Editorial: Thinking about the common good?
Anna Rankin

From the[acting] director: Untold stories
David W Porter

Faith and Politics After Christendom
Jonathan Bartley

Comment: Doing the Right Thing
Karen Jardine

Give Generously and Change the World?
Alwyn Thomson

Economics and the Common Good
Esmond Birnie

Interview with Jim Wells (MLA): Polishing our Cars
Anna Rankin

Review: No Longer Strangers
Mercia Malcolm

Division and Diversity: Churches in a plural society
Fran Porter

Buying in - Opting out
Sean Mullan

Interview with Fr Mariusz Dabrowski: Meet the neighbours
Anna Rankin

Questions & Answers: Reader survey responses
Anna Rankin

Review: Mark: Gospel of Action
Allen Sleith

Bible Study: The Common Good
Donal McKeown

Difficult Conversations: Let's talk about tax...
Lynda Gould

New Resource
Out of the Depths

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EDITORIAL: Thinking about the common good?

“Have you done anything for the common good today?” was my mother’s way of saying that the household didn’t run itself, even if to a teenager it appeared to. Fair point. How do we regard the “common good” and how do we participate in it?

IN THIS ISSUE of Lion&Lamb we think about the common good. David Porter reflects on recent political developments in Northern Ireland, while Seán Mullan charts the rapid social and economic changes in the Republic. Karen Jardine, a self-confessed member of the i-generation, thinks about youthful idealism and Christian witness in a world of self-interest. Jonathan Bartley looks at how we live out the gospel as Christians and churches in a post-Christendom era, with Fran Porter highlighting new research being undertaken by the Centre relating to the churches and the participation of minority groups in a plural society. Esmond Birnie examines the relationship between economics and Christian ethics and Alwyn Thomson gets personal about social responsibility where our money is concerned. There are two interviews in this issue: we meet the priest who is chaplain to the Polish community in Northern Ireland, while the DUP’s Jim Wells MLA gives his views on people, politics and global concerns. And, as usual, we round off with a Bible study and book review, not forgetting the “Difficult Conversation”. I hope you enjoy the various perspectives. Thanks to everyone who took part in our Reader Survey. An overview of the responses so far can also be found in this issue. And if you haven’t returned a questionnaire, it’s not too late – you have until the end of July!

Anna Rankin
Editor

EDITORIAL GROUP – David Porter Director/Centre for Contemporary Christianity; Derek Poole Programme Director/Centre for Contemporary Christianity; Lynda Gould Programme Director/Centre for Contemporary Christianity; Anna Rankin(Editor) Resources Co-ordinator/Centre for Contemporary Christianity; Very Rev Martin Magill St Oliver Plunkett Parish, Belfast; Rev Mercia Malcolm Carnmoney Parish Church; Rev Dr Allen Sleith Regent Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards; Rev Janet Unsworth Edgehill Theological College

All correspondence should be sent to the address below. Permission to print any original article should be sought from the editor. We welcome the submission of unsolicited articles, but do not guarantee publication. Manuscripts cannot be returned. Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland.

Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland Ltd. is a registered company (NI 37038) and a charity registered with the Inland Revenue – number XR8080/I. A member of Evangelical Alliance.

Editor Anna Rankin
Design Spring Graphics

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