THE Church of Ireland is not "split" on the issue of second marriages, the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames, said yesterday.
Proposed legislation before next week's General Synod, which gives clergy the right to decline to remarry a divorced person in church if they so wish, is a "pastoral measure to meet a pastoral situation" the Archbishop said.
Dr Eames, who was briefing journalists on the Synod agenda, said some clergy felt they could not perform such a ceremony as a matter of conscience. This was a "normal human condition", and it would be "extraordinary" if clergy of the Church of Ireland did not reflect that, he said. The legislation, which is a revised version of previous attempts to resolve the issue, has dropped the controversial "penitential rite" which couples would have had to undergo during a remarriage service.
The bill states that in cases where a decree of nullity has been granted on grounds acceptable to the Church of Ireland, the bishop shall declare that the applicant is free to marry in church. In other eases involving a favourable judgment, the bishop shall prescribe that a private service of preparation for remarriage be conducted with the parties involved before matrimony.
The proposed bill reaffirms traditional Church of Ireland teaching on remarriage, the Archbishop said. This was not to say that the Church of Ireland was advocating divorce. It reflected "quite a unity" within the church on the remarriage issue, the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Rev Gordon Linney, added.
The future of the ministry is another theme of the Synod, which also places great emphasis on youth and education. Reports prepared by the ministry committee since 1993 had provided a lot of material to reflect upon, but there was now a need for action, Mr Linney said.
Referring to the continuing debate on child sexual abuse, the Archdeacon said there was a silent concern about the long term effect on working with young people. He personally deplored the abuses, but the current debate was not addressing the impact on the role model relationship. Nor was it adequately addressing the implications for a society where young people were taught not to trust adults, and adults felt they had to keep away from youth work - much of which was very valuable.
