RECONCILIATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND—From left: Dennis
Cooke, Olive Bell, Curtis May, Elaine Barnett, Dominic Bryan and Jim Herst.
Ministers discuss
reconciliation in
Northern Ireland
By Curtis May
BELFAST, Northern Ireland—While in Northern Ireland in December, I met with old friends and made some new ones in the struggle for reconciliation.
Northern Ireland has been in turmoil since 1969 and even for centuries before that. But Christians and people of good will are making a difference.
Following is Jim Herst’s report on my trip. Jim is a longtime friend who was born and raised in Northern Ireland. He is working on his doctoral dissertation in church history at The Queen’s University. He is the theological consultant for the WCG in Europe and also serves as a chapter leader for the Office of Reconciliation Ministries.
Report from Jim Herst
On Monday, Dec. 12, Curtis May and I met with Dennis Cooke, dean of Edgehill Theological College and professor of church history. Edgehill Theological College is one of five theological colleges that form the Institute of Theology at The Queen’s University, Belfast.
In January 2001, Dr. Cooke pioneered a new course at Queen’s titled "Exploring Theology Together," co-taught by Roman Catholic and Protestant professors. The course is designed to promote understanding and reconciliation between the two dominant communities in Ireland. It is run in cooperation with the Roman Catholic Mater Dei Institute in Dublin, Ireland.
Others who met with us included Dominic Bryan of The Queen’s University School of Irish Studies, an expert in communal identity and ethnicity in Northern Ireland. He is an adviser to the Northern Ireland Assembly, as well as to the Northern Ireland Police Service in the area of inter-community relations.
Another person we met with was Olive Bell, reconciliation officer for the Community Relations Council of Northern Ireland. Ms. Bell also serves as a part-time administrator at Edgehill Theological College. Also present was Elaine Barnett, administrator of the Edgehill Christian Education Center, which specializes in promoting authentic Christian discipleship.
The conversation centered on God’s spiritual transformation of the WCG as a paradigm for denominational renewal. Dr. Cooke was particularly impressed with the WCG’s reconciliation video, Reconciliation—A Move of God, especially our apology at the beginning. We all felt that the Prince of Peace was present in our gathering.
RECONCILIATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND—From left: Dennis
Cooke, Olive Bell, Curtis May, Elaine Barnett, Dominic Bryan and Jim Herst.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002