S P E C I a L D I G I T a L I S S

ISSUE 50 / APRIL - JUNE 2021

Celebrating

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01 SPECIAL VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 DIGITAL ISSUE Hope & Aid for the persecuted Church

Please do help hungry Christians in desperate need. Many are already marginalised and rejected by their communities. Some are even denied food aid because of their faith Your gift can make a difference to lives Donate online at: www.barnabasfund.org/VOX Office 113, Russell Business Centre, call: +44 2891 455246 and quote VXA 04/21 40-42 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 6AA Barnabas Fund is a company registered in England Number 04029536 Email02 [email protected] VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 Registered Charity Number 1092935 EDITORIAL A Time to Weep

ave you ever had a day when It can never lead to forgiveness and you just wanted to crawl back reconciliation. Amnesia is no solution. If a H under the duvet and shut out nation is going to be healed, it has to come the world? Perhaps you’ve been tempted to grips with the past. We live in a moral to say, “Stop the world... I want to get off!” universe. What’s right matters. What’s In recent months, it seems as if the news wrong matters. You may keep things cycles have dished out an unrelenting hidden but they don’t disappear into the barrage of negativity. ether. They impregnate the atmosphere.” Jeremiah was given a tough calling So I hope you will bear with us as we to confront God’s people with the consider some painful truths together consequences of their sin and rebellion. including the legacy of abuse revealed And while his message pointed to a in the reports into the Mother and Baby future hope in Homes (page 18), the our faithful and impact of revelations compassionate If a nation is going to be about Ravi Zacharias Lord, there was no healed, it has to come (page 44) and the avoiding the ugly present day reality truth. He is called to grips with the past. of racism that would the “weeping seek to diminish prophet” for a reason. those who should be honoured (page 52). Preparing for our Easter issue of VOX There is always hope of healing with magazine - this our 50th issue - I would Jehovah Rapha (our God who heals) but have so loved to focus only on “happy, first we need to come to grips with the shiny” themes. Instead I’ve frequently past and face the truth of our present. found myself in tears conducting “Weeping may last through the night, but interviews and editing features. Like joy comes with the morning.” Jeremiah’s message, there is always hope Psalm 30:5 (NLT) because we worship a God of hope. Yet as God’s people, there are times when we need to face some tough realities. I never tire of quoting Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the subject of abuse (quoted Ruth Garvey-Williams in Parade Magazine, January Editor ([email protected]) 1998). “Denial doesn’t work.

03 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 April - June 2021 Issue 50 ISSN: 2009-2253

EDITOR Ruth Garvey-Williams [email protected] CONT

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Features and Interviews 14 Celebrating our 50th issue and Digital VOX 18 Special Report: Mother and Baby Homes 31 Finding Faith 2021 34 What Now? Responding to the Mother and Baby Homes Reports 40 My Story: Meet Glen Galvin 44 A Pandemic of Silence: the ugly truth behind Ravi Zacharias’ global ministry 48 The Covid-19 Vaccine - weighing the issues and improving acceptability among migrants 52 Global Success for Irish Teens - the inspirational women behind the award-winning Memory Haven app 56 A Listening Life - Ana Mullan continues her inspirational series 58 Heart, Soul and Hands - Serve the City volunteers are still meeting needs in Dublin and Galway 62 Meet the Young Humanitarian of the Year 2020 64 I was so brainwashed - a chance meeting led to months of involvement with a secretive cult for one university student Regular Features 06 VOX: Shorts 38 Confessions of a Feint Saint 10 VOX: World News 69 Music Reviews 12 Your VOX: Inbox 72 Book Reviews 32 Musings with Patrick Mitchell 76 VOX: PS with Seán Mullan

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NORTHERN IRISH ‘FAMILY HYMN SING’ RECEIVES OVER 1 MILLION VIEWS A ‘family hymn sing’ in Northern Ireland has received more than one million views in over 100 countries after going live on Facebook. The ‘family hymn sing’ concept was conceived last year with the first episode going live on St. Patrick’s Day while the Gettys were in Nashville. They then returned to Northern Ireland to be at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Gettys believe that the pandemic has provided an unprecedented opportunity to build new habits of worshiping God through song in the home. To be notified about future hymn sings and to download free music for your family to sing along visit www.gettymusic.com/hymnsing.

CELEBRATING ST. PATRICK’S DAY WITH A DIFFERENCE Christians around Ireland found innovative ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year while respecting lockdown restrictions. Here VOX magazine highlights a few of those projects:

St. Patrick’s display in the park - Dublin West Community Church Joan Singleton writes, “Some time ago I was watching Songs of Praise on BBC1 and they showed a church in England that put up things in a local park for the church people to read - a bit like a ‘walking church’. This created interest for people who were walking in the park and could read the notices. I thought, it would be great if we could do that as a church in our local park.

