Madam, - It was good to read that "Mature faith has nothing to fear from critical reason" (Opinion & Analysis, January 6th) and then that the "Church needs to face up to new challenges" (Rite & Reason, January 8th).
Indeed, it is good that such serious thinking about religious faith is being aired in a national newspaper.
So from Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland sources we are beginning to hear that the time is here now for all of us, in our various Christian traditions, to grow up. It's time to stop "saying nothing". Time to stop trying to prevent the future from entering the church doors. Time to stop being content with the infantile understandings of the faith that it has sometimes been in the interests of church authorities to encourage.
It's time to allow ourselves to hear what serious biblical scholarship has been saying for decades, and time to be honest about why we are following the Christian way - what it means to us and what it asks of us.
Maybe at last we are about to leave fear and hypocrisy behind, and rediscover the open and inclusive teachings of Jesus.
- Yours, etc,
Canon HILARY WAKEMAN, Co-ordinator, Open Christianity Network, Skeagh, Schull, Co Cork.