North-South relations ‘strained’ by Brexit and centenaries – Presbyterian Moderator

North-South relations and those between Ireland and the UK have been "strained" by Brexit and by attempts to mark this year's centenaries, the Presbyterian Moderator has said.

Referring to the controversy following President Michael D Higgins' decision to decline an invitation to attend a cross-community church service in Armagh marking the centenary of partition and the formation of Northern Ireland, Dr David Bruce said that "of course we understand the sensitivities surrounding these anniversaries.

"We had hoped as a group of church leaders across the main Christian traditions here that the gathering of representatives from the United Kingdom and Ireland at the highest level, along with local political leaders and others might have offered a significant public demonstration of a common commitment to peace, reconciliation and hope for the future."

“We remain resolute however, that these values will be to the fore in our engagement with governments,” he said.

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Dr Bruce was speaking during the opening service of worship at the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's General Assembly, which began in Belfast on Monday.

He was formally re-elected as Moderator during the service, the first time since 1894 that a Moderator has served a second term.

Ministers and elders from more than 500 congregations across Ireland are in Belfast for the General Assembly, which is taking place for the first time in two years due to the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the General Assembly, which runs until Wednesday, they will debate and vote on issues affecting church and society including gender identity and sexuality as well as climate change and divesting from fossil fuels.

Members will also be asked to express their “continued support for the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland” and their “grave concern about the undermining of the devolution settlement” by the Northern Secretary through the introduction from Westminster of legislation on abortion and culture, as well as concerns over the UK government’s new approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles.

In his address, Dr Bruce raised the prospect of “some kind of separate process which on the balance of probabilities offered an outcome which while short of a criminal conviction may nonetheless provide a degree of closure” for victims.

He said it had been fed back to him that some families “might take comfort and even a degree of resolution” from a process such as this.

“In light of the Command Paper which was published [by the UK government] some months ago, this may be welcomed by many, even if government might need to be further persuaded,” he said.

In his address Dr Bruce said that as a “pro-life church” it was a “great disappointment” that the Northern Secretary had moved to introduce legislation legalising abortion in Northern Ireland, and the church “remain committed to vocalising our opposition to this”.

He also described "genuine concern" over the draft bill on assisted suicide which had come before the Oireachtas.

“The passage of the Bill has been halted, which is a victory of sorts ... another Bill will come, and presumably also a parallel campaign will be launched in Northern Ireland to further challenge what we consider to be the specialness, the sanctity, the holiness of human life,” he said.