in thelife, witness and mission ofthe Church.

It is a crisis that is so deepthat it is a barrier to manypeople ever being open againto receiving the ministry of

Word and Sacrament in theirlives. It is a crisis that hasdealt a severe blow to the

whole Church, not just to onepart of the Church, and if wefail to face this crisis as part-ners in the Gospel and fail to

walk on the road together, wewill fail to allow the Church tobe transformed by the risenChrist.

Mission agencies diversitythreatening Anglican unity - Canon Comerford

Pictured at the ecumenical lecture in Kiltegan are (from left) Fr Joe Cantwell of Kiltegan;Canon Patrick Comerford; Archbishop Walton Empey; the rector of Kiltegan, the Revd StellaDurand; and Fr Ned Grace of Kiltegan.

Dublin group brave weather to engage with Haiti sufferingBy Garrett Casey

Members of the con-gregation of CORE,Diocese of Dublin,

and friends recently bravedovernight sub-zero tempera-tures to take part in a 24-hourfast and sleep-out which raisedover20,000 (including pledg-es) for the work of Tearfund inearthquake-struck Haiti.

The group started the fastand sleep-out at 8.00pm ona bitterly cold Friday eveningand continued until 8.00pmthe following day. Amongstthose participating were law-yers, accountants, architectsand clergy and they spentthe night in tents and sleep-ing bags at the top of GraftonStreet, one of Dublins busiest

pedestrian thoroughfares.According to one of the

organisers, the Revd RobJones, curate-assistantof CORE, with over two

hundred thousand peo-ple dead and over a millionhomeless as a result of theearthquake, it is hard tounderstand the magnitude of

the disaster in Haiti.Through a very small ges-

ture of inconvenience, we aretrying to engage with, andappreciate, the suffering thereand, at the same time, raisedesperately-needed finance.All those involved in this eventwant the beneficiaries of ourefforts to know that we areaware of their hardship andstand with them.

Tearfund Ireland, throughWorld Relief Haiti, will use thefunds to support the KingsHospital in Haiti, which is oneof the few functioning hos-pitals in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and has already set upand supplied three operatingtheatres, staffed by Americanand Haitian surgeons, doctorsand nurses.

The Revd Rob Jones (left) and Nico Dowling, of Atlas LanguageSchool, collecting for the work of Tearfund in Haiti in thecourse of COREs 24-hour sitout.


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Home NewsCHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 - 5

Canon Terry Cadden, rector of Seagoe, Portadown, Dioceseof Dromore (left), is congratulated by Dean Stephen Lowryfollowing Mr Caddens recent installation as a canon ofDromore Cathedral.

There are three church-es in the Mallow union- St James, Mallow;

St Marys, Doneraile; and StMarys, Castletownroche - allof which are active.

St James is a Gothic-stylebuilding, with a very distinc-tive H shape, a tower and

steeple at one end and a largechancel at the other.

It was originally built in the1820s to accommodate 800people, but with the removalof the side galleries, it nowholds about 350. The church

was built in the grounds ofthe much older St Anneschurch, which stands as aruin nearby.

The Eucharist is celebratedon Sundays at 12noon and

Morning Prayer on Mondays,Thursdays and Fridays at9.30am. The Eucharist isalso held on Wednesdaysat 11.00am and coffeeand prayer takes place on

Wednesdays at 4.00pm.St Marys, Castletownroche,

was built in 1825 with a loan

of 1,250 from the Board ofFirst Fruits. The site of thechurch is quite striking, occu-pying a little hill overlookingthe river and set apart fromthe hill on which the mainstreet of the village is built.

St Marys has a tall, slen-der spire which is very strik-

ing, especially when viewedfrom the river bank near theFermoy road.

There is a service inCastletownroche eachSunday at 10.30am.

St Marys, Doneraile, hasbeen used by the Church ofIreland congregation in thearea since it was built in1633.

A ring of six bells was pre-sented by Lady Castletown

of Upper Ossory in 1890 andthe parish still enjoys theprivilege of being one of thevery few country churchesboasting a peal of bells. Thebell, which originally calledpeople to worship as far backas 1636, still sits in the porchof Doneraile church.

The Eucharist is celebratedin Doneraile each Sunday at9.15am.

The present rector, the RevdDenis MacCarthy, was insti-

tuted in 2008 and is assistedby Avril Gubbins, who hasbeen a diocesan reader since2003, and Olive Buckley.

The youth of the parish arevalued for their presence andtheir gifts in the enrichmentof the community in thehere and now, as opposed

to simply being perceivedas the future Church. Thereis a Saturday morning BibleClub and an active YouthClub fortnightly at St James.