07 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE

“As people could not have a St. recorded themselves reading a section of Patrick’s Day Parade or other celebrations, the Confession.” I thought we could do this for St. Patrick’s Using the Royal Irish Academy Day so people could read about St. Patrick. translation of Patrick’s Confession, I chatted with the team in church who available on confessio.ie, with their were enthusiastic. We got permission permission, the final video is now from the council and found out lots about available on YouTube and across the St. Patrick. We decided to mainly use St. Diocesan social media channels. Patrick’s own words for the 12 display “We hope that it will be an boards. By including interactive ‘fact or encouragement to all who watch it, and legend’ questions, we hoped to interest that they, like Patrick, will know personally children as well as adults. the difference the Lord makes to those in “It has been so encouraging to read difficult circumstances,” Damian added. of St. Patrick’s deep faith and trust in God and His love for us, the Irish people. We St. Patrick’s Testimony are praying for God to use this display as The Evangelical Catholic Initiative has He chooses and would be happy to share published a readable version of St. these resources with other churches.” Patrick’s Confession in conjunction with Wild Goose Publishing, a Pentecostal St. Patrick’s Confession - Kilmore, Elphin ministry based in Bray. and Ardagh Diocese Wild Goose is the old Without all of the parades and other Irish Celtic name for the events that usually take place for St. Holy Spirit. There are Patrick’s Day, young people from across eight Latin manuscripts the Church of Ireland diocese of Kilmore, of Patrick’s Confession in Elphin and Ardagh participated in a special existence today. Written project to celebrate our patron saint. near the end of his life, “There are lots of legends and the Confession gives misconceptions about who Patrick was Patrick’s own account of and what his mission was. However, we how the Lord changed are privileged to have the real Patrick his life and used him in a St. Patrick’s preserved for us in his own words in two powerful way in Ireland. testimony writings: his Confession (or Confessio) His story is Christ-centered and his letter to Coroticus, both of which and Scripturally based. In are readily accessible (www.confessio. fact, he quotes 70 different ie),” writes Damian Shorten, the Youth and Scriptures including 22 Children’s Worker for KEA Diocese. “To from the Old Testament. The St. Patrick’s celebrate Patrick and the biblical Gospel Testimony Pamphlet is available on the he believed and preached, and also to ECI website www.evancat.org/news. This make people — young and old — more version opens up (accordion style) into familiar with the truth about him, over a full A1 sized paper and on the back 30 young people from the majority of is St. Patrick’s Breastplate, so it can be parishes in the Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh displayed as a poster.

08 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX SHORTS

NEW HORIZON 2021: PEOPLE OF PEACE Monday 9 to Friday 13 CHRISTIAN August. CONFERENCES ONLINE The one certainty in these Organisers of popular Christian turbulent times is that conferences in Ireland have had to apart from our Lord Himself make the tough decision to move online everything is subject to once again. Here are the latest updates. change. This is also true for New Horizon 2021. We had hoped to organise a LIVE event but have now made SUMMER MADNESS 2021 - SLIGO21: NEW WINE the decision to livestream YOUTH FESTIVAL IRELAND from behind closed doors. John Kee shares, “It will “We know that like us, This means there will be no come as no surprise that you have been looking public meetings in Coleraine. the camping element of the forward to joining While we are sad festival is off the table for together for our Sligo that our coming together 2021, however we will do Summer Conference. physically is delayed, we our best to bring you some However, with the are thrilled that NH2021 kind of event or events over on-going situation and will provide an online the coming months, at a challenges relating programme of Bible time and date that works to Covid-19, we have Teaching, worship and for us all and keeps us come to the very prayer with our guest all safe. We had a really difficult but inevitable speakers Chris Wright (for big programme for this realisation that our the morning Bible Teaching) year planned around the Sligo Conference and Malcolm Duncan (for the theme of prayer and rather this July 2021 cannot Evening Celebrations). than squeeze that into a go ahead. We have Our minds are often curtailed programme, we been planning for anxious and fearful in times decided to hold that until this eventuality and of uncertainty and change. 2022.” are currently bringing Our homes and churches can Pete Grieg from 24/7 plans together for a be places of tension instead Prayer says, “It is sad news New Wine Summer of refuges of harmony. Our in a year of sad news about Conference Online.” - world is burdened with ill Summer Madness not David McClay, Simon health, economic hardship being able to happen in Genoe and Hilary and deep political divisions. person but I’m delighted to McClay But, through Christ Jesus, say that I’ve committed to Stay in touch via the God of peace is making a being with you at Summer New Wine Ireland people of peace. Madness 2022.” on social media or Keep in touch with Keep in touch at www. by visiting www. the latest news at www. summermadness.co.uk. newwineireland.org. newhorizon.org.uk.

09 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE

“COME LORD JESUS” INTERGENERATIONAL PRAYER RELAY Christians across Ireland will take part in an international prayer relay in April as part of the “Come Lord Jesus” initiative that seeks to bring different generations together to pray. The Irish event will take place on Wednesday 21 April. Ireland coordinator Richie Gardiner writes, “I remember in the 90’s doing prayer and faxing parties where a small group of children and teens together with their family would pray and hear God for a nation and share back the prayers, and NEW FONT FOR any pictures, words they got from the Holy BETTER LEARNING Spirit in prayer over fax! The prayer relay is Ever struggled with memorising an evolution of those prayer days from the scripture? Well then, Australia’s 90s. Imagine children, young people and Royal Melbourne Institute of families across the globe rising up to pray Technology might just have come for the nations.” to your rescue. Prayer will focus on inviting Jesus to They have scientifically come into three areas: in my life, in the created a new font to help us all nation and to the world. learn better. Sans Forgetica was “Like a relay, the baton will be passed specifically designed to be difficult to us from South Africa who will be praying to read. Using the font triggers a for us in Ireland on 20 April. In turn, we will cognitive process in the brain that pray for Tanzania on 21 April as a blessing forces our minds to double their to that nation for when they take over from efforts to make sense of what is us on 22 April,” Richie added. written. A direct consequence “This event allows you and your of this process is that you will children to be part of a global movement remember the text better. praying for the world. It will help them The font is a free download. grow in intercession and connect with the church worldwide, praying for other nations, for the Gospel to go to the four corners of the earth and for Christ to I have come that return.” they may have life, Come Lord Jesus prayer resources are available on the website at www.cljprayer. and have it to the com and from Ireland Coordinator Richie Gardiner [email protected]. full. - John 10:10

