Submission to the Convention on the Constitution for its consideration on the removal of blasphemy
Please see below the submission of the Irish Council of Churches and the Irish Inter-Church Meeting to the Convention on the Constitution which considered the removal of blasphemy from the Constitution of Ireland Bunreacht na hÉireann on 2 and 3 November 2013:
The Irish Council of Churches was founded in 1923 in the aftermath of the Civil War and is the formal national body through which member Churches engage, dialogue and act on a wide variety of issues. Together with the Irish Inter-Church Meeting, which incorporates the Catholic Church, our membership reflects the contemporary landscape of Irish Christianity across Protestant, Orthodox, Reformed, Catholic, Independent and Migrant-led Churches and encompass the vast majority of Christians within Ireland (see list of members below).
The current President is Rev Fr Godfrey O’Donnell, chair of the Orthodox Network of Churches, Vice-president is the Rev Dr Donald Watts, Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and our immediate past-president is the Most Rev Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland. The Council President and Cardinal Séan Brady co-chair the Irish Inter Church Meeting.
Ahead of the examination by the Constitutional Convention of the proposal to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution of Ireland on 2 and 3 November 2013, our member Churches have been reflecting on the values and principles that should underpin the human right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience in a truly inclusive, pluralist Ireland.
As Churches in Ireland we acknowledge that the current reference to blasphemy in the Constitution of Ireland is largely obsolete and may give rise to concern because of the way such measures have been used to justify violence and oppression against minorities in other parts of the world.
The promotion of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience for all in society greatly enriches the social fabric of a country, and is one aspect of respect for the dignity of human persons. The human right of faith communities to contribute to public life, including public debate on issues that are of importance to everyone, without being subjected to attack or ridicule, needs to be acknowledged and respected.
We consider that it is vital to ensure that the rights of individuals and communities to practice and live out their faith openly are protected by law. These guarantees may be better achieved through established or new constitutional and legislative provisions for the protection for freedom of religion, belief and expression, as well as legislation against discrimination and hate crimes.
As Churches we cannot reflect on these questions without expressing our solidarity with all those, throughout the world, who are experiencing persecution, and human rights abuses, because of their faith or beliefs. We urge the Convention to assist the Government of Ireland in making our country a leading example of protection for freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and the human rights of minorities.
We wish to express our gratitude to those who are giving their time to the important task of reviewing key provisions of the Constitution through the work of the Convention. We welcome this constitutional conversation and would be delighted to respond to any queries you may have in this or other areas considered by the convention.
Kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Mervyn McCullagh
Executive Officer
Irish Council of Churches
Irish Inter-Church Meeting
ENDS
Notes for Editors
For media contact: Mervyn McCullagh 0044 (0) 788 088 2597 [email protected] or the Catholic Communications Office, Maynooth, Martin Long 00 353 (0) 86 1727678
- Churches currently represented by the Irish Council of Churches are:
Antiochian Orthodox Church
Church of Ireland
Cherubim and Seraphim
Greek Orthodox Church
Lutheran Church in Ireland
Methodist Church in Ireland
Moravian Church (Irish District)
Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church
Romanian Orthodox Church
Presbyterian Church
Religious Society of Friends
Redeemed Christian Church of God
Roman Catholic Church in Ireland
Russian Orthodox Church
Salvation Army (Ireland Division)