The Mallow branch of theMothers Union and mem-bers friends normally meeton the third Tuesday of themonth in St James hall.

Parish Profile is a series ofoccasional articles by Harry

Allen.

Parish ProfileMallow Union of Parishes,

Diocese of CloyneBy Harry Allen

Young people pictured in St James church, Mallow, atharvest time

Archbishop of Armagh issues

statement on policing and justice

The historic cross-commu-nity vote in the NorthernIreland Assembly on

Tuesday 9th March to approvethe arrangements for thedevolution of policing and

justice powers to NorthernIreland is warmly to be wel-comed. It now remains for the

Northern Ireland Executiveand the political parties in the

Assembly to move decisivelyto address the many problems

facing Northern Ireland.The voting in the Assembly

also demonstrated the impor-tance and legitimacy of prin-cipled opposition. This wasimportant in showing theability of robust institutions toexpress difference whilst, at thesame time, being committed to

the acceptance of democrati-cally endorsed decisions. Evenin the context of a mandatorycoalition, principled opposi-tion is required in order to holdthe executive to account.

The people of NorthernIreland have shown a set-tled will to build a peace-

ful and inclusive future. TheChurches have also consist-

ently expressed their owncommitment to peace and thedelivery of a shared future. StPeter, quoting Psalm 34, urgedhis readers to seek peace andpursue it. The vote on Tuesdayand the general reception inthe community at its outcomeis another significant step inpursuit of the truly peacefulsociety for which we all long.


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Home News6 - FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 CHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE

Ruth Mercer (front row, 2ndleft) is pictured following herrecent commissioning in St

Patricks Cathedral, Armagh, asMothers Union (MU) All IrelandPresident, with her husband,Richard (front row, 2nd right),

Bishop Richard Henderson,

MU All Ireland Chaplain (left),and Archbishop Alan Harper.

Mrs Mercer was accompaniedby members of her family (backrow, from left) son-in-law, GaryMcGowan; daughter, Jenny

McGowan; daughter-in-law,Karen Mercer; and son, RalphMercer. The commission-

ing of the All Ireland Board ofTrustees also took place at thisservice.

MU All Ireland President commissioned

C. of I. delegation onCivil Partnership Bill

Adelegation represent-ing the General SynodsStanding Committee

last week met with officialsof the Republics Departmentof Justice to discuss the CivilPartnership Bill.

The delegation consisted ofBishops Michael Jackson andKen Clarke, Canon KatharinePoulton and Sam Harper.

A spokesman for the Churchof Ireland told the Gazette:The meeting was at therequest of the Department ofJustice, following on a submis-

sion by Bishop Jackson andthe Standing Committee onthe Civil Partnership Bill.

The group expressed theview that many in the Churchof Ireland would welcomethe legislation and that it wasimportant that Governmentlegislated for all its citizens.They did, however, raise issuesrelating to freedom of con-science and property.

In response to a requestfor further information onthose issues, the Gazette wastold that some members ofthe delegation had expressedconcern over freedom of con-science issues for registrarswho may have objections toparticipating in civil partner-ship ceremonies for same-sexcouples.

The issues of property, wewere told, related to the avail-

ability of parish halls underthe Equal Status Act in respect

of goods and services. Wewere told that clarity was alsosought on the issue of Church

halls that were not made com-mercially available, and thatDepartment officials had saidthey would respond on thatpoint.

Asked if the delegation hadconveyed a request from theChurch of Ireland for a rel-evant freedom of conscienceprovision to be introduced,the Church spokesman toldthe Gazettethat the concernsraised did not represent a

formal request for any spe-cific amendments in termsof a conscience clause, add-ing: The representatives ofthe Minister for Justice madeit clear that the Minister hasalready considered similarrepresentations from othergroups and that he has taken adecision that such an exemp-tion would not be in the pub-lic interest.

The Gazettewas further toldthat the Church of Irelandgroup suggested that withregard to professional civilservants who, as State employ-ees, feel personally compro-mised were they to act as regis-trars of such civil partnershipsbecause of their Christianfaith and practice, and otherswho find themselves person-ally compromised, some wayof respecting their scruple

should be found when the Billis enacted as law.

Former Belfast Missionto Seafarers chaplain

honoured

Canon Douglas Goddard,who was senior chap-lain to the Mission to

Seafarers in the port of Belfastfrom 1975 until his retirementlast year, recently receivedtwo awards in recognition ofhis long and distinguishedservice within the maritimecommunity.

The Secretary General ofthe Mission to Seafarers, theRevd Tom Heffer, presentedCanon Goddard with the titleChaplain Emeritus. He is thefirst recipient of the award,having given 35 years servicewith the Society.