10 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 Irish Mission Agencies Partnership Resourcing World Mission Together

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Irish Mission Agencies Partnership clg CRO 604140 RCN 20204995 CHY 18021  +353 (0) 87 2949518  [email protected]  www.imap.ie 11 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 86 The Fairways, Castletroy, Limerick WORLD NEWS

Over 200 Christians set free in Eritrea Since July 2020, at least 205 Christians prison, where 26 Christian men remain in have been set free in a wave of releases captivity. One of the released women was across Eritrea. All had been arbitrarily 15 when she was arrested and is now 29; arrested and imprisoned – without her parents have since divorced. Another charge, trial or sentence – and the one was 16 when imprisoned and is now Eritrean government has given no reason 28; both of her parents died while she was for the releases. in prison. Many of the released Christians Among those released in recent need clothing, food and accommodation months were well-known, long-term and are being helped by a Church in prisoners Aklilu Desbele (left), Mussie Chains partner organisation. Eyob (centre) and Twen Theodros (right). It is estimated that about 130 Aklilu had been in prison since 2008, Christians remain in prison in Eritrea, Mussie since 2011 and Twen since 2005. including a group of leading pastors who Twen was a great friend and help to have been held prisoner for the past 17 gospel singer Helen Berhane during her years. time in prison. Helen spoke movingly of Experienced observers suggest that Twen’s care for her following her release. the recent releases may have been The wave of releases began with 22 ordered to curry favour with the Prime Methodist prisoners last July followed Minister of Ethiopia, who is a Christian. by the release of 69 Evangelical and Eritrea has joined forces with Ethiopia Pentecostal prisoners last Autumn. In in its fight against Tigrayan rebels in January, 93 prisoners from Evangelical the north of Ethiopia. It is also believed and Orthodox backgrounds were freed, that Eritrean president Isaias Afewerki while the most recent to be released was is trying to change the narrative about a group of 21 women who had been held Eritrea in the international arena, where in the notorious island prison of Nakura there has been a lot of critical media in the Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea. coverage of Eritrea’s involvement in the These women were released in conflict in Tigray. There have been many late February and were the last female reports of Eritrean troops carrying out Christian prisoners held in Nakura abuses in the region.

12 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE

Christians have suffered great highest rates of child marriage in the persecution in Eritrea since 2002, when Latin America and Caribbean Region. the Eritrean government banned all “This harmful practice results in a religious groups except the Eritrean lack of protection, inequality, lack of Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran opportunities, and early pregnancy for churches and Sunni Islam. Thousands girls. It also has a direct impact on the of Christians have been arrested and country’s economy,” explained Sonia. imprisoned since then with most being Global experts agree it can also increase held in extremely harsh conditions, children’s vulnerability to sex trafficking. including in shipping containers. The Executive Branch modified Many Christians have been tortured the Civil Code and other laws, clearly and offered release if they recanted stating that “people under 18 years old their Christian faith. Others have been will not be able to marry under any released to make way for new prisoners circumstances.” Prior to these changes, in the country’s overcrowded prisons. the law permitted children to be forced Find out more at into marriage as long as there was www.churchinchains.ie. parental consent and permission from a judge. In addition to these changes, Ending child marriage in the president issued a new decree Dominican Republic establishing a special cabinet, led by the The International Justice Mission team Ministry for Women, to work toward in Dominican Republic has seen a a life free of violence for women and historic victory against the practice of girls. Ending harmful practices like child child marriage after leading a successful marriage by 2030 is part of target 5.3 petition to make it illegal. On January 6 from the United Nations’ Sustainable 2021, President Abinader approved a bill Development Goals—and made all the that eliminates all legal ground for child more urgent in the pandemic. As the marriage and safeguards the fundamental Dominican Republic is hit by a second rights of children, particularly girls who wave of Covid-19, the enforcement of had been vulnerable to this widespread the new legislation will be key to protect practice. thousands across the country. Speaking on International women’s “Through this law, a new stage Day IJM Dominican Republic Associate begins in the country. Our girls and Director Sonia Hernandez said, “In the adolescents will be protected…and face of so much injustice... I am inspired cannot be forced into marriage in their to leave a message that women have the childhood or adolescence.” said Sonia. potential to fight against broken systems IJM remains committed to collaborating that don’t protect the most vulnerable. with the public justice system and civil To strengthen systems so that they will society groups to ensure children are respond with equity for all.” protected and safe. The Dominican Republic has the

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[email protected] 01-8069060 www.ibi.ie14 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 YOUR VOX Star Prize In each issue of VOX we award a prize of a €25 book voucher for our favourite letter, email or online comment. It could be you!

