The Agenda for this Synod contains much which has already and undoubtedly will continue to provoke debate within and without our Church. In the next few days we will address issues of great public concern. I hope that once again we will do so in prayerful charity, prayerful understanding of differing perceptions and differing concerns - and above all, in an atmosphere of prayerful openness to the will of God for the Church of Ireland. Such have been the characteristics of the long history of the General Synod. At the end of the day our own individual views must be open to the prompting of the God and Father of us all.

As we meet the clouds of war again hang over Europe. The events in the Balkans so vividly portrayed on TV throughout the world have shocked and saddened us all. It is impossible at this distance to fully comprehend the sheer human suffering. It is devastating to realise that as we approach the end of a millennium Europe should once again be confronted with war. The moral dilemmas of what is happening in the Balkans are immense. But they are secondary to the continuous human suffering. While we debate this week matters of supreme importance to the Church of Ireland even those issues pale into insignificance beside the massive human tragedy of Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia. As we pray for a peaceful outcome our minds are numbed by what we are seeing. We welcome the hospitality offered by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to refugees from the Balkans. But surely we must also urge all the governments involved to seek a full and lasting peace settlement - and to do so without further delay.

Recently as a response to the suffering the Archbishop of Dublin and I issued an appeal to the Church of Ireland. Donations continue to reach the Bishops' Appeal but I can tell the Synod that the most recent figure from the parishes and individuals has reached £104,000 in mixed currency. We must welcome this response. But so much remains to be done to end the suffering.

For many years successive Presidential Addresses to this Synod have reflected on the violence and divisions of Northern Ireland. During those years we have recognised those families, many of whom are members of the Church of Ireland, who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances. We have recorded our sympathy and we have spoken of our total rejection of violence. We have also pleaded for political action to build a new future. This morning we speak of a Northern Ireland which has experienced the amazing consequences of political developments few would have imagined possible even a few years ago. The euphoria of the Belfast Agreement has been replaced by the harsh realities of implementation - but it is still the overwhelming desire of a majority of people north and south that we move into a new era of justice and lasting peace.

I pay tribute to the intensity of effort on the part of governments and political parties during the past year. Obstacles to final agreement remain - but when we become frustrated or despondent we must recognise how far we have in fact come. Memories, hurt, suspicion and a lack of confidence in others must not be allowed to stand in the way of agreement and accommodation which will allow us to build a future of respect and mutual understanding.

The Synod must recognise how hard it is for many within and without the Church of Ireland to come to terms with the price of agreement and peace. But human history has long indicated that there is a price to pay even by the innocent for lasting peace.

The key to that peace is contained in one word - trust.

Trust has been the real casualty of the dark years of ‘the Troubles’. Without trust at every level all the agreements, all the dialogue, all the legislation will fail. Legislation and debate can produce the framework for reconciliation - but legislation alone cannot produce reconciliation. Trust comes from actions as well as words. Trust comes from genuine listening and the supreme act of placing oneself as close as possible to understanding the fears and uncertainties of others with whom we do not agree. Trust does not come from intransigence : trust does not come from constant reference to the past : trust does not come from a denial to others of the rights we claim for ourselves.

In the process of building trust we all have a part to play. Under God this island must learn to trust. Patiently and with a new confidence in ourselves we must build actual bridges across which the children we so cherish will one day walk in peace and safety. That is the vision I believe we must hold on to at this time. I believe it is a thoroughly Christian vision. I also believe it is possible. Those same children will never forgive our generation if we let the opportunities of this moment fade away ....

Few of us can doubt the part of our Agenda which reflects so clearly the concerns of our Church and the wider community this year - Sectarianism.

The committee headed by the Archdeacon of Connor has worked extremely hard to produce the report which is before this Synod. I express the gratitude of the Church of Ireland to Archdeacon Harper and his colleagues. While there will be different reactions to this report none will deny its importance nor the attention the Synod must give later today to its words. It addresses some of the most divisive issues ever to confront the Church of Ireland.

