The newly-elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Rev. Ivan Patterson has said he will have ''no problem'' in participating in interdenominational services with Catholics.
The issue frequently emerges as a lightening rod within traditional Presbyterianism with past moderators frequently refusing to attend ceremonies where Catholic clergy are present.
The outgoing Moderator Dr Normal Hamilton refused an invitation to meet with Pope Benedict XVI during the Pontiff's visit to Britain last year.
However, Rev. Patterson pointed to the fact that he has served as Minister of Newcastle Presbyterian Church in Co. Down for the last 20 years where there are very good ecumenical relation.
''There are very good relations between members of the main Churches,'' he said.
Rev. Patterson has described his ministry as ''conservatively biblical with a strong evangelical outlook''.
Rev. Patterson, 62, was nominated by 12 out of the 19 Presbyteries that make up the Presbyterian community in Ireland last week and will succeed Dr Norman Hamilton in June.
The majority of Presbyterians, some 349,000, live in the North making it the largest Protestant denomination there, while there are some 23,000 Presbyterians in the Republic.
No comments:
Post a Comment