UNACCEPTABLE? informed that it was unconfessed sin in I was asked a question the other day by my life. But I felt like this since I was a a friend, “Why are you a Christian?” The very small child. What could I have done question “Why?’ cuts right to the heart that was so sinful that I was condemned of motivation. I paused and considered to feel like this? my answer. I am a Christian because I am I have been advised that if I didn’t persuaded beyond all doubt that God is practice an alternative lifestyle then it good. I know that God loves me. I believe would be alright: live a life devoid of love, that God wants a relationship with me, devoid of family, devoid of intimacy. I and that Jesus came to earth to ensure was admonished that, “It’s a choice.” that that relationship could happen. Who would willingly choose to endure Jesus’ death was to atone for my sin and rejection, degradation, shame, guilt, pain, allow me to have a relationship with God. fear, loneliness and hurt? However, my entire Christian walk has I would lie awake as a teenager been hampered by the way the church unsure what was wrong with me but and more specifically “Christians” treat knowing that I did not feel like everyone me. I am an unacceptable Christian. else; praying to God that I could just be It did not matter whether Methodist, normal, just be like everyone else. I went Presbyterian, Evangelical, Christian to Christian camps as a youngster and as Fellowship - they have all been the a leader, petrified that someone would same. Perhaps you are asking “Why?” figure out that I was different and reveal In the words of another friend I am a me as such. “rainbow person” - I belong to the LGBTQI I hated myself. I read books, prayed community. and talked to people. I spent years trying Don’t get me wrong; very few to fix myself but nothing changed. Every churches have let me know that I was effort was in vain, the failure to ‘pray the completely unwelcome. But there is a strange away’ only added weight to the great difference between being tolerated fact that I was wrong, a sinner destined and being accepted. My entire life I have for hell, one who was so unworthy that felt tolerated. I have been told that if I just God couldn’t be bothered to intervene. prayed, I wouldn’t feel like this. Please I was perplexed and so I researched and believe me that I prayed enough to wipe read, prayed and considered. I arrived at out the entire LGBTQI community. I was a place of personal peace. By that I mean

15 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE

I could live with myself. But the old me cold. My life has been filled with feelings were never far away. pain, loneliness, guilt, fear, self-hatred, Throughout all of this, I continued and self-loathing. The idea that I must to attend church, my involvement was continue to expand on how being always limited by my belonging to that excluded, being treated differently, being small group of LGBTQI. In the church considered as “less than” makes me feel, I currently attend, I am made to feel is cruel. It is not my responsibility to welcome. I have friends; some attended help you work through your deep-seated my wedding. But my involvement is prejudice. limited, my strangeness prohibited, Is it fair to ask me to sit and wait my talents unusable, my presence in pain, while you consider if I should uncomfortable. be treated like everyone else? I am a I have spent my entire life sitting in person, not a project. I am a person, not a church hearing that ‘God is love’ whilst problem. I am a person, not perverse. I have been treated as a second-class I cannot bear the thought of another citizen, viewed as a problem, viewed with person enduring what I have endured. suspicion and disdain. I used to read After I told my friend why I was a Paul’s letters where he described himself Christian, they asked, “Why do you as the ‘chief of sinners’. I mused “Was want to teach?” I want to help people Paul gay?” because I was led to believe understand the simplicity and the beauty there was nothing worse. of the Gospel, to lose the religiosity that I go to church now and it is binds hearts and minds and be able to excruciating; the pain of all those words, freely love and accept all as Jesus did. To of all the years of being blamed. The have an end to the ungodly hierarchy that feelings are stifling. Some days I arrive at pitches men against women, white people church and I can hardly breathe. Some against black, straight against LGBTQI, and days I stand awkwardly trying to force to help usher in a kinder, more inclusive, myself to stay calm. Some days I leave more honest, good news for all. unable to cope with the pain. Some days I In the words of Liz Fosslien and Mollie sit and listen to words that hammer home West Duffy, “Diversity is having a seat at my feelings of rejection, pain, shame, the table, inclusion is having a voice, and guilt, self-hatred and self-loathing. Some belonging is having that voice be heard.” days I am so filled with anger that I want The Church has grown far from its to stand up and shout, “What are you infancy as an outlawed faction following doing? This is not what Jesus meant.” a young Jewish Rabbi. I would like to see Recently, someone told me, “You must a return to those days. The Church should continue sharing normal life and your be as diverse as the community it serves. journey with Jesus with others in church. The Church should be inclusive of all. The It is the only thing that makes people Church should be the first place in society really question their long-held beliefs.” that all feel they belong, not the last. I understand the point they were making; people respond to [real life] Signed the Unacceptable Christian stories. However, the sentence stopped (name and address supplied to VOX magazine)

SEND16 YOUR VOX.IE LETTERS APR - TO JUN [email protected] 2021 OR YOUR VOX, ULYSSES HOUSE, 22-24 FOLEY STREET, DUBLIN 1 5050 andissues a digital VOX

CAN YOU REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST VOX Issue 1 January - March 2009 VOX MAGAZINE IN JANUARY 2009? After 13 years FAITH LIFE REALITY

Born to Dance and 50 issues of the magazine, we’re so grateful to RTÉ’s Ballet Chancer Donking Rongavilla look back and see God’s faithfulness, enabling us to share the stories of what God is doing on our island.

FREE Coming First Issue! Highlights for us have included launching the Soon (Regular Price €3.50) 12 months of hit movies for 2009 popular Finding Faith Tour in 2013, our research City Lights One church’s response to binge drinking projects including “Millennials 2015” and “Women Too young to kill? and the Church 2018” and the hundreds of features An Irish charity provides hope in place of horror

VOX | Jan - Mar 2009 | www.voxmagazine.ie we have published supporting Christians as we 1 ISSUE 28 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015 engage with one another and with the tough issues FREE facing our communities.