Sectarianism has been and continues to be the really corrosive ingredient in Ireland, particularly in Northern Ireland. Its roots lie deep in Irish life and its causes stem from far back in our history. For generations it has driven wedges between people, provoked and provided excuses for violence and death - and yet in all those generations there has been a tacit acceptance of its inevitability. The charitable interpretation of history is that past generations failed to read the signs of their times. No such excuse can be allowed to protect our generation from facing up to the realities of this time. We must read the signs of our times. Thousands of lives lost, families divided and a new generation already influenced by attitudes they see in their parents. To be brutally frank, below the respectability of a majority of lives prejudice, bigotry and sectarian opinions exist. Violence of a sectarian nature on the part of some may be the most visible manifestation of this disease. Let no one doubt this morning the problem lies much deeper. Nor can we as a Synod isolate the problem to one jurisdiction of this island alone. History and personal experience has shown how deep sectarianism and intolerance have dictated Irish history. Nor is it acceptable any longer to evaluate sectarianism in purely political terms alone. Party political attitudes reflect other attitudes. Those attitudes have a strong religious basis. I see it in terms of a vicious circle. Historic religious attitudes particularly in Northern Ireland have fostered party political divisions - and party political attitudes have been allowed to dictate the religious agenda. Nor is it acceptable any longer for the Churches when accused of being a part of the problem to use the excuse that the problem is really only political. To our shame we have contributed to the problem. Too often a tacit expression of Christianity and Christian attitudes have cloaked actualities on the ground which have encouraged sectarianism to flourish. No Church has been immune from this process. Words, decisions and indifference at times to the cause of community divisions have too frequently reflected Church history.

I have attended many discussions of sectarianism in Ireland where generalities have been the rule. If our debate this afternoon is to push the agenda of the Church of Ireland forward with integrity, we need to move beyond generalities.

It is sectarian when a young man on his way to work is shot dead simply because he is a Roman Catholic. It is sectarian when a mother of two is intimidated out of her home because she married a Protestant. It is sectarian when a member of the Church of Ireland is refused promotion in favour of a member of another tradition who has less qualifications. It is sectarian when members of the Church of Ireland living in Northern Ireland are criticised because of their British-Irish-ness or when members of the Church of Ireland in the Republic are regarded in the North as some sort of different being. It is sectarian when a curate can be told by a parochial nominator that he need not apply for a vacancy in a different jurisdiction because his experience has been only of that part of Ireland. It is naked sectarianism where a so-called loyalist band stops outside a Roman Catholic Church to play tunes of a particular sort. It is sectarian when mixed areas of a northern town are covered with posters demanding the withdrawal of all members of a family belonging to another religious denomination. It is sectarian when a couple of an interchurch marriage on their return from honey moon are told by a churchwarden they should worship elsewhere. It is sectarian when people are intimidated attending their place of worship because of their religious tradition. More will be said about the Drumcree situation later but for the present can I say that there are two sides involved. There is intransigence on both sides. But when one argument about neighbourhood rights indulges in claims such as there will never be feet of another tradition on the Garvaghy Road that is sectarian.

Finally, when a person’s worth is estimated not in terms of their character or achievements but in terms of the denomination into which they have been born - that is sectarian.

 But I believe things are changing. Are we finally finding the conviction and the courage to face up to the truth?

Recently at the Irish Inter-Church meeting in Dundalk one of the papers presented contained these words :

   "Sectarianism secures its triumph by inducing in us a sense of despondent helplessness - nothing can change - so even the first step of challenging sectarianism, the mere decision to do so, brings with it a liberating release of energy."

We have endured generations of helplessness, we have all thought at times nothing can change - now we must seek under God despite any price we will have to pay, the courage to challenge and go on challenging.

