Sir, - At last Mr Ian Cox has let the cat out of the bag. That is to say, he has made clear his opposition to what he calls the "ecumenical fellowship".sizeable number of Protestants consider it to be one of the most hopeful developments of the 20th century. Luther and Calvin, the founding fathers of the Reformation, were also men of their time. They could not have foreseen the twists and turns of history centuries later. We do them no dishonour by trying to be conciliatory and understanding towards other versions of Christianity, whether it is that of the Roman Catholic Church or Russian Orthodoxy. It is a pity that Mr Cox pushes his individualism - a Protestant characteristic - to such extreme limits of exclusivity.
As for his point about the relationship between religion and politics, the Christian of any confession cannot or should not rule out political choice. Even if he is disillusioned with politicians - as who is not? - he can at least cast his vote for the least bad party.
The Protestant in Ireland, especially Northern Ireland, does not as such have to support the unionist party. Nor need he support that party at prayer, the Orange Order, even if, as in my case, his father wore a sash on the Twelfth of July.
Mr Cox believes that all those Protestants who have engaged in this controversy should express their outrage over the murders of the two RUC men in Lurgan. Of course they should. But does he not agree that we should also express our abhorrence when Catholics are murdered, sometimes most brutally, by so-called Protestant paramilitaries? - Yours, etc.,
Sandymount, Dublin 4.