YOUNG ADULTS’ SURVEY Although a global pandemic is not the ideal time MILLENNIALS IN IRELAND HAVE THEIR SAY ON FAITH, LIFE AND REALITY to create and distribute any publication, the VOX team has found creative ways to continue serving Christians in Ireland throughout this strange season. The last year also provided us with opportunities to experiment with new ways of sharing and th THE SURF PROJECT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD distributing high quality content. For this special 50 THE AMAZING STORY OF VETERAN CREATING A SPACE FOR YOUNG MISSIONARY MAUD KELLS OCT - DEC 2015 VOX 01 PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER GOD ISSUE 40 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2018 issue of the magazine, you’ll notice we’re trying out a new design, created to enable more people to FREE access the magazine on digital devices (along with

AREWEALL a smaller size print edition). We’re also working to ONEINCHRIST The findings from our in-depth survey ? looking at Women in the Church bring you more content on our new-look website to help you keep up-to-date with what is happening across Ireland. As we look to the future, we’d love to know what

HOW INCLUSIVE IS YOUR CHURCH? you think of these innovations and any suggestions Learning Difficulties and the Body of Christ

OCT - DEC 2018 VOX 01 you may have. Email [email protected] to have your say or complete the short reader survey you will find on our website at WWW.VOX.IE/SURVEY.

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Edna Abercrombie, Samuel Abraham, Daughter of Alice Addison, Donald Ainslie, Eleanor Allen, William Armstrong, Alexander Armstrong, John Armstrong, Daphne Armstrong, Daphine Atwool, N/A Ayers, Wilda Barrington, Gordon Barton, Patricia Bass, Female of Gladys Bates, Dennis Baugh, Michael Behan, Dorothy Bever, Robert Bible, Nellie (Nannie) Bingham, Patricia Birney, Infant Female Bleach, S/B of N/A Boles, Martin Bonny, David Brodie, Henry Bryant, Eileen Burnett, Douglas Burroghs, John Butler, Eric Carlew, Arthur Carr, S/B female of Mary Carroll, Michael Carroll, Muriel Carroll, James Carroll, Infant of Esther Carter, Lilian Carty, Norah Cassidy, Jane Cavanagh, Albert Chamney, Norman Cinnamond, Eva Clarke, Christopher Clifford, Edward Cobb, Clement Collins, Infant Male of Bridie Conway, Joan Conway, Margaret Cooper, Marjorie Coote, Derek Crampton, Elizabeth Crimmins, Paul Cullen, James Cully, John Cunningham, Pansey Curley, Isabella Davenport, Mary Deane, Michael Dempsey, Patrick Diegan, Henry Digan, Evelyn Dixon, William Dolan, Mary Donaldson, Mary Donaldson, Evelyn Donnelly, George Eager, Josephine Eager, Evelyn Eakins, John Elder, Dorothy Elliott, Derrick Exley, Iris Eyre, Agnes Florence Farran, Marjorie Farrelly, John Feeney, Stewart Ferguson, Infant Finlay, John Fitzpatrick, Albert Flanagan, David Flanagan, John Charles Flower, Rose Mary Flynn, Elizabeth Franklin, Ian D Fraser, Maurice Furlong, Herbert Furney, Edith Mabel (Adult) Galbraith, Ruth Galbraith, Daphne Gardiner, Michael Gauntley, George Geoghegan, Muriel Gerty, Hilda Gethings, George Robert Gibson, Arthur Gilbert, Noel Gill, Grace (Grave) Glover, Isabella Graham, Sybil Graham, Mary Patricia Grattan, Mary Bridget Grattan, Dorothy Gray, Kevin Gray (Grey), S/B of John Greer, Lucy Griffith, David Gunning, William Hadnet, Marjorie Hall, Albert Hanlon, Kathleen Hanna, William Hannon, Joseph Hargrave, Ruth Hawkins, Andrew Hayden, Muriel Hayes, Patrick Heaney, Charles Heffernan, Reginald Hendy, Margaret Hendy, William Henly (Healy), Philip Hingston, The names of all Charles Hogan, Violet Holt, Annie Huggard, Fredrick L Hughes, Mary babies who died Hunt, Rhona Hunt, Mervyn Hunter, Lilian Hurley, Cecil Hynes, Phobe Hynes, Violet Hynes, Edwin Jennings, Lilian Johnston, Derek James Jones, while at the Bethany Anthony Jones, Edward Judge, Anna Kavanagh, Philip Kavanagh, Infant Home in Dublin. Male of N/A Kearney, Gladys Kearney, Patrick Kearney, Violet Kelly, Mary Kennedy, David Kennington, Kathleen Kerr (Kerris), Percy Stanley Kerris, Lilian Kertz, James Killeen, Alice Kilpedder, S/B male of Sarah Knight, Louisa Knight, Noel Knight, Rodrick (Fredrick) Knott, Michael Knox, S/B Male twin of Sarah Lambert, Jean Lang, David Lang, Patrick J Leavy, John Leehy, Christopher Leon, Laurence Lewis, Stephen Linton, Infant of N/A Lucas, Franklin MacBeth, Patrick Maguire, Mary Maguire, Mary Kathleen Manning, Herbert Mapstone, Cecil Martin, William Mason, Thomas Sydney Matthews, Elizabeth McAree, Olive McBride, Trevor McCaffery, Joan McClure, Daphne McCollum, Thomas McCullagh, Sylvia McCutcheon, Terence McDonald, Mary Kathleen McDonald, Ronnie McGovern, Roberta McGowan, Rebecca McGowan, Ann McGowan, Francis McHugh, Lily McKenna, Mary McKeogh, James McKillop, John McKillop, Margaret McKnight, Douglas McMahon, Ernest McMillan, George McWilliams, Mary Kathleen Mealey, Ethel Meredith, Fredrick Middleton, Sedgewick Frederick Middleton, John Miller, Ronald Minnock, Peter Moffat, Norman Montgomery, David Moran, Fred Moran, Ann Moran, David Morgan, Thomas Morris, Robert Morrow, John Morrow, Elizabeth Murphy, Marion Myler, Female Nathan, Stillborn Nathan, Stewart Neill, S/B Female of George Nelson, Rosabella Newland, Joseph Nolan, William Nolan, Marjorie Norris, Ramon O’Leary, Henry O’Malley, Joseph O’Neill, George Oakley, Valerie Overton, Ronald Owens, Sarah Parke, Helen Parker, Desmond Patterson, John Patterson, Robert Patterson, Rita Evelyn Payne, Vera Payne, James Percy, Elizabeth Phair, Casandra Philips, Eleanor Pollard, James Anthony Preston, David Reilly, Rebecca Robinson, Doris Roche, Dorothy Roche, Florence (Adult) Rochford, Norah Rountree, S/B of Margaret Russell, Gordon Ryan, Charles D Sargent, Infant male Scanlon, Herbert Scott, Mary Scott, Peter Shortt, James Smith, Audrey Smith, Male Infant Smith, Noel Edward Smith, Mary Sodden, June Spence, Joan Stacey, John Stenson, Robert Stevenson, Susan Sunderji, Rhoda (Rhods) Sweeney, Isobel Syms, Eugene Taffe, Elizabeth Margaret Taylor, William Teskey, Violet Thompson, Herbert Thompson, Eva Tilson, George Albert Tracey, Betty Traynor, George Turner, Doreen Twamloy, Annie Upton, Keith Valentine, S/B male of Anna Victory, Violet Walker, Eileen Walker, Alexander Wall, Alfred Warner, Annie Warren, Mabel Waugh, Samuel George Webster, S/born female of Matilda Welby, Phyllis Whittle, Herbert Williams, Pearl (Perl) Williamson, Bertrice Willis, S/B Wilson, Christopher Wilton, Norman J Winslow, Desmond Wynne VOX MAGAZINE Mother and Baby Homes What is the “Christian” Response?