It is always painful when individuals or institutions discover the honesty and the courage to question issues which for generations have caused hurt. With you I have felt that pain - perhaps I have felt it more than most. But when people speak to me of the pain they feel in this debate I am yet again reminded of other words - the cost of discipleship. Are we now reaching the point where decisions have to be made which will acknowledge the failure of the past and seeking the forgiveness of God to face up to the real cost of Christian discipleship as a Church?

The Church of Ireland cannot solve the problem of sectarianism in Ireland on its own. But we can and we must do all in our power to remove from our midst any practice, any procedure and any attitude which mitigates against what we must stand for : the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

   DRUMCREE

There are two special issues for this Synod to address : the association of the Church of Ireland with the Orange Order and in particular the question of Drumcree. In our debates later today we will address the wider issue - for the present I wish to concentrate on the question of Drumcree.

This question once more compels us to focus on an issue of prime importance to the life of the whole Church of Ireland. No issue in recent years has so haunted our Church, no issue has questioned the role of the Church of Ireland to a greater extent and no issue has caused more heart-searching at all levels of our Church.

I commend to you the material which is reproduced by way of statements, comments and the work of the various committees. Your Book of Reports includes a lot of this material because we wanted people to realise the depth of analysis and study, of heart-searching and prayer, of time and effort already devoted to this topic.

Let me assure the Synod the attention given to this question at central and diocesan level has been resolute and detailed. I have welcomed greatly the way in which the concern of the whole Church of Ireland is now focused on a problem which ranges far beyond the boundaries of an individual parish outside Portadown, far beyond the Diocese of Armagh - and far beyond the Church of Ireland.

Drumcree confronts us, Drumcree searches us, Drumcree tests us - and Drumcree can and does provide the Church of Ireland with a defining moment as we approach a new millennium.

First let me remind the Synod of words from the theological reflection on Drumcree on page 137 of the reports. This reflection was written by a small group of Standing Committee members :

   "Ostracism is clearly unChristian, dissociation probably also. Dissociation would appear to be historically questionable. The links with the Order, whilst not exclusively Church of Ireland, are undeniable; the fact that we feel it so keenly in the Church of Ireland North and South proves also our present association. Further, dissociation is theologically questionable ..."

Those words are important - but they tell only part of the story. From 1798 the Church of Ireland has been involved in the development of the Orange Institution. For generations members of the Church of Ireland have been and continue to be members of the Loyal Orders. But that association goes further. As a Church over the centuries we have given tacit approval to their aims, we have hosted services attended by the Orders and any critical comment on the part of the Church of Ireland has been restricted largely to individual instances of disagreement.

Now look at page 171 - an extract from the Report of the Sub-committee on Sectarianism:

"It is important to recognise that whereas the Church of Ireland at the end of the twentieth century shares associations with the Orange Order spanning a period of two centuries and whereas many current members of the Order are also members in good standing of the Church of Ireland, the Church has moved from some of the positions which in the past it may have shared with the Orange Order."

Over the past few years of trauma caused by the events at Drumcree, the entire Church is increasingly aware of the tension highlighted in these two extracts from your Book of Synod Reports. The material from central and diocesan sources has tried to adopt a fair and balanced approach. For my own part, as well as being Primate I am also a diocesan bishop with pastoral responsibilities for Drumcree parish, for its rector and his wife and for its parishioners. At central, diocesan and personal level the Church of Ireland has sought moral influence, has denounced violence, avoided demonisation of the Order as a whole and tried to encourage moderation among members.

To summarise the position :

• the Church of Ireland cannot deny its links with the Orange Order over the centuries.

• the Church of Ireland has a clear duty to discover new methods of exercising Christian influence.

• the Church of Ireland may indeed have failed over the centuries to express as clearly as it should how the teaching of the Church and the principles enunciated by the Order have diverged.

The Church of Ireland is catholic and reformed. Our teaching and historic formularies have always expressed this dual position. We have played a full part in the development of understanding among the Christian traditions in Ireland. We are a part of the ecumenical scene in the true and Biblical understanding of those words.

