Ireland's churches unite in support of Stormont deal

The leaders of the four biggest churches in Ireland have issued a joint statement in support of the Stormont deal, which was made yesterday.

The heads of the Catholic Church, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the Methodist Church all put their names to a statement in support of the deal, which hopes to salvage Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration.

The deal, which took ten weeks of talks to form, was prompted by the coalition Executive's near collapse after a range of disputes including the fallout from a murder linked to the IRA and an acute budgetary crisis.

In it, they said: "We recognise that everyone involved in the negotiations will not have achieved all that they wanted in this agreement, nor will everyone who reads it be fully content with every aspect of it. Such is the nature of any agreed accommodation.

"However, we pray that this particular accommodation reached in the interests of all, will be the basis for beginning to restore hope to those who are struggling and re-establish the trust that has been slowly ebbing from our political institutions."

The new deal, which is almost 70 pages long, resolves the budgetary crisis which was caused by the long-term failure to adopt welfare changes.

However, it failed to secure a solution regarding the issues that have arisen from the Northern Ireland troubles.

David Cameron has said the Stormont deal was "an important turning point for Northern Ireland."

It is also backed by the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, but the executive's Justice Minister David Ford, who leads the Alliance Party, has said his party refused to support it.

Victims' groups have said they are disappointed there is no movement on the legacy issues of the Troubles.

News
Trump pastor says Iran war is a 'spiritual obligation'
Trump pastor says Iran war is a 'spiritual obligation'

One of Donald Trump’s most vocal Christian supporters has justified the Israeli-US military strike on Iran.

Why is the British monarch also called Defender of the Faith?
Why is the British monarch also called Defender of the Faith?

The British monarch traditionally bears the title “Defender of the Faith” which also appears on British coins as “F.D.”  As it’s been back in the news lately, now’s a good time to consider it in more detail.

Christians concerned about Starmer's new social cohesion policy
Christians concerned about Starmer's new social cohesion policy

British values mean liberalism and LGBT rights according to the government.

Poll suggests opposition to CoE's role in public life
Poll suggests opposition to CoE's role in public life

In a bizarre twist, apparently 14 per cent of people want the king to head multiple religions.