Presbyterian Church General Assembly
The new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in
Ireland, Rev Dr John Finlay, has spoken of the need for the
Christian denominations "to have the courage to address the self-
centredness that perpetuates our divisions and hinders our working
together with those who truly acknowledge Jesus as Lord".
Speaking at the opening session of this year's General Assembly in Belfast last night, he called on Christians "to practise what we preach".
In his first address as Moderator, following his installation in the post last night, he said that "as individual Christians we need to leave behind attitudes and prejudices that have tarnished the truth of the Gospel.
"As congregations we need to be released from the spiritual short-sightedness that is merely intent on preserving the past without serious concern for the greater good of the Kingdom of God in our land and our future.
"As denominations we need to have the courage to address the self-centredness that perpetuates our divisions and hinders our working together with those who truly acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
"Then we will have earned the right to be heard by our communities and offer them this word of life without which we cannot live, and without which we dare not die."
He said that "for our witness to be credible and convincing to the secular world, we need to practise what we preach about the Lordship of Christ".
He continued that, "as Christians we are not merely presenting a better philosophy of life, or merely advocating a higher standard of moral behaviour, we are testifying to a radical experience of the cross. A message that begins with forgiveness of sins."
Earlier last night the outgoing Moderator, Rev Dr David Clarke, recalled that when appointed last year, "I said that the finest service our politicians could render was the establishment of a local administration.
"At the time, few would have believed it likely, but in recent months we have seen an amazing transformation in the political landscape.
"While we must avoid extravagant claims, no one will deny that the developments of these last months have been momentous."
He commended the politicians for the steps taken.
But Dr Clarke urged that while "our politicians have played their part thus far ... we all must strive to do so at local level and continue to build peaceful communities."
He also advised that "in our euphoria, however, we must not forget those who have paid a fearsome price, and are destined to carry the wounds of the past for as long as life remains. We must find a way of dealing with the past which gives the victims of the Troubles a measure of comfort and closure."
Business sessions of the General Assembly begin today and will continue until Thursday. Issues to be debated include proposed guidelines for the pastoral care of homosexuals, which will be discussed this afternoon, and a final decision on the future of the church's headquarters, Church House, which will be discussed tomorrow.