In addition, the Shipwrecked

Mariners Society presentedCanon Goddard with the

Stoakes Award, recognisinghis 28 years service as its localhonorary agent in Belfast.

Canon Goddard said:Naturally, I am delightedwith both awards and particu-larly touched by the personalgift of Chaplain Emeritusfrom the Secretary Generalof the Mission to Seafarers.However, I also acknowledgethe support of many people,too numerous to number, whohave shared the ministry.

While he has stepped downas senior chaplain, CanonGoddard will continue to helpwith events over the next year,as the Mission to Seafarers in

Belfast celebrates its 150thanniversary.

Canon Douglas Goddard pictured with his two awards


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World NewsCHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE FRIDAY 19 mARCH 2010 - 7

South African theologiandies in drowning accident

S

outh African theolo-gian, Steve de Gruchy,

who died recently ina river accident near theDrakensberg ountains, hasbeen hailed as a pioneer inChurch activis, econoicand ecological justice.

The 48-year-old Universityof KwaZulu-Natal professordrowned after he fell off ariver tube on the mooi River.Prof. de Gruchy waved tohis 15-year-old son, David,that he was alright, but did

not reappear. His body wasrecovered 700 etres down-strea soe days after theaccident.

The General Secretaryof the World Alliance ofRefored Churches, the RevdSetri Nyoi, said: We havelost a great theologian andone who understands ourChristian calling and issionto be intricately linked withbeing Gods agents of trans-

foration and justice in theworld.

The Revd Prince Dibeela,of the United CongregationalChurch of Southern Africa,

who serves on a governingbody of the World Councilof Churches, called Prof. deGruchy a God-loving son of

Africa. He highlighted the

theologians drive to ake the

Church a presence in socialethics, noting how Prof. deGruchy had been a conscien-tious objector against ili-tary conscription during theapartheid era.

While studying at theUniversity of Cape Town, hehad been active in studentprotests against apartheid.

Prof. de Gruchy was a

signatory of the KairosDocuent, a cornerstone inthe capaign to have apart-heid declared a heresy.

The son of theologian,John de Gruchy, he is sur-vived by his wife, marion,and children, Thea Siphokasi,David maphakela and KateTshiao. [ENI]

Prof. Steve de Gruchy (Photo: ENS/Schjonberg)

Muslim woman in Canadaexpelled over face veil files complaint

Amusli woan hasfiled a huan rightscoplaint after she wasexpelled fro a Canadian col-lege for refusing to reove herface veil.

The Egyptian-born woan,who is a peranent residentof Canada, was enrolled in

a governent-sponsoredFrench language class fornew iigrants in montreal,Quebec.

The school, CGEP StLaurent, expelled her inNoveber 2009, after sherefused to reove her niqab,a veil that covers the face withonly a slit for the eyes.

The school argued that

the niqab interfered with thelanguage teaching, since partof the class involved properelocution and seeing how aperson pronounced words inFrench.

For the teacher, it was oredifficult to hear her, and it wasore difficult for all the peo-

ple to understand what shehad to say, said the schoolsdirector, Paul-ile Bourque.

School officials said theyhad tried different ways ofaccoodating the woanbetween February andNoveber 2009. She had pre-viously asked that ale stu-dents in the class not face her,so school officials allowed her

to give an oral presentation atthe far end of the classroowith her back turned to theother students.

The order to reove herniqab cae after officialsfro Quebecs iigrationinistry visited the class. Shewas told she could take the

class on the Internet.The woan, identified only

as Naea, told Canadas CBCNews that she wanted to learnFrench so that she could workas a pharacist in the prov-ince.

She has filed a coplaintwith Quebecs HuanRights Coission, sayingthat her freedo of religion

was violated.The accoodation of

religious inorities has chal-lenged any Western nationsin recent years. In January,a parliaentary panel inFrance recoended a banon musli woen wearingface veils in public buildings,

but stopped short of a totalprohibition.

Elsewhere in Canada, anOntario court in 2009 orderedan alleged sexual assault vic-ti to reove her niqab totestify in court against twoen accused of assaultingher. The woan appealed theorder and is awaiting a newhearing into the atter. [ENI]

C. of E. staff

picket over

pay and

pensions

Picket lines were cre-ated last Friday (12thmarch) at LabethPalace and Church House,Westinster, in a row overpay and pensions. Soe 118ebers of staff representedby the Public and CoercialServices Union voted to strike

for that afternoon. Church ofEngland eployees are angrythat their pay is being frozenand that changes to their pen-sions ean soe will loseout on thousands, PreierChristian Radio reported.

