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The General Synod
One of the apparent purposes in having the General Synod at a weekend was to improve attendance. The best comparison is between the attendance in 2006 (when it last met in Armagh) and the attendance in 2009.
In 2006, the attendances on the three days were: Clerical - 196, 189, 157; Lay - 305, 304, 216; Total - 1,367; average - 456.
In 2009, the attendances on the three days were: Clerical - 197, 166, 121; Lay - 327, 300, 223; Total - 1,334; average - 444.
There was, therefore, a rise, but not a large one, in lay attendance, but a sharp drop in clerical attendance on the second and third days.
The overall average was slightly down.
While the increase in lay attendance is to be welcomed, the drop in clerical attendance suggests problems arising from the difficulty of being at Synod on a Sunday.
In terms of attendance, the new arrangements can therefore hardly be described as an unqualified success.
Michael Kennedy (Canon)
Lisnadill Rectory
60 Newtownhamilton Road
Armagh
The Very Revd John Bond (Letters, 22nd May) states that "as a venue, Armagh is by far the best ... " Of course, it is by far the best - if, like him, you live 60 miles away up a motorway. But if, like me and many others like myself, you live 260 miles away down endless, winding roads, then Armagh is by far the worst.
All roads in the South and many in the North actually lead to Dublin. There is not a train to Armagh and accommodation for many was difficult to find. With the credit crunch now affecting the Church, news of future Synods being held in Christ Church Dublin is to be warmly welcomed.
As regards a weekend Synod, I give this the ‘thumbs up’, as did many people to whom I spoke.
Adrian Hilliard
Woodland
Cathernane
Killarney, Co. Kerry
I am grateful to George Leckey, Connor Diocese, for providing me with information which enabled me to confirm that two ladies were licensed as Readers by the Bishop of Clogher, Richard Hanson, in Clogher Cathedral, on 29th June 1972.
Mrs Nora Stevenson was licensed to exercise her office of Reader in "any parish" in the Diocese of Clogher. The licence for Miss Susan Austin specified the grouped parishes of Ballybay, Tullycorbet, Aughnamullen and Crossduff, Co. Monaghan.
However, in a letter from the Bishop in February 1973, Miss Austin was given permission to exercise her office in any parish in the Diocese.
Would anyone have evidence to suggest any earlier commissioning of women Readers in the Church of Ireland?
John W. Stewart (Canon)
The Rectory
2 Ballylucas Road
Tullyharney, Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh
In a church service organized by Changing Attitude (Gazette, 29th May), Senator David Norris accuses "the Church" of "suppressing the truth" about homosexuality.
In fact, Changing Attitude is suppressing the truth. Its members refuse to tell me if affirming bisexuality means allowing a man two sexual partners. They know the answer is "yes"; but then a heterosexual man could claim the Church’s blessing on a second partner too – a truth needing to be suppressed. Every marriage, and every child, could be at risk.
Second, Senator Norris accuses orthodox Christians of an à la carte approach to the Bible. He seems unaware that:
• The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) declared the Jew/ Gentile "boundary markers" – food laws, mixed fibre clothes, etc. - redundant.
• Jesus overruled the punishment prescribed for adultery (John 8:1-11).
• Paul showed the way forward on slavery when he sent a runaway slave back to his Christian master "no longer a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother". (Philemon 16)
These major developments are not "prejudices" - they are found in Scripture itself. No such scriptural trajectory of change exists for same-sex relationships.
A third truth is that Senator Norris’s argument that the Church should bless two people of the same sex "who love each other" would lead to blessing incest between siblings or parents/children who "love each other".
The Hard Gospel group would be unwise to comply with Changing Attitude’s request to produce leaflets relating to sexuality; both truth and love are at stake.
Dermot O’Callaghan
27 Monument Road
Hillsborough,
Co. Down