Is this project intended to be a launch pad for the Church to play a much more prominent and public role in the ongoing problems of sectarianism?
The simple answer to this question is yes. Living out Christian faith in a place of division means being committed to reconciliation. The commitment to that message needs to be constant and it needs to be public. Such a commitment means being willing to do more than simply describe the water to a drowning man – it means doing something. It will mean being active both in the realm of ideas but also in practical grassroots action.
The Hard Gospel Report showed a groundswell for two important beliefs in the Church of Ireland. The first was the belief that sectarianism is simply incompatible with Christian faith. The second is that there is a desire for the Church of Ireland to do something to counter it. The Hard Gospel Project is the next step in that process. It is about the church saying “We want to take action on this – and we want to do it now”.The gospel is the fundamental motivating force for what this project is about. It both shapes and energises it.
Rev. Earl Storey, head of Hard Gospel
One of the key messages that the church carries is a call to work for the common good. Whether it is the result of ancient conflict or the challenge of presented by the Celtic Tiger there needs to be a commitment to building community – a future that all can share.
Church is called to be counter-cultural. It is meant to embody the values of the Kingdom of God. This will mean embodying a message that is not always welcomed, but is vital for long-term wellbeing – that there must be a public commitment to the common good.
The project is called Hard Gospel, two words that you would not expect to put together. Why Hard? And what role is the Gospel going to play in this project?
Many people have expressed surprise with the title. It seems to suggest something angry or oppressive. The contrary is actually the case. The title is taken from the words of a retired clergyman who was interviewed for the original Hard Gospel Report. He said “I want to see a return to the hard gospel. This is the solution to the problem of sectarianism. The hard gospel is... that you love God and love your neighbour as yourself. End of story.” It’s hard to out it better than that!The gospel is the fundamental motivating force for what this project is about. It both shapes and energises it. The project is in some ways very simple. In the Story of the Good Samaritan Jesus’ teaching was like two sides of one coin. It was love God ... and love your neighbour. Shockingly simple and to the point. The project aims to facilitate every level of the Church of Ireland to ask what that means in 21st century Ireland – north or south
The project will run over three years. What can we expect to see in these three years?
This project goes for a multi-layered approach. It will aim to do two things – stir vision and provide the resources to act on that vision. Without vision the people perish. Without the means to act on it they get frustrated!
We will see practical resources being piloted and used in a range of parish situations. This will help local churches to think through what it means to be salt and light in their community. These resources will be just as relevant whether the church is in a divided community or one experiencing staggering social and religious change. Whatever the context, the question is the same – what does it mean to be church in this situation or how do witness to Jesus’ teaching in the middle of it.
What is also exciting about this project is a commitment to working with the central structures if the Church of Ireland. The church is not only called to preach a message of reconciliation, it is also called to model it. Therefore we will examine our central structures, statements and practices to see if we demonstrate what we stand for. Reconciliation and Christian inclusion is always more powerful when it is demonstrated.
The project will also aim to take initiatives and tell stories of what parishes are already doing in terms of contributing to a more cohesive society.
