Rite & Reason:"We hereby nail our colours to the mast of generous ecumenical engagement," said Archbishop Alan Harperat the recent installations of the Rev Dr Ken Newell and Prof Enda McDonagh as canons of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Let this, therefore, now be said: division among the people of God is a horrid thing, a scandalous thing.
Before anyone thinks seriously about declaring the impossibility of maintaining bonds of cohesion, of affection, of respect and of tolerance, he or she should consider how long-lasting and impacted may become the incompatibility and how complex and demanding it may be to effect reconciliation. Such things in the life of the church are reckoned in centuries, not decades.
They remain a permanent scar upon the body that is Christ's.
I should like to think, however, that the Church of Ireland, in consenting to the establishment of these two canonries in our national cathedral, is doing more than recognising the contributions of two outstanding churchmen of other denominations. In their persons they represent more than themselves, they represent the church members and the traditions from which they come.
We, in turn, recognise that, in placing them here as part of the capitular body of the national cathedral, as a church we are incomplete without them. Diversity is of the very nature of the body of Christ - many limbs and organs, differing but complementary functions. Division is not of the body's nature.
It is not the case, therefore, that we are better off without one another when we differ in profound or significant ways.
Rather, we are incomplete without one another, we have engaged in a disordered exercise in self-harm when we sever limb from limb. The presence of Ken Newell and Enda McDonagh* in our midst brings a measure of healing and renewal within that part of the body which is the Church of Ireland.
I notice, and indeed bear witness, that without resolving all the differences of doctrine and church order that divide our churches - issues about the real presence, predestination, the status of Mary, episcopal, priestly and diaconal ministry, for example: without being close to fully resolving those arcane theological and doctrinal disagreements, the Church of Ireland General Synod voted unanimously to create these ecumenical canonries - no dissent! The synod also left it to the dean and chapter [ of St Patrick's] to determine who should be elected.
In other words there was total consent and total trust displayed by the General Synod that this action represents the mind and will of the Church of Ireland.
We hereby nail our colours to the mast of generous ecumenical engagement and the quest for unity within the body of Christ.
Yet here I am brought to a shuddering halt, for here, in this island that has seen the perpetuation of 16th- and 17th-century religious wars into the 20th century (although, please God, not the 21st), here we find ourselves part of a worldwide communion rushing enthusiastically and headlong into a new and exciting division (over homosexuality).
Each protagonist claims a monopoly on righteousness, the scriptures are quarried, interpreted and re-interpreted mercilessly to justify a cherished orthodoxy and the body of Christ is lacerated afresh. And yet, the Christian experience and our local experience indicate that the lacerations, disfigurements and amputations will last long after the causes of conflict have ceased to occupy those positions of pivotal importance that they once seemed to hold.
Archbishop Njongokulu Ndungane of Capetown, preaching recently in Westminster Abbey, said some things with which I find myself in profound agreement: "There are areas of life where we have made great changes - not to scripture itself, but to how we understand it. For example, it is entirely clear that slavery is accepted within the pages of the Bible. Even St Paul says: 'Let each of you remain in the condition to which you were called. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't be concerned about it'. (1 Cor 7.20,21)
"It is wonderful that this year you have celebrated two centuries since the abolition of slavery . . . We have changed our position on lending money at interest - though I must say that I am often rather less than convinced that we were right!
"We have changed our position on contraception. And we have changed our position on the role of women in the church. Even where we disagree on this we find ways to agree to disagree, but we have NOT changed our position on Jesus, and I do not see that we could and still call ourselves Christians.
"If anyone wants to pick a fight with me about my faith, let it be on the grounds of my relationship with Jesus and my belief in who he is: the belief to which scripture attests and the creeds affirm."
Here we are, in this cathedral today, after 400 years of division and disunity, taking one minuscule step to try to undo what men insisted in all good conscience they must do all those centuries ago and still our zeal for separation flourishes. Sometimes we seem to rejoice in our brokenness and reinvent commandments and ordinances so that we may refine those differences that define our disunity.
And Christ is crucified afresh. And the hammer driving in the nails is in our hand! Can we not resolve, no matter how sharp our spats and how profound our disagreements, that when we differ - as we shall, many times - we covenant with one another not to break with one another to the extent of division, except on the single issue of our relationship with and belief in Jesus Christ?
* Prof McDonagh could not be present when Archbishop Harper spoke but was installed as the second ecumenical canon of St Patrick's in a separate ceremony last Thursday evening.
Archbishop Alan Harper is the Church of Ireland primate. This is an edited version of the sermon he delivered in St Patrick's Cathedral on July 1st.