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Editorial:
Spring Fever Comment:
What is Reconciliation? From
the Director: Ireland is changing and so are we! The
Whole Gospel for the Whole World (and beyond...) Rwanda
Ten Years On Anglo-Irish
Relations The
Hard Gospel Interview
with Robin Eames: RECONCILIATION - A View from Armagh Interview
with Sean Brady: RECONCILIATION - A View from Armagh Church-based
Peacebuilding Evangelism
& Reconciliation - are they irreconcilable? Dogville
and the Drama of Redemption Blessed
are the Peacemakers? Review:
Bitter Fruit Review:
The Colour of Darkness Review:
The Lost Message of Jesus Review:
The Futures of Evangelicalism Review:
Evangelicals in Ireland: An Introduction |
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FROM THE DIRECTOR: IRELAND IS CHANGING AND SO ARE WE! THE CHARACTER OF IRELAND in 2005 is virtually unrecognisable from that of 30 years ago. In what some observers have called ‘post-Troubles Northern Ireland’ and ‘post-Catholic Ireland’, the political, social, cultural and spiritual environment has changed significantly. While the challenges of building a peaceful and inclusive society remain, the bigger challenge now facing us is the everyday reality of this change. The secular culture that has shaped the public space of most of Europe is now radically redefining the values and ethics of our society. Increasingly, Christians of all traditions throughout Ireland are acknowledging that Christianity will come to occupy a very different place in this new society. Together we face the challenge of understanding what a faithful biblical witness to Jesus Christ will look like in this new era. These massive shifts in our culture have formed the backdrop to our work for the past five years. Increasingly they have shaped the content and direction of our ministry with leaders and congregations. This has led us through a process of careful consultation and prayerful discernment: our response to change is now to embrace change for ourselves. From April 2005, ECONI officially becomes the Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland. Experience tells us that change is unsettling, but it can also be an opportunity for innovative and radical initiatives. Conversely, failure to engage with change will mean the church becoming increasingly marginalized and irrelevant to our society. Over the next five years we are committed to establishing the Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland as a respected and recognised resource for the church throughout Ireland and beyond, where Christians can access biblical resources and practical support: a place to develop the knowledge and personal skills needed to serve their communities at points of contention, conflict and social change. The new situation demands new acts of discernment, and will lead us to explore new models of leadership, new approaches to church, new opportunities for co-operation and new conversations in the public space. We have chosen to prioritise three areas of concern building on the expertise which we have developed over the years – Conflict, Community and Citizenship. Addressing conflict, both locally and globally, is integral to effective Christian witness in today’s world. We will therefore continue to develop appropriate theological and practical resources to address conflict transformation and reconciliation. As recent issues of lion&lamb have highlighted, the challenges which we face, living in an increasingly diverse society, are not to be underestimated. We will focus on helping churches, individuals and communities to understand this rapidly changing situation; to enable them to explore diversity in all its forms and take a leading role, as Christians, in contributing to an inclusive and respectful society. Thirdly, the relationship between faith and politics, moral values and public policy, discipleship and national identity are still key issues. Yet, both the ability and the right of the church to participate in the public square are increasingly being called into question. We will speak to the issues based on relevant research and analysis providing the church with a biblical perspective for debate and action. To be faithful to God and to biblically engage in this new context requires us to learn to serve all people whatever their culture or belief and, in so doing, follow the example of Jesus. We desire to see the Christian community in Ireland nurture a deeply-rooted and radical biblical faith. This biblical faith shapes and informs the evangelical ethos of the Centre for Contemporary Christianity. As evangelicals, we believe we are challenged to find new avenues of partnership and service across the Christian traditions. We will therefore draw on biblical reflection and informed comment from all who share faith in Christ and a commitment to his teaching and example. Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland will seek to be a catalyst. In order to serve and resource the church we will be offering a range of events and initiatives. We will also develop our own engagement with change in the wider community. If the church is to nurture biblical faith through its worship and witness it cannot ignore the contemporary context. The task is to affirm a faith that not only gives us confidence to confront change, but to shape it. We are excited by what we believe God has given us to do. Working alongside the churches and other faith-based groups and organisations, we want to contribute to a serving community of Christians that will be good news for the people of Ireland – a community that is both radical and faithful in its life and witness. We invite you to join us on this quest. For further information visit www.contemporarychristianity.org or email info@contemporarychristianity.org – alternatively, you can telephone us on (028) 9032 5258. DAVID W
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