The Rev James Hartin

MANY Church of Ireland members, especially those who trained for ordination under him as vice principal and then principal of…

MANY Church of Ireland members, especially those who trained for ordination under him as vice principal and then principal of the Theological College, will feel a sadness at the early death of Jim Hartin. For quarter of a century, the Theological College in Braemor Park was his life, and he cared for it and its residents and guests from the crowded but comfortable sitting room overlooking the garden that he created from an empty space. His rooms and corridor overflowed with books - the impress of the over burdened shelves is still visible in the carpet - several tons of which he later gave to the RCB library.

James Hartin read History at TCD under the late Professor A. J. Otway Ruthven, who respected his historical ability and influenced him greatly, probably being more responsible for his conversion from Presbyterianism to Anglicanism than most people recognised. He kept up his academic interests as lecturer in church history, and when he succeeded Canon John Brown as principal in 1980 - having assisted Brown from the beginning in developing the Divinity Hostel he became Professor of Pastoral Theology in TCD.

He took both the pastoral teaching and the title seriously; he valued Trinity's contribution to the Church of Ireland, and the contribution of the Church of Ireland to Trinity. Yet when the former Divinity School was disestablished, so to speak, in TCD in 1970, Hartin worked tirelessly to develop the former Divinity Hostel into the new Church of Ireland Theological College and to extend and update its curriculum.

He was no ecclesiastical dinosaur, no laudator temporis acti. In particular, he fostered training in the use of the media, and a radio and television studio was established in the RCB Library. His wide reading made him an obvious choice as theological adviser to archbishops and bishops attending Lambeth and other important conferences.

READ MORE

Although James Hartin was "Jim" to his colleagues and to many of his students, he was not easy to know. He was reticent about himself, in many ways a loner, not particularly clubbable, and yet a good and generous host welcoming guests with coffee, tea or sherry, depending on the hour. As an Anglican he was conservative, with deep respect for the classical tradition, and yet he was warmly ecumenic in temperament. Liturgy was performed in strict accordance with the rubrics, to hold in check the unwelcome zeal of various extremists yet sincerity was evident in his conduct of worship.

As principal, he cared for his students and did more than they often realised to ensure their safe passage to ordination, yet he knew how to be severe when necessary. Delegation was not his style but he cherished his colleagues. He was not self seeking in office he chose to give quiet service to the Church, and he retired totally and gracefully - he said that losing the title of canon was the least of his regrets - from the busy life of the Theological College to a country parish where his pastoral care was much appreciated.

His friends would have wished for him a happier retirement, but they salute his final courage and thank God for his contribution to the ministry of the Church of Ireland. James Hartin, probably more than anyone else, shaped the development of its clergy for 26 years, and there are several hundred parochial clergy today whose faithful service testifies to his care and concern for their training.