The union said it initiallyasked for a three per cent risefor workers. After that wasrejected, the union offered aone per cent rise and extradays for the Christas holi-

day. This coproise wasrejected.

The Church responded:Faced with tight budgets,anageent had to ake dif-ficult choices, aiing to avoidjob cuts while coitting sub-stantial additional aounts ofoney to the defined benefitpension schee.


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Focuson Lambeth Palace Library8 - FRIDAY 19 mARch 2010 FRIDAY 19 mARch 2010 - 9

Lambeth Palace Library to stage 400th anniversary exhibition

To elebrate 400 yearssine its foundation,Labet Palae Library

is offering te publi a spe-ial exibition, Treasuresof Labet Palae Library -400t Anniversary Exibition1610-2010, to run in Londonat Labet Palaes Great hallfro monday 17t may untilFriday 23rd July.

Te exibition will revealenturies of istory and intsat te dept and intelletu-al value of te ites in teLibrarys are, soe of wi

will be on display for te firsttie.

It will draw fro te ri anddiverse olletions of anu-sripts, arives and printedbooks, built up over te pastfour enturies.

Riard Banroft, Arbisopof canterbury fro 1604 untilis deat in 1610, bequeatedis extensive olletion ofprinted books and anu-sripts to te Ar-Bisopsof canterbury suessively forever, resulting in te forationof Labet Palae Library.

On sow will be key itesolleted during LabetPalae Librarys 400 years asa working library, beginningwit te founding olletionowned and used by ArbisopBanroft as is teologialarsenal in a tie of religiousontroversy and as a solarand patron of learning.

Treasures inlude a

Gutenberg Bible (mainz,1455), te first book printedin Western Europe fro ov-able etal type; te 12t en-tury Labet Bible, regardedas one of te onuents ofRoanesque art; soe uniquewitraft trats olleted byBanroft troug is interestin debates over diaboli pos-session and exoris; andhenry Jaob, To the right highand mightie Prince, Iames ...

An humble suppliation for tol-eration, (middleboroug 1609),annotated angrily by KingJaes I.

Founding olletion treas-ures inlude anusripts frote dissolved onasteries ofcrist cur canterbury andSt Augustines in canterbury,Llantony Priory and WaltaAbbey.

many books and anu-sripts are linked wit great

naes of te past - a set of teworks of Aristotle, printed inVenie between 1495 and 1498,was owned by Robert Dudley,Earl of Leiester, favourite ofQueen Elizabet I - andwrit-ten insriptions on ea titlepage are tougt to representte entwined iper signatureof Elizabet and Leiester; andKing Riard IIIs 15t entu-ry anusript Book of Hours,wi was in is tent at teBattle of Boswort in August1485.

In te 17t entury, furteranusripts and books wereadded to te Library, inlud-ing an aount of ArbisopLauds trial, wi adbelonged to King carles I and

is insribed Du spiro spero(Wile I breate I ave ope).

Oters inluded Georgecarews papers on Iris istoryand journals of Elizabetanand Jaobean voyages to teAerias.

During te 18t and 19t en-turies, te olletions developedwit te addition of istorialtreasures su as te 9t en-tury MacDurnan Gospelbook,produed in Ireland during teearly middle Ages and ownedby King Atelstan of Wessex(reigned 924-939); Greek an-usripts dating fro te 10tentury, any in teir originalByzantine bindings; and pysi-ians reports on te illness ofKing George III.

An iportant developentin 1964 was te establisentof te Friends of LabetPalae Library. Te Friendsave presented soe very spe-ial ites to te Librarys ol-letion, inluding a 1516 letterof indulgene, issued by PopeLeo X, for te rebuilding of StPeters in Roe; first editions oflandark texts in te istory ofte cur of England; a opyof te warrant for te exeutionof mary Queen of Sots andan aopanying letter frote Privy counil, dated 3rd

February 1587; papers relatingto te divore of King henry VIIIand caterine of Aragon; anaount of te baptis of tefuture King carles II; papersrelating to te rebuilding of StPauls catedral after te GreatFire; and a and-oloured lit-ograp of te ristening of tePriness Royal, 1841.

In 1996, te Library wasenaned troug te trans-fer of te pre-1850 olletionsfro Sion college Library(establised in 1630 for tebenefit of te London lergy),inluding an extreely rareBabylonian Talud printedby Daniel Boberg at Veniebetween 1526 and 1548.

