One of the basics of Christianity is that, in a primary way, it exists for others and for those outside the church. In technical terms, this is called mission. Too often mission has been understood as little more than recruitment of someone else to a set of religious practices and ideals, the philosophy behind which is already obvious to you yourself.
Such an exercise has also frequently suffered from that fatal practice of comparing the best expression of one's own tradition with the worst expression of someone else's tradition.
The unchallenged articulation of exclusive certainties diminishes trust between individuals and erodes cohesion in society. While we luxuriate in a sophisticated two-party denominationalism, there is an Inter Faith reality to be addressed already in our midst. My first role for the churches is one of generous humanity in this new society.
(2) Religion needs not only to do an autumn tidy-up in its own garden but needs to be confident about presenting to the emerging generation what it has to give in terms of what people now call 'value added' to the people of Ireland.
If I may indulge myself with another modern cliché, I do not think that the church as an institution in our societies is 'no longer fit for purpose.' But it does have to re-focus after a radical re-appraisal.
In a post-modern world, political correctness has the capacity to draw out of people both defensiveness and aggressiveness.
Those who feel that things which matter are slipping away from them in the new marketplace of ideas become increasingly protective, not knowing what is next for the shredder.
Those who are impatient to 'set out their stall' feel that every opportunity for a fresh expression or a new make-over needs to be taken.
Appropriate dealing with the past is a casualty of both scenarios. And so we can move into a situation where - dare I say it once again - the churches bicker with one another and other people wonder why they cannot offer any recognizably common Christian witness to the world around them and beyond them.
Over the next ten years, a thoroughly divided Christian witness will become an increasing conundrum and a focus of impatience to more and more people.
The churches, individually and together, have a role and a powerful one in the Northern Ireland of tomorrow if they give expression to the divine invitation to find God present and at work in today's Ireland.
It is the role of religion to talk about God. Again, this is a rather obvious thing to say. A religion devoid of theological purpose has already shrivelled and, unknown to itself, is crumbling.
If I speak of the causal link between creation and redemption; if I speak of the operational love of God in giving life to human beings with a free will and a responsibility for all aspects of creation you will, like everybody else, say either: I don't know what he is talking about or I think that is better left to the clergy.
But if, instead, I talk about respect for person and respect for place, about ecological awareness; if I talk about The Enniskillen Bomb or The Omagh Bomb or human trafficking, you will, I hope, see that there are tangible, everyday manifestations of the theological language which I used just a minute ago in terms of good and evil and how we respond to both.
