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Editorial
Alwyn Thomson
Comment:
Politics: serving God and doing good!
Ethel White
From
the Director: Cultivating the common ground
David W Porter
ECONI
Statement: Confidence in God
October 2002
Postbag: Letters to the Editor
Why
vote?
Alison Laird
Communities
of hope
Lord Alderdice
Transformation 2003: Killing for God?
View
from the south
Patrick Mitchel
Church
& state
Esmond
Birnie MLA
Taking
the plunge
John Kyle
Faith
in politics
Interview: Rt Hon Paul Murphy MP
Your
kingdom come
Heather Morrow
ECONI
Statement: Forum for Peace & Reconciliation
January 2003
Bible
study series: Faith in the future
David
W Porter
Through
a glass, darkly
Changing Women, Changing Worlds Conference
Review:
A night in November by Marie Jones
Noel
McCune
Book
Reviews
Alwyn Thomson
For
God and His Glory Alone:
Study 3: Reconciliation
For
God and His Glory Alone:
Study 4: Peace
ECONI STATEMENT:
CONFIDENCE IN GOD
Issued by ECONI in October 2002 following the suspension of the devolved
institutions.
Recent developments
on the long road to peace in Northern Ireland have left many disappointed,
betrayed,
angry and confused. The collapse of confidence among those responsible
for our political institutions has brought us all to another crossroads.
The apparent reluctance
of some unionists to embrace enthusiastically a shared future leaves many
in the nationalist and republican communities frustrated. The continuance
of military activities within the republican
movement severely damages any trust that they may have
built with increasingly suspicious unionists. All this takes
place in the context of increasing sectarian tension and
violence that threatens us all.
Any illusion that making and building peace would be easy is now gone. The transition from political violence to peaceful politics, from historic enemy to future friend, is a major challenge. Where for generations our relationships have been shaped by hostility and fear, separation and suspicion, the journey to tolerance and hope is a difficult path.
As Christian citizens we affirm that our confidence is in God and not in the political institutions, nor even in the peace process itself. Marked by ambiguity and expediency, the necessary world of negotiation and political compromise will always disappoint.
We believe that God, who in Christ initiates reconciliation with a broken world, is still concerned for the healing of the divisions in our society. As people of faith, we seek to learn from our efforts to deal with our past.
The building of a new society that values equality and democracy, recognises diversity and acknowledges rights cannot happen on a foundation that is polluted with the values that poisoned our past. We cannot foster hope while nurturing our hates, nor create community on the basis of interests only, without trust. We cannot be at peace without valuing the humanity of our neighbour and our enemy. All those who desire to share in the government of the people for the good of the people must be unambiguously committed to the values that will transform us to be a people at peace with ourselves.
It is important however that as Christians we do not blame or scapegoat our politicians for the failure of the human heart. Recent events are but a reflection of who we are as a community when we fail to deal with our hate. (Romans 3:9-10, 23)
Christian citizens are called to share responsibilityfor the future. Cynicism or bitterness must not take the place of God-honouring engagement with a hurt community. Christian citizenship requires us all to be peacemakers by addressing the roots and legacy of our conflict.
At this time ECONI invites all who seek to follow Jesus faithfully to commit themselves to the unchanging biblical responsibilities of Christian citizenship and continue to:
PRAY for those in authority who, whether we like them or feel tempted to loathe them, trust them or distrust them, are accountable to a sovereign God who commands us to pray for them. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
LOVE our neighbour and our enemy, bearing witness to Christ who, while we were still the enemies of God, loved us and made peace. This remains God’s model for Christian engagement in a peace process. (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-28; Romans 5:6-11; 12:14-21)
ACT to take responsibility for our community, for the rule of law and for promoting equality, beginning with the prejudices that poison us and, by grace, act on the principles of love and justice, and always live in confident dependence on God. (Hosea 12:6)
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