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Editorial:
"There's Nothing New About Change"
Anna Rankin
Comment:
Embracing the Stranger
Denise Wright
From
the Director: Change and Decay – so what's new?
David W Porter
Alwyn
Thomson
Ethel White
A
Changing Church
Chris Easton
Women,
the Church and Change
Lesley Carroll
Interview
with Noel Fallows: Multi-cultural Church Life
Anna Rankin
Urban
Grit
Ken Groves
Higher
Throne
Keith
Getty & Kristyn Lennox
2003
Conference: Reconciliation – Illusion or Elusive?
What's
Jesus got to do with Forgiveness?
Stuart Noble
Review:
Lost in Translation
Gareth Higgins
Review:
The Church Beyond the Congregation by James Thwaites
Claire Martin
Review:
A Time for Mission by Samuel Escobar
Ben
Walker
Review:
Against the Stream by David W Smith
Cheryl
Reid
Review:
Evangelicalism and National Identity in Ulster, 1921-1998 by Patrick
Mitchel
David Hewitt
Review:
I was a teenage Catholic by Malachi O'Doherty
Fran
Porter
ALWYN THOMSON
ECONI IS a healthy, vibrant, succulent organism because of Alwyn. Paul used the human body as a metaphor for the church but I would like to invoke the services of the prickly pear cactus plant. Unlike most of my other houseplants, prickly pears appear to grow in an erratic, random, haphazard way, but in fact they are an amazingly sophisticated and subtle response both to their own previous growth and to their environment. There are patterns deep within the plant which determine these responses and the shape and form of the plant. ECONI is like this, sensitive to its environment and both balancing and exploratory as it builds upon itself. Alwyn has been one of its deep patterns throughout the past eleven years since he became its first employee in 1993.
We have benefited from his faith, his intellect and his energy in most if not all our ventures. He has helped pioneer such, for me anyway, ground-breaking endeavours as the Christian Citizenship fora. His concerns and interests range far and wide – he worked with CARE and EA on our joint contribution to the human rights discussion and advent into Northern Ireland civil life; he helped us examine the changing role of faith-based organisations and their relationship with Government.
He has a comprehensive and thorough knowledge of history, theology and politics which he combines with incisive thinking to be highly productive, creating ECONI through the resources he has written and edited. He is author of many of the Pathway Series of booklets and it is salutary to re-visit and read again some of the early ones. For example, at the end of 'Beyond Fear, Suspicion and Hostility' we find these words:
'Concerning our relationships with Roman Catholics: Whatever our point of view evangelical Christians must behave with courtesy, dignity and integrity towards our Roman Catholic neighbours, both in our words and our actions. Our differences and concerns must be expressed in a manner in keeping with our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. When we give an account of ourselves we should do so with "gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience". (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Concerning our relationships with one another as evangelicals: As brothers and sisters in Christ holding different views we must share our concerns and convictions so that we better understand one another. Furthermore, any debate among us, whether on this subject or on some other, must be conducted in a Christlike manner. It is vital that we accept one another's Christian integrity when we differ. It is a tragedy that we so often we fail to do so.'
Written in 1994, these words still hit home as a touchstone by which we can check our attitudes and behaviour towards each other.
Faith in Ulster and The Great White Tent were imaginative projects initiated and managed by Alwyn through which the unknown "them" became the "known". us as our understanding deepened and grew into respect and an inclusive attitude.
The quality of our conferences is testament to his theological acumen, such that at our most recent in November 2003, Professor Alan Torrance expressed great admiration for our ability to attract top international thinkers. They have helped us grasp and grapple with some of the difficult aspects of seeking healing for past hurts in a divided society.
Alwyn'.s 'labour of love' for many years, during which he was distracted by these other projects, was the God, Land and Nation project which finally was birthed as Fields of Vision after a long gestation period. It's an amazing title – when we read the book it keeps bouncing back into mind, helping us refocus, checking how we see reality through the lens of our mind and our heart. In discussing the church as community, he directs us towards the 'divine community of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (which) is marked by mutual love'. He challenges us to think about our impact as church: If we are to call this community 'away from its blinkered fixation on passing and transient allegiances, we have to start with ourselves as the people of God'.
Alwyn's writings and contributions have certainly impacted on my faith. In a wealthy western Christian sub-culture where we can luxuriate in a range of spiritual spas, Alwyn's perspective has been robust and honest as he has tackled real issues. I've found his insights and questions both disturbing and inspiring.
I'll miss Alwyn as a friend; we've had many conversations at the edges of events, banter when I've poked my head round his office door. The creative liturgies he compiled for our Advent and Lenten reflections these past few years have been enriching. His presence in these gatherings and at the conception and delivery of so many of ECONI's initiatives has been instrumental in us becoming a well-established, productive part of the kingdom.
DR ETHEL WHITE is chair of ECONI.
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