he final report of the themselves from the reports. Criticism Commission of Investigation has been levelled at the Catholic into Mother and Baby Homes Church and the State (and by some at in Ireland was published in families and the wider society) without TJanuary 2021. Soon afterwards, Ulster an acknowledgement that all major University and Queen’s University Christian denominations across the jointly released a study of Mother and island were implicated. Shifting blame Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries or denying responsibility has taken in Northern Ireland commissioned by precedence over acknowledgement, the Inter Departmental Working Group repentance and reparation. on Mother and Baby Homes, Magdalene Have we become inured to the Laundries and Historical Clerical history of past wrongs on this island? Child Abuse. Taken together, the two Are we suffering compassion fatigue reports chart the treatment of women, or simply worn out by the seemingly particularly unmarried mothers and unending revelations of abuse, especially their children, on the island of Ireland by those who supposedly represent the between the 1920s and the 1990s. They faith we hold dear? In this issue of VOX make for distressing reading. magazine, we take a deeper look at the Already drained by a year of implications for Christians in Ireland lockdowns and restrictions, the public and how these reports affect our witness reaction, while understandably angry, today. seemed muted. An initial flurry of Wading through pages of comment and opinion in the media has dispassionate narrative is a daunting now subsided. For many it seems this task. So here we begin with a summary chapter is now closed. of the key findings. What did the reports Others have scrambled to distance say?

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COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION and this was particularly the case when INTO MOTHER AND BABY HOMES IN they were giving birth.” It was in an era IRELAND when, “all women [in Ireland] suffered The Commission considered a number serious discrimination” but “women who of Mother and Baby homes in Ireland gave birth outside marriage were subject including county homes run by local to particularly harsh treatment.” health authorities, those run by the Living conditions varied from home Catholic church (mainly by religious to home although overcrowding was a orders) and the Bethany Home run by a feature in many. County homes were Protestant evangelical group. “appalling” with unmarried mothers 56,000 women and 57,000 children having to squat on the floor to eat their were resident in the homes investigated. meals. Many did not have adequate While Ireland was not unique, the heating or running water. The conditions proportion of unmarried mothers in Glenmaddy/Tuam and Kilrush were admitted to Mother and Baby Homes in described as “dire”. Homes run by 20th century Ireland was probably the religious orders were institutional with highest in the world. 80% of the women large dormitories but at least had heating were aged between 18 and 29; 11.4% and running water. were under 18. The women had become pregnant outside of marriage and most HIGH INFANT MORTALITY were destitute. The report noted that Nine thousand babies died in the some had been raped, had mental homes and the report points to the health problems or had an intellectual exceptionally high infant mortality disability. Although it concluded that rate (almost twice the national average) women were not forced to enter the as the most disquieting feature of homes, it also states that they had no these institutions. While the death alternative. rate among illegitimate children was According to the Commission, the always considerably higher than that of primary mission of Mother and Baby legitimate children, it was higher still in mother and baby homes. Entering a mother and baby home significantly “Women who gave birth reduced a baby’s chance of survival. By 1939, an inspector was already expressing outside marriage were concern at the high rate of infant subject to particularly mortality. In 1943, three out of every four children born in Bessborough and 62% harsh treatment.” of those born in Bethany Home died. The Commission pointed to the Homes was “reform and repentance”. lack of professional staff combined Many women suffered emotional abuse with “what must be acknowledged as a and were subject to denigration and general indifference to the fate of the derogatory remarks. “It appears that children who were born in mother and there was little kindness shown to them baby homes” as contributing to the

