IN A strongly-worded statement, the Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Alan Harper and the church’s Archbishop of Dublin John Neill condemned a plan by Florida pastor Terry Jones to burn the Koran today.
Issued prior to Mr Jones’s announcement yesterday that he was cancelling the event, the statement joined bishops in international condemnation of the plan. It was also signed by bishops Richard Clarke, Michael Jackson and Trevor Williams. The bishops assured Muslims in Ireland “that we condemn this sectarian act”.
“We hope that as we continue to meet, talk and work together for the common good, our understanding of one another’s faith will grow, and friendship between Christian and Muslim will deepen.”
They said “the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue of the Church of Ireland last week held a successful conference to encourage Church of Ireland members to engage in inter-faith dialogue”.
“Conference delegates visited the Islamic Centre in Dublin, where they were graciously received”. They said “the offence offered to these our ‘inter-faith’ friends by such an outrage is deeply deplored by us”.
The Irish Council of Churches, together with Evangelical Alliance Ireland and Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland, also joined in the condemnation. They noted that “Muslims throughout the world have just celebrated the holy month of Ramadan, and as they ask forgiveness from each other and renew relationships it is offensive and entirely wrong that any person or group would engage in such a deliberate act of provocation”.
Stephen Cave, Northern Ireland director of Evangelical Alliance, added: “This unChrist-like action not only makes a mockery of the Christian faith but endangers the religious liberty and free speech argument behind which Pastor Jones hides.” Seán Mullan, general director of Evangelical Alliance Ireland, said: “The teaching of Jesus is clear. His followers are to love their neighbour as themselves...Burning a book that your neighbour views as sacred is a violation of those commands.”
Bishop Richard Clarke, president of the Irish Council of Churches, said “burning the Koran or any sacred text is a depravity and an act of sacrilege”.
