IRISH CATHOLIC, ANGLICAN LEADERS SPAR

March 20, 2004

Dublin, Mar. 19 (CWNews.com) - A sharp disagreement on homosexuality has given rise to tensions between Catholic and Anglican leaders in Ireland.

The dispute arose last week when the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archdeacon of Dublin, Gordon Linney, argued in a public speech that the government should allow homosexual couples to "have registered stable relationships with all the benefits and rights that go with that status." The archdeacon stopped short of advocating same-sex marriage, conceding that marriage is "a term with very special dimensions and meanings."

However, as he made his argument for same-sex unions, the Anglican leader took what appeared to be a direct slap at the Catholic hierarchy, asking "how people who are so certain about homosexuality being evil could have been so indifferent and even devious when it came to facing up to the issue of child abuse."

Speaking in Dublin's Anglican cathedral on Sunday, the Catholic Archbishop shot back. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told the congregation at St. Patrick's cathedral:

It would not be honest of me, speaking here today in a Church of Ireland cathedral, not to refer to a certain hurt that I felt in these days by words attributed in the press to a Church of Ireland figure which somehow gave the impression that those who hold different theological positions to the author on the subject of homosexuality, were perhaps less sincere, even fundamentalist, or were associated with having been "devious" on other serious issues. Archbishop Martin, who made his remarks at an ecumenical evensong service, suggested that Christians of different denominations should show "respect for each other's searching" on controversial issues. Such public disputes among Christians emphasize the differences between the denominations, he said.

He called upon all Christians to "address our individual sinful responsibility today for the perpetuation of the disunity which exists among the followers of Christ."

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THE Coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has criticised a leading Church of Ireland figure for appearing to suggest the Catholic teaching on homosexuality is "insincere" and for linking it to the child abuse issue.

Dr Martin, who is due to succeed Cardinal Desmond Connell as Archbishop of Dublin, made the remarks yesterday during the Evensong Service at the Church of Ireland's St Patrick's Cathedral.

Last week, Archdeacon Gordon Linney, a senior figure in the Church of Ireland, said in a speech the State should give legal recognition to gay civil unions. However, in an apparent side-swipe at the Catholic Church, he also said: "I have to ask how people who are so certain about homosexuality being evil could have been so indifferent and even devious when it comes to facing up to the issue of child abuse?"

Archbishop Martin countered yesterday that questioning the sincerity of another church's search for the truth is not the best way to bring about Christian unity.

Without referring to Archdeacon Linney by name, he said: "When new differences arise we should always attempt, however, to address them in charity and respect for the sincerity of each other's searching.

"It would not be honest of me speaking here today in a Church of Ireland cathedral not to refer to a certain hurt that I felt in these days by words attributed in the press to a Church of Ireland figure - which somehow gave the impression that those who hold different theological positions to the author on the subject of homosexuality, were perhaps less sincere, even fundamentalist, or were associated with having been 'devious' on other serious issues."

He continued: "Roman Catholic tradition is not distant from the protestant tradition of 'searching'. The Roman Catholic tradition also 'struggles and suffers' as it wrestles with the joys and hopes, the sorrows and the anguish of the people of each generation.

"The answers arrived at may in various cases not always have been fully authentic. The same can be said of complex conclusions drawn in good faith by all our traditions.

"What we should avoid is to claim that these conclusions were any less the fruit of heart-rending searching."