However the Church of Ireland must focus on its responsibilities in this tragic situation as a Church. We cannot dismiss or avoid the part played in the Drumcree situation of a church service in a parish of our Church. It is that association and that involvement which demands our attention. None of us needs to be reminded that the mission of the Church of Ireland has suffered grievously because of that association.

At the Diocesan Synod of Armagh last October I asked for three pledges from the Portadown Lodges before a Christian welcome could be extended to their future attendance at a service in Drumcree:

• the avoidance of any action before or after the service which diminishes the sanctity of that worship.

• obedience to the law of the land before and after the service.

   respect for the integrity of the Church of Ireland by word and action and the avoidance of the use of all church property or its environs in any civil protest following the service.

These words were conveyed to the Portdown lodges again in a letter dated 16 February with an urgent request for a response. Yesterday morning I received a response from the lodge informing me that following lengthy consideration of my request they wished to state:

• "the District Lodge would contend that it has at no time encouraged, sanctioned or condoned any action before or after the service which diminishes the sanctity of that worship.

• the District Lodge has always encouraged their membership and the wider community to obey the law of the land, while at the same time reserving the right to peacefully protest at the denial of our fundamental Civil Liberties, Rights and Freedoms which are universally enshrined in Human Rights Charters.

• Since its inception, this Lodge has always shown respect for Church property."

This response dated 14 May represents their current attitude to the pledges I put forward. I have had insufficient time to consider whether the response meets the full criteria of what I considered entirely reasonable requests regarding attendance at the service. The fact remains that in the light of all that has happened many people within and without the Church of Ireland would not wish a ‘Christian welcome’ extended to the lodges for a service in July.

In the debate which will take place later today the Church of Ireland through this General Synod will express its collective view. I cannot predict what the outcome of that debate will be. However I am expressing in this Address my personal reaction to the situation.

The real question for members of the Orange Order to address is whether they wish to be regarded as members of a religious or a political movement. For most people viewing events at Drumcree over the past four years there is no doubt as to the answer to that question. In the light of events over the past four years at Drumcree most outside observers would regard the Order as a political rather than a religious movement.

But out of the pain of it all let us see hope. I have always recognised that the vast majority of members of the Orange Order are decent, respectable and law-abiding men and women. They have never found a conflict between Church membership and membership of the Order. Many of them hold key positions in their local parishes. There are also many who have told us of their moderation and disgust at the scenes on Drumcree hill. Their responsibility is immense. Have they the courage to speak out and to witness to their moderation? Which is more important to them : the policy of a lodge or the teaching of Jesus Christ? Their choice is clear - is their Order to be a means of enriching the Kingdom of God - or an obstacle? What direction do they want the Order to take?

What we have watched on TV in the shadow of Drumcree church is unChristian, totally unacceptable in the vicinity of a church, totally at variance with the teaching of the Church of Ireland and totally unacceptable following the worship of Almighty God. As I have frequently stated in the media - I see little of the Christ I believe in on the hill at Drumcree.

If the Portadown lodges cannot adhere in full to the three pledges, or reach a local accommodation, let it be quite plain - it is not a question of the Church of Ireland dissociating itself - that is a wider issue for our debates later - it is that the Portdown lodges will have taken themselves beyond what can reasonably be expected of the Church of Ireland by way of extending to them Christian hospitality or a Christian welcome.

Drumcree is a cameo of the Northern Ireland situation. It represents the depths of uncertainty and fear which are so prevalent in the community. It represents the ever-present danger of protest becoming violent protest. It represents so much of the hatred and divisions which are a part of the history of Northern Ireland. This is the reality of the Drumcree issue.

Many people, often from a safe distance, have criticised the Church of Ireland for its stance over the Drumcree issue.

Many people have suggested their solutions - widely-varying solutions.

Some have suggested a stronger stance, some a gentler stance, some have suggested that the solution to the Drumcree issue is obvious and simple.

Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no single simple answer to Drumcree ...

