Why Integrated Education is detrimental to the future of Protestantism in Northern Ireland

In 1981 Lagan College was opened as the first integrated school in Northern Ireland, with the purpose of educating Roman Catholic and Protestant children side by side. Today some 22,000 children attend over 60 integrated school across Northern Ireland, at both primary and secondary level. The issue of integrated education has become prominent once again in the media over recent months, and all of the main political parties in Northern Ireland have come out in favour of a single educated system. Whilst some have described their preferred option as being shared education, as opposed to integrated education, the differences between the two are minimal for they both have the same purpose, to break down barriers between the Protestant and Roman Catholic communities in Northern Ireland. It is clear that the future of education in Northern Ireland will be strongly influenced by the shared/integrated model with more children being educated this way.

A Royal Birth

The media frenzy surrounding the pregnancy of the Duchess of Cambridge came to a height on Monday with the news that she had been taken to St Mary's Hospital in labour. The press reporters who had been encamped outside the hospital for the last week were finally rewarded with the news that the Duchess had delivered a baby boy at 16:24pm. Understandably the nation's, and indeed the world's attention has been focused on this happy occasion and we would also congratulate the royal couple at this time, but it also causes our thoughts to turn to another birth spoken of in the Bible; that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Archbishop's dose of the measles

An article carried in The Telegraph newspaper this week of an interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has highlighted the gross apostasy at the very heart of the Church of England. In that interview he makes the shocking statement about his conversion that 'I was desperately embarrassed that this had happened to me, it was like getting the measles'! The content of the Archbishop's interview make it abundantly clear that he has never had the experience of the new birth, and that he has no true understanding of the gospel. That this can be said of the pre-eminent church leader in England is a sad state of affairs, indeed the spiritual darkness in England should be no surprise where men like this proclaim to be teachers of God's word. When we take into account the fact that Justin Welby is described as being on the evangelical wing of the Church of England it is evident to all just how far that denomination has fallen.

The alternative to 'Gay Pride'

Tomorrow Belfast's annual Gay Pride parade will once again take place on the streets of Belfast. The hundreds, if not thousands, of participants will display their pride in their homosexuality during the parade around the city. Some small groups of faithful Christians will make a stand against this display of sin, not as many would claim, out of hatred for homosexuals, but out of love for their souls. Sadly other churches will join with those who delight in their sin, with St Georges Church in Belfast's High Street having held regular services this week in association with 'Faith and Pride'. That group describes itself as 'an organisation with one simple point: you can be Christian and Gay'.

The Bible however holds a different view, not that you can be 'Christian and Gay' but that homosexuality is wrong. Yet there is a deliverance from all manner of sin for the following words are found in 1st Corinthians 6:9-11:

'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God'.

Paul here speaks to men and women in the church who had previously been involved in all manner of sin, including homosexuality, yet they had been redeemed and were now part of the church. They had left their sin behind them and turned to Christ. They had no pride in their sin such as many tomorrow will exhibit, nor did they describe themselves as Christian and gay, but they were now sanctified by the Holy Spirit, new creatures in Christ.

This is the alternative to Gay Pride; humble repentance. It is a far better alternative, one that does not delight and take pride in sin, nor to try and make it an acceptable part of the Christian life. It is an alternative which brings everlasting life and delivers us from the curse and penalty of sin. 'Repent and believe the gospel' for 'Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.'

Five Joyce Meyer quotes you won't post on Facebook

Joyce Meyer is one of the most popular Christian speakers and authors around today. In 2005 TIME Magazine placed her 17th in their list of the most influential evangelicals in America. She has sold millions of copies of her books and it would be hard to find many more popular names within Christianity today. Popularity however is not to be the measure by which we judge a person but we are to 'try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world'. Matthew 12:37 says 'by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned'. It is biblical to look at a person's words that we might test them by scripture to see if they are true, but sadly in Joyce Meyer's case we find that there is much to be concerned about. Although she is often quoted by Christians on social media, there is nothing in the following statements which any believer could recommend to their friends. (It is not our desire to quote anyone out of context and if it can be shown that any of the following quotes have been taken in such a manner we will gladly remove them)

How essential are the non-essentials?

Within Christianity there are many doctrines which are absolutely fundamental to the faith; the Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, Justification by Faith to name but three. Across denominational lines all believers will hold to these truths, they are essential doctrines. One cannot truly profess to be a Christian and deny such things. Yet there are also many matters which are of lesser importance such as the issues of head covering, our view on the millennium or the form of church government. Our salvation is not dependent on us having the correct view on these issues, so how then are we to approach them? Are we to be indifferent towards them and consider anything beyond the fundamental doctrines of the faith to be of no importance? How essential are the non-essentials?

Robert Shaw quote on toleration and liberty of conscience

In today's politically correct society where all beliefs are considered to be equally valid, and toleration is presented as making no distinction between them but allowing all views, the following quote is of interest to the Christian. It is taken from the introductory essay in Robert Shaw's Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

'But there is a very prevalent and yet very false method of thinking, or pretending to think, respecting toleration and liberty of conscience. Many seem to be of the opinion that toleration consists in making no distinction between truth and error, but regarding them with equal favour. This opinion, if carefully analysed, would be found to be essentially of an infidel character. Many seem to think that by liberty of conscience is meant that every man should be at liberty to act in everything according to his own inclination, without regard to feelings, convictions and rights of other men. This would, indeed, be to convert liberty into lawlessness, and to make conscience of licentiousness. But the Confession proceeds upon the principle that truth can be distinguished from error, right from wrong; that though conscience cannot be compelled, it may be enlightened; and that when sinful, corrupt and prone to licentiousness, men may be lawfully restrained from the commission of such excesses as are offensive to public feeling, and injurious to the moral welfare of the community. If this be intolerance, it is a kind of intolerance of which none will complain but those who wish to be free from all restraint of law, human or divine.'

The Christian living for the weekend

Many people today live for the weekend. Their employments and duties during the week can be endured only with the prospect of 5 o’clock on a Friday evening when they can once again engage in their social life. The entertainment of the world is all that keeps them going during the week; once Saturday night has ended it appears to them that those things which they enjoy most are finished for another week. Next Friday cannot arrive soon enough for them. When we make this statement you might imagine that we are referring to unbelievers, yet it is equally the case with many Christians. They too, like the world, look forward more than anything to those social events at the weekend when they can get back to enjoying themselves. Whilst a time of lawful recreation and relaxation is not to be denied, the spiritual benefit or appropriateness of that which many Christians involve themselves in is questionable to say the least. Are our weekends spent more in the company of the unsaved than with our fellow believers? Do we find ourselves at ease with, and desirous of the atmosphere and pleasures of the worlds entertainment? Is this not a cause for concern? The weekend ought to be a time that the Christian looks forward to, yet for a different reason to the world, for the reason that it includes that one day in seven set aside for the worship of God. Do we look forward to the weekend because we have a hunger for the preaching of God’s Word, or do we live for the weekend in the same manner as the world?