Thriller surrounds why a Free Presbyterian cleric whose title was printed on the order of service for the Queen’s funeral failed to indicate up at Westminster Abbey.
The Rev Ian Brown, who succeeded the late Ian Paisley as minister of Martyrs Memorial church on Belfast’s Ravenhill Street, was included within the ornate order of service printed by Buckingham Palace on Sunday night time — a growth which shocked some clerical colleagues within the church as a result of it was an ecumenical service, one thing which Free Presbyterians have virulently opposed.
The order of service listed Northern Eire’s fundamental church leaders — Catholic Primate Eamon Martin, Church of Eire Primate John McDowell, Presbyterian Moderator Rev John Kirkpatrick and Methodist President Rev David Nixon — amongst representatives from religion communities, together with Rev Brown.
The inclusion of Rev Brown was stunning not solely as a result of the Free Presbyterian church is a really small denomination and there have been no representatives of different Protestant denominations, however he isn't even the moderator of the church.
For years, the Free Presbyterian Church has had a rule which places an onus on its members who attend both civic or non secular occasions to make sure that any companies they attend should not have ecumenical components or non secular participation by these of different faiths.
The chief of Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nicols, was amongst those that prayed throughout the hour-long service for the Queen, one thing made clear on the order of service and ought to not have been any shock — Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor learn a lesson on the Queen Mom’s funeral 20 years in the past.
Monday’s funeral service included senior diplomatic representatives from the Vatican who arrived together with world leaders, in addition to Catholic clerics who have been included among the many religion leaders. This was an indication of how the Queen healed relations between the monarchy, which continues to be completely Protestant, with the Catholic Church from which Henry VIII broke.
The Belfast Telegraph sought to talk with the Rev Brown about why he had not gone to the funeral however was unable to take action. As a substitute, the cleric stated in a message that he had been “getting various folks making related inquiries to yours looking for a narrative”.
He stated: “It could be finest for me to place a message in my very own phrases alone [Facebook] web page and go away others who might have much less noble intentions to select over the bones. This could seem in the end.”
A number of hours later, the Rev Brown posted a message on his Fb web page which confirmed that he had been invited to the service and had not attended, however gave no clarification as to why he had not gone nor why his title was on the order of service as attending.
When requested if he had refused the invitation due to Catholic involvement, and whether or not he knew why he had been invited when he isn't moderator, the Rev Brown didn't reply.
Likewise, when Free Presbyterian moderator the Rev John Armstrong was requested if he had been invited as moderator and declined, which means the invitation transferred to Rev Brown, he didn't reply.
The scenario will baffle many past the world of Protestant evangelicism, however is indicative of the complexity of the connection a number of the staunchest unionists have with the monarchy, feeling deep loyalty to the sovereign, however robust opposition to a lot of what the sovereign represents as head of state in a pluralist multi-faith society.
Free Presbyterian minister the Rev Ivan Foster, a DUP Assemblyman within the Eighties and the church’s most outspoken voice, wrote on his web site that the brand new King’s strategy to religion, which entails being extra inclusive in the direction of non-Christian religions, confirmed that “he's a idiot counselled and guided by fools”.
Final week, the King’s go to to Belfast noticed Free Presbyterians or people who worship as Free Presbyterians with out being members, attend the St Anne’s memorial service for the Queen.