As part of te Sala GreatLibraries of te World series,a beautiful book aopanieste exibition: Lambeth PalaceLibrary: Treasures from theCollection of the Archbishopsof Canterbury, edited by

Dr Riard Paler and Drmielle Brown. Publised inardbak in mar 2010, a soft-bak edition will be on sale atte Exibition.

Labet Palae Library isdesignated as an outstand-ing olletion of pre-einentnational and internationaliportane by te museus,Libraries and Arivescounil.

It is te istori library andreord offie of te Arbisopsof canterbury and te prin-ipal repository of te dou-entary istory of te curof England. Its olletionsave been freely available forresear sine 1610.

Te reords eld date frote 9t entury to te presentday, and teir broad sopereflets te offie of Arbisopas ead of te Provine ofcanterbury, is national and

international roles in leadingte cur of England andte Anglian counionworldwide, and te wealt andpower of Arbisops in pastenturies wi enabled te

to ollet books and anu-sripts of te igest qualityand signifiane.

Jaes I desribed te Libraryas a onuent of fae in iskingdo. Peter te Great, wo

visited in 1698, is reorded assaying tat noting in Englandastonised i as u asLabet Palae Library; e adnever tougt tere were soany books in all te world.

LAMBETH PALACE

EXHIBITION

DETAILS

Dates: monday 17t mayto Friday 23rd July 2010

Open: monday to Saturday:10.00a to 5.00p, last adis-sion 4.30p.

closed on Sundays and on22nd may, 12t and 26t June2010

Venue: Te Great hall,Labet Palae Library,Labet Palae Road, LondonSE1 7JU

curator: Gabriel Sewell,Labet Palae Library

Adission: In advane atwww.l abe tp ala eli brar y.org or telepone te 24-ourbooking line on 0871 230 1107;adult 8, onessions 7

Groups ust book inadvane (iniu 10)

Free audio guide inludedwit adission

Disabled aess Travel: Nearest station:

Vauxall (ainline and under-ground)

Buses: 77, 507*, c10 toLabet Palae Road; 3 and344 to Labet Road [*Bus507 runs between Vitoria andWaterloo stations]MacDurnan Gospels. Archbishop Bancroft, under whose will

the Lambeth Palace Library was set up, acquired a number ofbooks from dissolved monastic libraries, one of which was theMacDurnan Gospels. It was gifted by King Athelstan of Wessex(reigned 924-939) to Christ Church, Canterbury. Prior to KingAthelstan, it was owned by Maelbright MacDurnan (MaelBrigte mac Tornain), Abbot of Armagh (c. 888) and Raphoe.

The MacDurnan Gospelbookwas published in Ireland (prob-ably Armagh) in the second half of the 9th century. It is writtenin Latin and Old Irish on vellum. This pocket-sized book is theearliest work on view at the 400th anniversary exhibition.

12th century Lambeth Bible. Illustrated is the panel depicting Ruth and Boaz. Latin on vel-lum. This enormous Bible is one of 12 giant Romanesque Bibles that have survived, albeitunfinished and missing some illuminations. It was illuminated in south-east England, but it isnot known exactly where or by whom. In the12th century, sets of these enormous Bibles wereproduced for monasteries in Western Europe, as a result of Pope Gregory VIIs stressing of theimportance of the Bible in religious and monastic life.

Te cur of EnglandReord centre at LabetPalae Library olds te

arives of te entral institu-

tions of te cur of Englandand teir predeessor organisa-tions relating to te funtionsand ativities of te Angliancur in England, cannelIslands and te Isle of man.

Topis overed by te ari-val olletions inlude te fol-lowing:

Buildings,includingchan-el repairs to paris ures;onstrution of new ures,partiularly wit te assist-ane of te cur Buildingscoission (1818-1856); par-sonage ouses; bisops resi-denes; estate properties; andte arives of te counil forte care of c ures;

Churchlegislationandpol-iy-aking sine 1919 trougte cur Assebly, its boardsand ounils and, sine 1970,te General Synod;

Church property, includ-ing te anageent of teorporate estates of tecur coissioners for-

erly belonging to Bisops,catedrals and oter urpreferents;

Commissions of enquiryinto various aspets of tecur of England, inludingRoyal coissions and cur

Assebly coissions after1919;

Develop ment o f p arish inistry troug te reationand aalgaation of ben-efies; subission of statistialreturns by inubents; and teregulation of fees and sales ofproperty;

Education, including thefinanial assistane and adviegiven to cur of Englandsools in England and Walesby te National Soiety (estab-lised 1811);

Financial assistance givento te paris lergy, inludingendowents to benefie apital

and loans for parsonage ousesby te Queen Annes Bounty(1704-1948), te Elesiastialcoissioners (1836-1948)

and te cur coissionerssine 1948;

Workof Christianorgani-sations, inluding te forerBritis counil of cures(establised in 1942), curesTogeter in Britain and Irelandand te cristian EvideneSoiety.