These comments of mine are of course only a prelude to this afternoon’s debate when I look forward to considered comment and fresh insights from the Church at large.

As I said at the Armagh Diocesan Synod last October let me say again -

There must be healing at Drumcree

There must be forgiveness at Drumcree

There must be reconciliation at Drumcree.

When I think of my own personal agony and indeed torment over the pain, the suspicion and the deep, deep emotions in many hearts concerning all we associate with the hill of Drumcree and the Garvaghy Road I have prayed constantly for guidance.

Central to that prayer is the question : "What is the will of Jesus Christ?"

As I have prayed, I saw another hill in another place and at another time.

I saw the Crucifixion at Calvary.

After Crucifixion comes Resurrection.

After Calvary came the empty tomb.

After Good Friday came Easter morning.

For the Church the implications of Drumcree run deep. It is no exaggeration to say that the Church has suffered agonies over Drumcree. But there must come out of the suffering and dilemmas healing which contains new understandings and new beginnings.

There can be no winners. There can be no victors.

There must be - and there can be a new start for Drumcree, for Portadown, for Northern Ireland.

In both jurisdictions the Church of Ireland plays an important and concerned role in the education process. The welfare of our schools here in the Republic is a major item on the agenda. In Northern Ireland we take our responsibilities to all aspects of education most seriously. We live in times of rapid and significant change in education. I welcome the Reverend John McCullagh as he commences his work as General Synod Board of Education Secretary.

In the past year much time has been devoted to the implementation of programmes designed to protect children. Those programmes are right and timely. But I want to refer to teachers. Teaching has long been regarded as a noble calling. However I feel we need to emphasise what I call the ‘vocation of teaching.’ There is widespread frustration among teachers at present. Increased bureaucracy interferes with teaching. There are ever-increasing strains on teachers due to the responsibility of adhering to constant introduction of new rules and regulations. I fear that collectively such conditions mitigate against that traditional sense of vocation. I appeal to parochial clergy to realise the need for pastoral care and encouragement for teachers. Let us recognise anew the needs of our teachers and show sensitivity for their need of understanding at this time.

The Report of the Methodist-Church of Ireland Joint Theological Working Party on page 310 gives some encouragement that we might be able to reach the point of stating that there would be no theological difficulty in working towards unity. Methodism and Anglicanism have always had very close familial ties in Ireland and the Synod will be asked this week to encourage the Working Party to ‘hasten forward with its work’. In the context of an agreed theological starting-point, and with the publication this year if I may say so - of the more-Anglican than Anglican The Methodist Worship Book, this is perhaps a good opportunity to encourage the building up of relationships at grass-roots level in local areas.

The report of the Working Party notes that there are a variety of stages in growth towards union. At this point we recognise each other’s common faith and roots in the Christian tradition. We have several joint Methodist/Church of Ireland shared buildings, though sadly with only a minimal amount of shared worship in most cases, and many of our people commonly and comfortably worship in each others’ churches and share at each others’ Tables. This could be further developed with a formal mutual recognition of both Church’s ministries and a covenant to work and witness together where possible allowing interchange of ministries and the ensuing growth of fellowship.

We pay tribute to the Right Reverend Roy Warke, former Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, who retired during the year. His faithful ministry and leadership in the deep south where he was particularly admired by the members of other Christian traditions was deeply appreciated. During his episcopacy no less than four members of his diocese became bishops of the Church. We extend our warmest good wishes to Bishop Roy and his wife Eileen for a long and happy retirement.

I welcome his successor, Bishop Paul Colton, to his first General Synod as a bishop. We wish him every blessing as he commences his Episcopate in Cork.

Since we last met as a Synod Mr E W R Cookman and Archdeacon Linney have retired as Honorary Secretaries of the Synod. We would wish to place on record our sincere gratitude for their work on our behalf and to record our appreciation for the amount of time and energy they have devoted to the business of the Standing Committee and General Synod. I know you would wish also to convey your deep sympathy to Mr Cookman on the recent death of his wife.

