Sir, - Archbishop Walton Empey complained in his address to the Dublin and Glendalough diocesan synod of my ignorance of the Church of Ireland. Personal abuse ill becomes a cleric.
On the contrary, I regularly attend Anglican services with my wife, who has an Anglican background, and have a great admiration for the Church of Ireland. My ignorance of the Church of Ireland pales into insignificance compared with that of Archbishop Empey regarding Northern Ireland and the situation in Drumcree. Sadly, his address contrasts unfavourably with the balanced approach taken by Lord Eames. I trust all sides will commit themselves to the three Eames pledges as a way forward.
Archbishop Empey concentrates on the loyalist violence associated with Drumcree - which we would both deplore - but he ignores the fact that the reason the traditional church parade was not allowed to follow its route home was because of the threat of unquantifiable republic on violence.
I have said on the record many times that the Republic is evolving in a pluralist direction and does not bear comparison with the Republic of the 1950s. Sadly, republican toleration of Ulster-British traditions and culture remains minimal, as exemplified by the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition. I question whether the Coalition can really be judged to be genuinely seeking negotiations in good faith when they insist upon Mr Brendan McKenna, with his terrorist background, as their spokesman.
Archbishop Empey, however, reserves his criticism for the Orange Institution. During his time in the post he has adopted a tactic of Anglican self-flagellation, always concerned with distancing the Church in the Republic from the majority of the Church who live in Northern Ireland. Why? Is he concerned at the consequences for his dwindling flock if he refuses to continue meekly apologising for them and their co-denominationalists in Northern Ireland?
Self-apology is no basis for Christian growth. As my colleague Tony Benn said recently: "There are still some socialists in the Labour Party and perhaps there are still some Christians in the Church." It is time that Archbishop Empey concentrated more upon winning souls for Christ and less on pompous denunciation of his co-religionists in Northern Ireland. -Yours, etc.,
The Rt. Hon. John D. Taylor,
MP, Northern Ireland Assembly,
Parliament Buildings,
Belfast BT4 3XX.