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appalling levels of infant mortality and in unmarked graves and in the case of cited Bethany Home as an example: Tuam, they were buried “inappropriately” “In October 1936, the Bethany matron on the grounds of the home. Babies informed the management committee died from a variety of causes including that five infants had died in the previous infectious diseases and marasmus month; four from heart failure. She went (malnutrition). on to observe that the health of all was good except for one delicate baby.” WHAT HAPPENED TO THE Many homes did not keep adequate CHILDREN? death records or a register of burials. While some unmarried mothers returned Babies in several homes were buried home with their babies, for many this

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simply wasn’t an option. Before legal adoption was introduced in the 1950s, children were often boarded out to foster families with little concern for the needs of the child. Foster payments provided additional income for impoverished households and older children were a source of unpaid labour. Although some foster families took good care of the children, in other placements they were exploited, badly fed, kept out of school and hired out for employment. In the 1950s and 1960s, adoption became the most common outcome. A significant percentage of children were also sent to other institutions such as children’s homes especially from Bethany Home. The religious orders and by various Protestant question of consent for adoptions has groups and denominations including the been raised by a number of survivors. Church of Ireland and Salvation Army. The Commission reported “no evidence” Most who entered the homes had limited that consent was not given freely despite alternatives. what it describes as the “inadequate” The youngest recorded admission resources of the Adoption Board to was a 12 year-old girl and the oldest a supervise adoption agencies or examine 44-year-old woman. The majority of consent during its first 15 years of women were aged between 20 and 29 operation. Many survivors dispute this (58%). Another 33% were under 19 finding. years of age. It is evident that Protestant and Catholic voluntary organisations MOTHER AND BABY HOMES and in particular clergy were actively AND MAGDALENE LAUNDRIES IN NORTHERN IRELAND The report of research by Ulster Entering a mother University and Queen’s found that there was “a culture of stigma, shame and baby home and secrecy attached to unmarried mothers” in Northern Ireland. It is significantly estimated that between 1922 and 1990 reduced a baby’s over 10,500 women entered mother and baby homes run by Catholic chance of survival.

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involved in referring women to the Baby Homes was shorter than in the homes. Republic. Around a quarter of babies left Women often entered a mother with their mother while a third were and baby home when they were not placed in institutional homes. A further in a position to marry. In religiously 23% were recorded as adopted, with segregated Northern Ireland, religious another 15% listed as going to foster differences were a common cause of parents. opposition to a marriage. In other Data assembled from the available cases, the young age of a pregnant girl records suggests that 4% of babies meant that marriage was not an option. were either stillborn or died shortly A number of young women entered after birth (across the entire period) mother and baby but more detailed homes as the result research would be of a sexual crime Most described the needed to identify including incest, rape infant mortality or “unlawful carnal attitudes of staff as rates because so knowledge”. many children There were unsympathetic and were transferred numerous testimonies to institutions. It recounting sometimes cruel. is clear that death experiences that rates in some of the involved cleaning, polishing floors and children’s homes were extremely high. domestic laundering, with no concession A number of women raised for women in their final trimester of concern about the way adoptions were pregnancy. Most described the attitudes handled with “consent” being given in of staff as unsympathetic and sometimes circumstances where they were given cruel. Women provided vivid accounts little or no alternative. There was also of being made to feel ashamed about evidence of considerable cross-border their pregnancy and suggested that movement of children, especially the atmosphere was authoritarian and to Catholic-run children’s homes in judgemental. A minority of testimonies Donegal. offered a more positive assessment of life in the mother and baby homes. SO WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE? The testimonies also reveal the In the following pages, you will find vulnerability, particularly of the younger responses from Kevin Hargaden and women and girls including details of Richard Carson along with “What predatory sexual behaviour and/ or Now?” - an opportunity for you and your malicious actions that they experienced. church to explore practical actions.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN? The length of stay for women and children in Northern Irish Mother and

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Evangelicals and Church Abuse What the Mother and Baby Homes Report Reminds Us

BY KEVIN HARGADEN

aul preached a sermon for stand up to preach in Ireland, you step the people of Athens in Acts inside the shadow cast by the generations 17 which has been studied of abuse committed by Irish Christians ceaselessly since. It is the throughout the 20th century. Pdefinitive example of how important it This year began with the publishing is to, “know your audience.” On the hill of the government’s report into the which had, for centuries, hosted some Mother and Baby Homes. Over the last of the greatest philosophical discourses decade or so there have been reports in human history, Paul demonstrated into the abuses in the Magdalene his understanding and respect of their Laundry system, the industrial schools, culture. It is a template evangelists have and various devastating reports into followed for millennia. abuses in particular Catholic dioceses. For those of us involved in ministry There is no Irish person unaware of this in Ireland today, appreciating the phenomenon. Any missional project that historical context of the place we serve does not consider this context is bound remains absolutely essential. And the to fail, defeating itself by ignoring the tragic fact is that right now, and for wisdom of the New Testament and the decades into the future, as soon as you plain fact that God’s good news is deeply tied up with our abuse. When I say our abuse, The historical fact is clear: we I mean it. This is not a problem that evangelicals conduct our mission today in can brush aside as some kind of “Catholic issue”. the light of what Christians of all The Mother and Baby kinds did up until the last Mother Homes report includes many references to and Baby home closed in 1998. evangelical initiatives

