New Ireland Forum Gets Cautious Response
Episcopal News Service. May 31, 1984 [84117]
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (DPS, May 31) -- Leaders of the Anglican Communion in Ireland have given a cautious welcome to the report of the New Ireland Forum while, at the same time, flagging some of elements they feel still limit dialogue.
The Forum report is the work of nationalist parties representing almost 70 percent of the total population of both the Republic and the North. Issued in early May -- it seeks to lay the groundwork for peace and stability on the island through a new, open dialogue. The panelists sought to elicit opinion from all segments of Irish society through testimony and written submissions, and many groups, including the Anglican Church of Ireland, participated. However, unionist groups of the North boycotted the sessions.
Because of this, and the traditions of the panelists, the Report is weighted toward the nationalist point of view, and it is this element that the Church of Ireland chose to address in what it calls a "preliminary" response. In spite of its weighting, the Report is one of the few broad-based documents to give any credence to the coexistance of disparate political and social traditions in the island and the need for all traditions (except those using or advocating violence) to be balanced in any emerging structure.
In commenting on the Report, the Church noted "much that encourages dialogue in the document, and we recognize it as a statement from the Constitutional Nationalist position.
"We welcome the commitment to obtaining the consent or agreement of the majority in Northern Ireland but would question if the full implications of this decision have been recognized."
The historical analysis in the Report was rapped as "inadequate and lacking in balance. We believe that Chapter 3, by its apportionment of blame and because of its lack of historical accuracy and balance, will be counter-productive when read by the people of Ireland in general and the majority of people in Northern Ireland in particular.
"If this chapter is taken as a definitive writing of Irish history does it bode ill for the teaching of Irish history in the future?" they asked.
Echoing the plea of government leaders when the Report was released, the Church said, "We welcome all contributions to dialogue, and as a national Church we would encourage all people committed to peace to engage locally and nationally in debate."
"While the Report shows a welcome and growing sensitivity to the identity and rights of both communities, there is an urgent need for a more specific and detailed examination of the issues raised by the Church of Ireland in the written submission and the oral presentation. These include Church/State relations, Law and Morality, Pluralism and Mixed Marriages."
The response promises that a Church panel would look at the Report in depth and add its own contributions to the dialogue.
One such is likely to be a Christian perspective that the respondents felt was missing in what is generally viewed as a secular and political document.
"As members of the Church of Ireland looking at the document, we feel it strange that in an island which claims to be Christian there has been so little emphasis placed on forgiveness, which is fundamental to the whole concept of reconciliation, and as a Church we accept our share of the blame.
"Forgiveness is central to cultural and political attitudes, and it is the duty of the Churches to be reconciled and to call all men to repentance. It is not the duty of the Churches to argue for Partisan advantage but to look to the wider vision. Without forgiveness there can be no sure ground for pursuing political dialogue, much less peace and stability on this island."
This is consistent with the stand of the Church, which has eschewed any political role while pressing for religious reconciliation.