Church must lead way in building better future for Northern Ireland - group

The Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland has told churches to respond to the findings of the Consultative Group on the Past by doing their part to take on sectarianism.

Lord Eames and his co-chair on the Consultative Group, Denis Bradley, outlined this week a number of issues that still need to be addressed if Northern Ireland is to move on from its troubled past. These include an admission from the state that "innocent people were allowed to die" and that it on occasion "acted illegally".

Lord Eames and Mr Bradley went on to challenge the church to play a key role in building and sustaining a better future for Northern Ireland.

The Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland is urging the church to take up that challenge.

Karen Jardine, the group's Public Affairs and Development Officer, said: "We welcome the acknowledgement by the Consultative Group of the positive role churches can play in our society, particularly around this difficult issue of dealing with the past."

She added: "Truth, justice, reconciliation and forgiveness are not only key tenets of the Christian faith, but are also vital components in the search for a better and shared future for Northern Ireland.

"The challenge for us within the church now is to grasp the nettle and ensure we play our part in taking a lead in developing and supporting the generosity of spirit that is required on all sides to find a way forward."