Te arival reords, inlud-ing files and deeds, an beade available for publi view-ing at Labet Palae Librarybetween 10.00a and 5.00pmonday to Friday. Anyone

wising to onsult te reordswill be required to give fivedays notie of teir visit to teLibrary and will need to obtaina readers tiket and abide byLibrary rules. Te reords willbe delivered to te Library and

will be retained tere for 20working days.

The Church of England Record Centre

Gazette editor,canon Ian Ellis,talks to mrs Gabriel

Sewell, the Labeth PalaeLibrarys Assistant Librarianand curator of its 400th

Anni vers ary Exhi biti on.Listen at www.gazette.ireland.anglian.org/audio/audio.htl.

Audio:Interview withGabriel Sewell


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Soap10 - FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 CHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE

This is something thatI need like a hole in thehead, Steve conclud-ed - to himself - as hereflected on a conversa-tion he had had with Eva

Jackson, St Davids saintin residence.She had collared him

after church the previ-ous Sunday saying thatshe had a wonderful ideawhich she just had toshare with him. When washe free? She hoped soonbecause it couldnt wait.If it was to work, it had tobe acted on quickly.

Steve arranged a timeearly in the week andbraced himself.

Steve, Ive been think-ing about Good Friday.You know that this yearOberammergau is onceagain holding its PassionPlay. Well, why not havea St Davids Passion Playas well?

Steve was too stunned

to say anything morethan: How?

Ive been think-ing about that, too, andIve been doing a bit ofresearch - a bit of dig-ging. She smiled atSteve in such a way thatbrooked no dissent. Itwas a kind of victorious,patronising smile.

I know one parish

where it all started offas a dramatised read-ing of the Passion nar-rative and then it kindof developed.

Eva looked at Steveand cocked an eye-brow that said: Imsure you want me to con-tinue.

Steve kept monosyl-labic: How? If he con-tinued like this, he wouldbegin to sound like BigChief Sitting Bull!

Well, first of all, theyhad a narrator who readthe non-dialogue part.He was like, continuity. Atfirst, the rest of the castwere just going to readvarious parts, but then

somebody made the sug-gestion that they shoulddress up to look like thecharacters they repre-sented and then it furtherdeveloped into them act-

ing it out at the front ofthe church.

But Steve startedto fill metaphorical buck-ets of cold water.

Just hear me out, Steve,before you dismiss theidea. Eva was one stepahead of him.

First, the only oneto have a lot of lines tolearn was the person whoplayed Jesus and surelyJonathan would be able

to play that part.Second, they did all the

rehearsals after churchin Holy Week. Thats allthey needed - four nights- and it certainly boosted

their Holy Week congre-gation.

Eva both raised hereyebrow and nodded atSteve as if to say: Nowthat caught your interest,didnt it?

Ive been able to get acopy of the script. Shehanded Steve a folder. Infact, its all directly fromthe Gospels and eachscene is either introducedor completed by a hymn.

So the congregation par-ticipates and is not just apassive audience.

Steve, who had oncebeen a member of anamateur dramatic group,

could begin to visualisewhat Eva was describingand the thespian in himwas becoming interested.

I could help you pro-duce it; that is, if youdidnt need me to play apart. Ive done my shareof amateur dramatics,you know, she smiledtriumphantly.

Now what do you

think? Wouldnt it be awonderful opportunity?You havent invited any-one for Holy Week thisyear, have you?

Well, no, Steve admit-ted. Jonathan and I aregoing to share the preach-ing this year.

There you are. Youllboth be around eachevening and it would

be so dramatic on GoodFriday night and the choircould also sing some spe-cial pieces. Look, its allthere, she said, indicat-ing the folder. Youll onlyneed to get a dozen or sofor the various parts andsurely theres enough tal-ent in St Davids to make

it possible. Now pleasesay yes. She leaned

over and put her handon Steves arm.

It certainly has pos-sibilities, Steve had toadmit, and I supposeit could work.

There, what did Itell you. Eva rose to

go. Ill leave it with you.You know people bet-ter than I do, but youllneed to get cracking tobe ready to start on theMonday of Holy Week.Oh, I am so excited andthank you, thank you forbeing so innovative. Illhelp you all I can. Just letme know.

She was gone before hehad time to say: Ill thinkabout it.

By Ted Woods

She smiled in such a way thatbrooked no dissent a kind of

victorious, patronising smile


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Life Lines12 - FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010 CHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE

Two recent earthquakes havewrought devastation. First,there was Haiti; then, there

was Chile. Lives were lost; build-ings and public services alike col-lapsed; and so did much else. Forcomfortable westerners like us,questions arise. They are not new,but, in the modern intellectualclimate, they will not go away andfacile answers will - thankfully- be seen immediately for whatthey are.

How could a God who is sup-posed to be loving and all-power-ful allow such things to happen?

Its a good question.One answer goes

something like this: ifhes all-powerful andlets this happen, hecant be very loving. Ifhes loving and cantprevent it, what sort ofGod is he? Either way,not worth worship-ping, thats for sure. For some,this poses a real problem; for oth-ers, its climbing on the backs ofsufferers to find an excuse for notbelieving.

Heres the other answer: soundsterribly impressive. It showshow angry God is with the world(and why wouldnt he be ..?).Christians, Muslims and others

pitched in with this one on RadioUlster in January 2005, after theBoxing Day tsunami. RichardDawkins was on the same pro-gramme. I can actually under-stand why he said on air (as hedid): I despise all religions.

Romans 1 shows Gods judg-ment at work in the world; butdoes that really explain every-

thing, giving us permission topronounce judgment left, rightand centre? Read the Book of Jobor John 9; you could also pon-der Luke 13: 1-5. They contain allthe warnings you could ever needagainst simplistic explanations.

Now Christians believe whatthey do believe (or, at least, theyshould do) not because of someimpressive philosophical prooffor the existence of the divine,but because of the testimony of

Scripture and the person andwork of Jesus Christ - incarnate,crucified, risen and ascended.

Whatever understanding of suf-fering we have has to be cen-tred on him. More of that in amoment.

Consider now what geology tellsus about how the world works.Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsuna-mis and the like mostly occur atthe edges of tectonic plates. Manyreaders may have seen some of

this on Prof. Ian Stewarts excel-lent BBC 2 geology programmes.These plates cover the earths sur-face; they are in a constant stateof motion; and thats what causesthese disruptive events.

Theyve been going on for anawfully long time and its becauseof these plates-in-motion that wehave everything we need for life:

oceans, ore deposits, soils and soon. In other words, the sustainingof life as we know it on this planetis closely bound up with theseprocesses.

But wouldnt it have been niceif the creator had dreamed upanother world where everythingcame ready-made? No muckingaround with moving plates and soon. Well, maybe.

Its nice when you have a holi-day to laze around and do noth-

ing for a few days or even a coupleof weeks; but to be dumped ona ready-made planet with every-

thing on tap and noth-ing risky ever goingon might just turn outto be hell-on-earth.Nothing to challengeus; make demands onus; draw compassionout of us. In a worldlike that, would we betrulyhuman?

I admit to speculating, but Icant get these speculations out ofmy mind.

Here, I return to Jesus. Withouthim, there would still be plen-ty of religion around, but noChristianity. As we approach HolyWeek and Good Friday, we arebeing drawn into the heart of dark-ness, where sin and evil appear

to be winning hands down. Thatthey end up defeated rather thanvictorious is because God is at thevery storm-centre, in the personof his Son, dealing with it.

That sounds a great deal better- even if it still leaves huge ques-tions - than some philosophicalexplanation sent down from aremote above. Doesnt it?

Ron Elsdon

When ground and faithare both shaken

Romans 1 shows Gods judgment at workin the world; but does that really explain

everything, giving us permission topronounce judgment left, right and centre?


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Book ReviewsCHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE FRIDAY 19 mARCH 2010 - 13

Jesus and the GospelWomenar: J CcmcGrpbr: spCKprc: 10.99

THIs i a book of deep i-do, beautifully expreed. Ittitle ight care oe poten-tial reader - otly en - butthey need not be orried.Thi i no feinit tract, butrather a ne and refrehingperpective on Jeu, uing theGopel oen a a point ofreference.

The author i both prietand conultant clinical py-chologit. she ha her fingeron the deep pule of life and,through her undertanding ofpeople (not jut oen), por-tray a Jeu of arth andhuanity - a believable Jeu- in contrat to the anodyne,quai-ythological figure thati o often preented today.

Here e have a Jeu hoehuanity and peronality

develop through hi contactith people, both ale andfeale. Here e have a Jeuho can be partially explainedin any ay, but ho ub-vert and redefine any eaytitle e give hi in profoundlychallenging ay: challengingboth to our perception of hi,and alo to our elf-iage andcoplacency. It enriche atevery level.

