A chara, - Congratulations to Dr Robert MacCarthy, Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral on two fronts (Opinion & Analysis, October 13th).
His expression of support for the naturalness of same-sex relationships and the obvious cultural and legal corollaries that should flow from this fact is heartening from a clergyman in these reactionary times.
His progressive ideas uphold the traditional independence of St Patrick's and of many of his noteworthy predecessors. But it is in his rejection of literalism that the Dean scores best.
Fundamentalism is now and always has been a scourge. It is invariably based on some immutable text, deviation from which is evidence of corruption. The more credulous readers of the Bible or Koran are the usual offenders in this regard but Marxists have been equally culpable.
It now seems that both of George Bush's Supreme Court nominees are what American jurists call "originalists" - for which read textual fundamentalists or literalists who disbelieve the possibility of the US constitution being modernised to reflect present-day concerns. All constitutions, including our own, are works in progress.
It is a relief to see that in some quarters reason and religion are not mutually exclusive. There is hope for us yet. - Yours, etc,
JOSEPH O'CARROLL,
Inchicore Road,
Kilmainham,
Dublin 8.