Sir, – As a practicing Presbyterian and an academic with an international reputation for research on the French Reformed tradition, I write in response to the report by Patsy McGarry, "Presbyterian minister retracts welcome for same-sex marriage" (September 23rd).
While I am not in a position to comment on the particulars of this individual case, I consider the following general observations to be important. First, the collective mind of the Presbyterian Church and the wider Reformed tradition, both nationally and internationally, is divided on this issue, as ongoing conversations, formal and informal, within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland also make clear.
Second, the integrity of the individual conscience, prayerfully informed before God, and lived out within community, has been and continues to be central to the Reformed tradition, whether in the past or for the present.
And finally, as any faithful member of a church knows, the greatest challenge lies in finding ways to journey in harmony and sometimes in counterpoint alongside fellow believers whose opinions differ radically from our own.
But this is also one of the greatest rewards of belonging to a church community – we learn, not always easily, to live in love and respect of each other’s difference.
Our best public witness will always be in our learning to do so with grace and joy, and never in the silencing of other voices. – Yours, etc,
Prof RUTH WHELAN,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – The Rev David Latimer would appear to be confused about the nature of the church of which he is a minister. It is not simply a matter of "seeing things differently", as he suggests. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a democratic church in relation to its government and the individual is free to speak and to dissent from any decision of a church court, but "shall not thereby free himself from obligation loyally to implement the decision so long as it stands unaltered" (Code of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland) .
The Presbyterian Church, however, is also a theocratic church. The doctrine of the church does not come from the General Assembly but from God, who has revealed Himself in scripture. As the Code states, "The Word of God as set forth in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments is the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and the supreme standard of the Church."
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a confessional church. Our understanding of Scripture is expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which states: "Marriage is between one man and one woman".
General Assembly of 2014 emphases this in a resolution which stated that marriage was “exclusively between one man and one woman”. No one dissented from that resolution.
Every minister and elder is required to accept and sign the Westminster Confession of Faith, "as a confession of your faith''. Both the Rev Bradley and Rev Latimer signed that Confession as a confession of their faith.
I am sure that your readers will conclude that the problem lies not with “seeing things differently”, but with honesty. – Yours, etc,
Rev BRIAN KENNAWAY,
Retired Minister,
Presbyterian Church
in Ireland,
Belfast.