The author launche her

book, oehat cheekily, byparalleling Jeu ith JaneAutin mr Darcy. she doenot tretch the analogy too far,but ue it alot a a thera-peutic device to help u under-tand our on relationhipith Jeu: The ene that he(Darcy) ha hidden depth andouldering fire beneath theenigatic urface allo the

reader to project her ideal,her need and fantaie on tohi. so it i ith Jeu.

she recognize that Jeuha coniderable advantageover Darcy - he i both a realhitorical figure and a continu-ing preence. Depite an initialceptici fro thi revieer,the exaple ork rearkablyell a a device to encourageu to think through the aye relate to ignificant other,both real and iaginary.

mcGrath doe not topthere - the bulk of the book itaken up ith enitive exai-nation of Jeu interactionith the Gopel oen - hiother, mary magdalene, thesyro-Phoenician oan, thesaaritan oan, mary andmartha of Bethany, to naeonly the key player.

I ill return often to thibook, both for editation andinpiration. It project lightfro an angle that I, a a erean, could never have done,but hich oen reader illkno deep don to be true.It can do thi becaue it i adeeply huane book, reveal-ing a deeply huane Jeu;thereby, it underline both hidivinity and hi poer.

t K

Jesus and philosophyar: d Cpbr: sCm pr

IT wAs quite a trange expe-

rience to read thi book fol-loing a onth tudying theFirt Letter of John in y dailydevotion. John a ritinghi letter in repone to theGnotic teaching, a theytried to peruade people it anot neceary to go throughJeu to kno God.

They endeavoured to epa-rate the orld of the fleh and

the pirit. The idea of Jeubecoing incarnate in a bodyof fleh a repugnant tothe.

Don Cupitt baic arguentin thi book i that Jeu aa radical teacher and philoo-pher, but nothing ore thanthat. He argue that, for ageneration after hi death, hidiciple preerved good tradi-tion about hi eage, but itent donhill fro then on.A people believed that Jeua rien, exalted to heavenand ould return to earth toetablih hi kingdo, a culteerged around hi hichblurred the radical nature ofhi teaching.

In eeing Jeu a nothingore than a good religiouteacher or a radical philoo-pher, it truck e that thi iexactly the ort of teachingthat John anted to arn hilitener to beare of.

I couldnt ith integrity rec-oend thi book to indi-vidual or parihe. I iplycouldnt follo Cupitt argu-ent about ho Jeu aoeho hijacked by theChurch fro being a radi-cal thinker to becoe themeiah.

I found hi orldvie di-piriting and depreing, herehe decribed life a baele,brief, pointle and utterlycontingent, and yet - in itvery nihility - beautiful, ethi-cally deanding, olen andfinal. (p.2)

I find thi uch a contrat tothe erenity and dignity ithhich I have een people of

faith approach their death.If there i any value in thi

book, it i to highlight thechallenge of being radical fol-loer of Jeu Chrit. If thii the concluion Don Cupittha coe to in oberving theipact of Jeu teachingupon hi folloer during hilifetie, perhap other peopleare looking at our live andcoing to iilar concluion.That ould be a very orrying

thought indeed.J prc

the thinGs he said:the stoRy oF the FiRsteasteR dayar: s Crpbr: spCK; 80

THIs i a all but very poer-ful book. while on Good Friday

there i naturally uch reflec-tion on Jeu even lat ordfro the Cro, hi ord onEater Day do not receive theae concentrated focu.

stephen Cottrell, ho iBihop of Reading, ha pro-vided hi on unique reedyfor thi ituation in hi reflec-tion on the firt ord of therien Chrit.

An accoplihed devotionalriter, Cottrell bring a verylively approach to hi ork.The Things He Said i actuallyenergizing to read, conveyingthe Eater tory in iaginativeand atopheric riting.

when mary arrive to anointthe body of Jeu, the toryi recounted by Cottrell ithfeeling: she tare in horror. Iti hideouly apparent hat hahappened, hi body eized byoe over-confident band oftupid zealot. It i alo deeplyfrightening. There ill be orecontrovery. more candal. Theteperature ill rie again.Thi tie it ight conue

her. would it ever be over?she look to left and right,

earching for any trace ofhere he ight be or hoight be cloe. But he i co-pletely alone, and all he canee i deecration.

To editate ith Cottrell inthi ay i to be dran into theytery of the Reurrection.Over the eek of Lent,Chritian have o any heavything on hich to ponder and,

if that journey i done right, itill not have been eay. Thereare rigour attached to Lentendicipline and thought.

Then coe Eater and thedread i dipelled. To thinkon Chrit Eater ord ithCottrell i to be both enlivenedby hope and trengthened infaith.

er


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Transcript of COI Gazette 19Mar10