WCC NEWS: Church Leaders Group in Ireland: “treat our fragile peace with care”

Following recent disturbances in Northern Ireland, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) has written an open letter to political leaders in Northern Ireland, the governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the European Union. The Church Leaders pictured at their recent meeting in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. From left: Archbishop John McDowell; the Revd Tom McKnight; the Rt Revd Dr David Bruce; the Very Revd Dr Ivan Patterson; and Archbishop Eamon Martin, Photo: Church of Ireland Press Office 14 April 2021 “The causes of this most recent outbreak of violence are complex and, in some respects, deep-rooted,” the letter reads. “Church representatives and other community leaders working on the ground in affected communities have spoken to us of their frustration at seeing another generation of young people risk their lives and their futures because repeated warnings about the need to treat our fragile peace with care went unheeded.” The letter acknowledges that the significant reduction in violence since 1998 is a major achievement. “But that experience also teaches us that these challenges can only be addressed by political leaders coming together with a genuine desire to find solutions and accommodations which meet the legitimate concerns of others as well as their own,” the letter reads. “Some of the challenges were foreseeable and have been planned for and mitigated (at least in part).” Political outcomes are more difficult to address because they are tied in with issues of world trade and sovereignty. “Leaders, organisations and communities make mistakes,” the letter continues. “As Christian leaders, we are conscious of the need to acknowledge the failings of leadership from the churches in our ministry to divided communities.” In such circumstances there is nothing ignoble in showing genuine sorrow, the letter notes. “It is hardly surprising, given the complexities of our relationships at home and abroad, that politicians, political parties and others in leadership make miscalculations,” the text reads. “Learning from the consequences of miscalculations is much better than an endless scramble to paper over the cracks.” In the past week, Ireland has seen people afraid to leave their homes, others at risk of violence as they go about their work, and young people feeling that they have no stake in society or hope for the future. “Much good work on the ground has been undermined as tension has risen and confidence has plummeted,” reads the letter. “All of us in Northern Ireland have created a society in which even-handed policing requires the wisdom of Solomon combined with the patience of Job.” The letter urges addressing concerns in a way that strengthens democratic processes rather than undermining them. “We are conscious too that churches are only a small part of the wider civic leadership in our society, and that all civic leaders have a responsibility to support our elected representatives as they seek to negotiate difficult compromises and find new accommodations for the common good,” concludes the letter. “Churches, together with other civic leaders, are keen to play our part in addressing the root causes of violence and working to ensure all communities here can enjoy the benefits of peace into the future.”   WCC member churches in Ireland See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland