Eamon McCann has written an interesting piece in the Belfast Telegraph concerning attempts long ago to promote mixed religious schools for Northern Ireland. His article has also been discussed on Slugger O’Toole.
I do not propose to discuss whether the 7th Marquess of Londonderry was ahead of his time. My interest, as I have said repeadedly on this blog, is the debate on sectarianism and the means by which Northern Ireland Society can move beyond it.
Eamon McCann makes the following point in relation to segregation along religious lines.
“the divide in education isn’t the cause of sectarianism. But it reflects and is an important mechanism for perpetuating sectarianism.”
The Eames-Bradley report makes the following point in relation to segregated schools
“Specifically the arguments about the ethos or quality of education provided in the faith based sectors have to be balanced against the reality that reconciliation may never be achieved if our children continue to attend separated schools”
We could be waiting a very long time before we see any joint faith or secular schools, let alone enjoy the positive effects of them. Furthermore, there are canon law arguments against them within Catholicisim.
There are other plans and initiatives that the Churches can make. Eames-Bradley makes the following observations about the relationship between sectarianism and religion.
By definition and nature sectarianism involves religion and the destructive patterns of relating that arise from a negative mixing of religious belief and politics. When religion is used to draw boundaries, whether communal or territorial, and to reinforce patterns of inequality and social conflict, then prejudice and discrimination are given divine sanction, even if such behaviour contradicts the professed belief of its adherents.
The Christian churches carry a particular historical responsibility, for they not only gave the language which both shaped and fuelled division, but often gave sanction to those who exploited theological disputes and differences for political and territorial gain. Catholic and Protestant became the identifying labels of the political and national allegiances of each side of the divide.
Too often the violence and bitterness of communal strife was allowed to increase the suspicion and gulf between the two Christian traditions. There was a failure by the institutional church bodies to make a sustained united impact during the conflict. Often it was the actions and initiatives of individual congregations, organisations and church people that made a significant difference.
Yet some of the churches have recognised and addressed the religious dimension from the earliest days of the conflict. In their public statements some have accepted responsibility for nurturing attitudes which have contributed to the strength of sectarianism in the wider community. Indeed significant initiatives have taken place in recent years to identify and challenge sectarianism in their life and practice.
Any move by the churches to acknowledge and respect the integrity of each other’s tradition does make a significant impact on the context in which wider society can address the legacy of sectarianism. There is a strong Christian tradition in Northern Ireland. Therefore Christian churches have a particular responsibility to take a leading role within communities for addressing the destructive presence of ongoing sectarianism.
The Group recommends that the Legacy Commission, proposed in Chapter 7, should take the lead in ensuring that sectarianism continues to be addressed, including through setting the direction for that debate and by highlighting the contribution that all sectors of society can make to address the problem.
The Legacy Commission could be some time coming up with solutions or initiatives which the churches can take in order to help address sectarianism. Should the churches wait to be told what they should do?
There are actually plenty of initiatives that churches could take without having to be told what to do. It does not take very much imagination or organisation to promote inter-denominational parish activity. Why wait for the legacy commission?
Eames-Bradley mentions “significant initiatives” [taken by churches]. I would be interested to know what they are and where they are happening. If you are a cleric, minister or priest reading this post, you are invited to comment on this blog. In particular, if you have any particular experiences of ecumenical activity relating to both Protestant and Catholic church membership (it does not have to be about anywhere in Northern Ireland), your comments would be especially welcome.
Filed under: Catholic Church, Church of England, Conservative Party Policy, Eames-Bradley, Ecumenism, Education, sectarianism Tagged: | Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Church of England, Conservative Party, Conservative Party Policy, Eames-Bradley, Ecumenical, Ecumenism, Education, Methodist Church, Normal Politics, Northern Ireland politics, Presbyterian Church, Protestant Churches, sectarianism
Ecumenical Dialogue? Meh! I prefer the solution to sectarianism proposed by Michael Moore in his book Stupid White Men: convert the Protestants to Catholicism.
“No more bickering and battling over religion when everyone belongs to the same religion!
Catholics already make up 40 percent of Northern Ireland, only 5 percent less than the Protestants. So , we need to convert just over 2.5 percent of the Protestants to create a Catholic majority. That ought to be a cinch. Especially once the Protestants consider the following benefits of being a Roman Catholic:
*One guy in charge – the Pope. There are several thousand Protestant sects. Some are run by committee, some by an elected chair, some simply run like a food co-op, with no one calling the shots. Going Catholic means having a leader for life, someone unafraid of making a decision, giving the faithful a fixed set of rules and boundaries that give one’s life order and clarity. And after the Pope dies, no messy elections- a couple hundred guys wearing red gather in a room, vote, and a puff of white smoke out of the chimney tells everyone the decision has been made. No campaign speeches, no pandering to the electorate, no recounts.
*More sex.Catholics, as we all know, have more babies, and so, you know, that means only one thing – more sex! Sorry, but in the Catholic Church you can’t get the babies without the sex. And who couldn’t use a little extra sex these days? I’m telling you, let those Protestant Orangemen know they’re going to be getting some, and watch how fast they end those silly parades.
* More days off. The Catholic Church has six official Holy Days. In countries where the majority of citizens practice Catholicism, these are fully paid days off from work and schooldays off for the kids. Can you name one Protestant Holy Day – not counting the day the Eddie Bauer Christmas catalog comes out? I didn’t think so.
*A guaranteed spot in heaven at the right hand of God himself! It’s all there in the Bible – Jesus made Peter the head of the Church and then he made it clear that only members of the “one true Catholic church” get past the velvet rope at the pearly gates. So you can continue your allegiance to the Queen and then burn in hell for eternity- or you can get on the “A list” and enjoy Forever with a first-class seat.
Once a list like the one above is made available to the Protestant population of Northern Ireland, it will only be a matter of hours before we see a mad rush toward the gates of the Falls Road. And here’s the easy part: any Catholic may perform the sacrament of Baptism if one belives that the non-Catholic may die without ever being saved. I think it’s safe to say that includes all of the Protestants of the United Kingdom.
All you need is a little water to pour over any Protestant’s forehead and then repeat the following words: “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen”.
That’s it! It takes long to join Weight Watchers! (And if the Protestants seem reluctant , then Catholics can just run through Protestant neighborhoods – not with guns, but with garden hoses blessed by the parish priest. Spray the baptismal waters at them, shout the words – and then start running like hell.)”