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From
the Director
David Porter
Comment:
Jesus is Lord
David McMillan
Seek
Peace and Pursue It
ECONI Steering Group
Blessed
are the Arrogant
Steve Stockman
What
is the Orange Order?
Brian Kennaway
Covenanters
and the Orange Order
Norris Wilson
Book
Review
Stephen Williams
FROM
THE DIRECTOR
Few of us living in Northern Ireland are under any illusions as to the
challenge facing us all over the coming days and weeks. Our experience
of a long winter of picketing, commissions and several commendable attempts
at accommodation temper our hopes for a resolution of the parades dispute.
Yet in the midst of the inevitable confrontation we must continue to plant
and nurture the seeds of a better way.
Recently two prominent evangelical members of the Armagh Orange Order signed a letter to the residents of the Garvaghy Road. This action itself is such a seed and it is to be commended. The attitude and approach of the Order in addressing this issue marks a defining moment for the organisation. In this issue we publish the full text of ECONI's open letter to our fellow evangelicals within the order.
It is no secret that evangelicals have always held differing viewpoints on the validity and appropriateness of the Orange Order as an expression of Christian witness. Some of the differences are presented in this issue of Lion & Lamb.
Several of us in the ECONI Steering Group have personal and family backgrounds in the Loyal Institutions. Our journeys of Christian discipleship have brought us to biblically challenge and critique many of the assumptions at the heart of Orangeism.
Equally, in our engagement with members of the Nationalist community, both at conferences and in meetings with residents groups, we are concerned to apply a biblical challenge to their attitudes and positions. We must not contribute further to the incipient sectarian apartheid of our society by making our streets no go areas for the cultural and religious expression of our neighbour. God calls us all to a new relationship with both our neighbours and our enemies.
However, it is the Loyal Institutions alone who stand on their professed Christian foundations and character. Like all institutions Orangeism is complex. It does have social, political and cultural dimensions, yet what is the defining character, the essence of the organisation?
The leaders tell us religion, the promotion of biblical Protestantism. However is true religion in danger of loosing out in the clamour of competing voices? That is the basis and thrust of our open letter. It has been read as an attack, as a call for re-routing. It is simply a plea for gospel ethics and values as God's effective counter measures to the hate and bitterness that our sectarianism breeds.
To use the analogy of our cover - in this storm of crisis that faces Orangeism, is Jesus in the boat with them? In our commitment to our brothers in Christ in the orders, we pray and look for the evidence that he is as they show it by their actions in our community at this difficult time.
David Porter - ECONI's Director
ECONI WELCOMES the submission of unsolicited articles, but does not guarantee publication, and manuscripts cannot be returned. Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECONI. Permission to reprint any original article in Lion & Lamb should be sought from the Editor.
Editor
Derek Poole
Asst Editor Ruth Hutchinson
Design Colin Maguire
Cover Spring Graphics
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