While it is not always appropriate to refer to individual members of the General Synod I feel I want to make an exception on this occasion. I refer to the member from Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Canon J.L.B. Deane. Since 1952 Canon Deane has been a member of the Synod not only as a representative of his diocese but as an Honorary Secretary from 1970 to 1994. Many tributes have been paid to his unique contribution to the life of the Church of Ireland and I have valued his friendship over so many years. As a member of central committees, notably the Pensions Board and more recently the Allocations Committee, he has devoted hours of his time to our work. His ability to deal with the intricacies of facts and figures, his seemingly endless energy and his close knowledge of our affairs have allowed him to make a unique contribution to the life and witness of the Church of Ireland. We have all valued his input to our work over the years and the Church of Ireland owes him a debt of immense gratitude. As he takes his leave as an elected member of the Synod I want him to know how much we have appreciated all he has done for the Church of Ireland. Knowing the huge amount of time he has devoted to our work here in Dublin and elsewhere I also feel a genuine tribute must be paid to Mrs Deane for allowing us to utilise so much of her husbands’ life over the years. Barry will long remain a prime example of the devoted and dedicated lay servants of the Church of Ireland without whom we would not do our work. We wish Canon and Mrs Deane well in the years to come.

Since we last met our Church has been saddened by the passing of two former members of the House of Bishops. In August last that faithful and much loved former Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Bishop Perdue died in New Zealand. Then last December the former Archbishop of Dublin, Dr McAdoo, passed away. As a theologian, teacher and writer he made a contribution of great worth to the world Church far beyond Ireland. We will sadly miss his scholarship. We mourn the passing of two much respected and loved servants of God and express our sincere sympathy to their families. May they rest in peace and rise in glory as we thank God for every remembrance of them.

Extensive renovation and redesign work has been completed during the past year to Church of Ireland House at Rathmines. The disruption to our work at a central level has involved extra responsibilities on the Chief Officer and his staff. I pay tribute to the manner in which they have continued to perform their duties in temporary accommodation and we wish them well in the new look Church House. For all involved in central committees and boards it is a great relief to return to our more permanent location. Our gratitude is also due to the Principal and staff of the Church of Ireland Training College and to the Board of the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook.

Next year the General Synod will celebrate the Millennium during its meeting in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. This will be a magnificent setting for our work during a year which marks such a historic point in the history of our world. I look forward to the welcome I know awaits us from the Church in Belfast.

There has been widespread anticipation and indeed in some quarters apprehension as we approach the Millennium. From a Christian stand-point we have a clear duty to remind society of the religious significance of the year 2000. Amidst all the hype and excitement, amidst all the secular activities let us be unafraid to spell out clearly that it is the Christian dimension to that event which matters most to us. Recently the leaders of the Four Main Churches in Ireland launched a media campaign which will become obvious in Advent as one attempt through the circulation of a poster to place Christianity and the Christian message at the heart of the Millennium. Diocesan and parish events have been planned throughout Ireland. I hope and pray we can all regard the Millennium as a period of prayerful reflection on the Christian experience - but most important of all - a period when we can seek the blessing and guidance of Almighty God for the witness, worship and influence of Christianity for the new Millennium.

   THE WAY AHEAD

We face immense challenges and heart-searching. We recognise differing opinions about the nature of our beloved Church. We are divided on certain issues. But the unity of the Church of Ireland has survived many divisive periods on this island. Above and beyond the controversies of this week I see this Church in terms of confidence, integrity and understanding. I see its future in a trinitarian form of love, theological truth and holiness.

Perhaps you would allow me to connect these words in this way :

Love without truth is vague and sentimental

Truth without love is harsh and exclusive.

   Holiness without love is legalistic and unattractive.

As the year 2000 dawns the Church of Ireland needs love : the Church of Ireland needs truth : the Church of Ireland needs holiness.