Bishop Ken Good in his address to the Derry & Raphoe Synod this week said – In recent years, there has been a major shift in public perception of, and in media comment about, the institutional Church in Ireland, and few of us could have anticipated how large that shift would become in a short space of time.
He continued – The Roman Catholic Church is dealing with a strong and vocal reaction to recent reports relating to child protection. The Church of Ireland is contending with high levels of media interest in our divisions about approaches to human sexuality. Other churches too, no doubt, have challenges which they are feeling keenly.
I am very pleased to welcome to the Synod today, Rev Ian Henderson, President of the Methodist Conference, Rev Robert Buick, Moderator of the Derry and Donegal Presbytery and Monisgnor Eamon Martin, representing Bishop Seamus Hegarty. Each of them will be invited to bring us greetings shortly.
Not only because of these issues, but because of other social changes as well, the institutional church is now open to a degree of scrutiny and critique which was not the norm previously.
The new reality is that society is now more secular, more diverse, less homogeneous, more questioning, and less accepting of authority and of inherited traditions, whether ecclesiastical or otherwise.
This is a challenge for all of the churches, but I believe it is one that we do well to face head on, engaging with it constructively and imaginatively, rather than lamenting what we have lost or longing vainly for a return to former times!
I say this because, on the positive side, we are living at a time when there is a higher level of media and public interest in religious and spiritual matters than for years. If we are willing to discuss, debate, explore, engage – rather than just declare and pronounce – then the opportunities are there in the market–place, in print and on the airwaves – as well as in informal coffee–shop conversations and other social settings – for us to share and present the positive case for living life with faith in Christ and the wholesome implications of so doing.
Obstacles and challenges for church members and church leaders present an opportunity for us to grow and to develop as we rely on the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Frank A Clark once said, ‘If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.’
Our path may be a challenging one, with obstacles along the way, but it is a path which we know leads somewhere trustworthy and true.
FAITH GROWS DURING CHALLENGING TIMES
We don’t have to be experts in anatomy to know that muscles become stronger by being stretched and exercised, and that, by contrast, when they remain idle and under–used, they become weaker.
The same pattern is true of faith. When our faith is exercised and used, when it is put to the test during times of risk–taking and challenge, then it is more likely to strengthen and grow. So the times we are living in, far from weakening our faith, can strengthen and develop it. And I am pleased to be able to say that I am seeing signs that the challenges in parishes are being met with faith, with vision, with imagination, with commitment and with fruitfulnes