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like the Bethany Home in south Dublin, stuff of nightmares. And it is arguably at where hundreds of babies were buried in the benign end of the spectrum of abuse unmarked graves. My own denomination, associated with the churches in our land. the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, never Reading the Mother and Baby legally ran these homes but prominent Homes Report feels like a gruelling leaders within our congregations were test of our spiritual stamina. Page after deeply involved in their operation. They page, atrocities are recorded in the cold were joined by evangelicals from every and dispassionate tone of an official conceivable tradition present in Ireland publication. One marvels at the strength at the time. The historical fact is clear: of the women who rebuilt their lives we conduct our mission today in the after being so broken down like this. light of what Christians of all kinds did One laments for the many who surely up until the last Mother and Baby home were crushed entirely. Remembering closed in 1998. the historical context has contemporary I feel the temptation to read these consequences. The Irish churches once reports and distance myself from paid so little attention to women in their them. I want to profess, “But, I’m not midst that they could shuffle them off that kind of Christian!” Since Pontius into captivity and barely even notice. Pilate, however, the option of washing This is a serious word for anyone with our hands has not been available to us. ears to hear: how are we different? The instinct to parse the detail of legal Lament is the biblical mode of culpability to avoid moral responsibility worship most commonly neglected by must be resisted. Those who ran these the contemporary church. It is praise homes and laundries and schools and that begins in repentance. To appreciate dioceses could say the creed, they prayed the context for daily, they called Jesus Lord. Every single our mission member of the Managing Committee of is to begin Bethany House had to sign an evangelical in lament. doctrinal commitment as rigorous as This is any I have encountered. No one will exhausting be convinced by our efforts to declare but it is the ourselves righteous! only path To understand our mission in to liberation. historical context means wrestling with We preach the fact that when vulnerable young a message women were at their most fearful, Christians not just colluded but actively constructed and sustained a system that incarcerated them and then often dispatched their babies to foreign lands without consulting them. This is the

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we say is good news – that God took faithfulness and to the cultivation on human form and dwelt among us. of communities of Christians where He was born in a state of illegitimacy vulnerable people are safe and those and shame, and farm animals were His scorned by society are welcomed. first companions, along with His unwed But to understand our mission in mother and foster father. The entire historical context also shines light on our message hinges around a young woman contemporary situation. The last Mother with the remarkable courage to stare and Baby Home was still open years into the abyss of social disgrace and yet after the first Direct Provision Centre still declare, “God’s will be done”. When was established. These two coercive we align the Mother and Baby Homes cultures overlapped. Where once we viewed pregnant women with scorn and suspicion, modern Ireland – which is still This is a serious word for all too eager to pat itself on the back for anyone with ears to hear: what it sees as its moral progress – now views the foreigner the same way. Men, how are we different? women, and children arrive at our shores having escaped war or persecution or against the core of the Gospel message, torture and we put them in pseudo- we cannot fail to see how compromised prisons and give them €21.60 a week and our message is if we do not appreciate tell them to be grateful. this historical context. Such a perversion The Mother and Baby Homes Report of the gospel, such a crime against God – – for all of its deficiencies – allows us and women and children – we inherit. to hear some of the voices that have We must own this legacy and gone unheard. It is thus essential lament. Even if we think we can protest reading for those want to get a hearing that our denomination or tradition or in contemporary Ireland. Paul paid congregation were not implicated, our attention. We must too. message is still heard in this setting. And these abuses continue to have real world effects in the lives of the victims who are still with us, our colleagues and neighbours, and friends in church. That’s where our lament should lead us – back to care for those caught up by this system and forward to create cultures where such abuses will not be replicated. Acts 17 does not record a mass conversion followed from Paul’s sensitive Dr Kevin Hargaden leads the Jesuit Centre for sermon. Wrestling seriously with how Faith and Justice, where he works as a social our gospel message has been bound theologian. He is an elder for the Presbyterian up with heinous abuse is not a church Church in Lucan. His most recent book is growth strategy but an invitation to entitled Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age.

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Denial, Apathy or Lament How will we respond to the Mother and Baby Homes Report?

BY RICHARD CARSON

Richard Carson reflects on the report from the Mother and Baby Homes Commission and the often-overlooked implications for Protestants and evangelicals.

y ministry has been shaped investigation by the State, the legacy of by two disorientating Irish evangelicalism stands condemned commutes. The first was and in the area where Jesus reserved in my early twenties when some of His harshest words - the MI took a bus from the leafy suburbs of treatment of the child. south side Dublin, where I worked in A well-known principle in a fee-paying boarding school into the safeguarding children is that the inner city to work with families affected welfare of the child is paramount. The by HIV and addiction. The second was Mother and Baby Home report and its over a decade later when I cycled from primary sources outline how, in multiple that same inner city community out to ways and on repeated occasions, the my young family in the slightly less leafy application of giving a cup of cold water suburbs. in Jesus’s name compromised the welfare Each day I would pass a cemetery of the child. The physical condition where over 200 children lay buried in an and spiritual condition of children unmarked grave, their destiny fulfilled were divorced from each other, often in under the auspices of the same broad profoundly disturbing ways. Discipleship movement in which my inner city work from a Protestant evangelical perspective was grounded - Irish evangelicalism. was viewed as essential, even if this While the first commute shook my meant applying sectarian approaches to understanding of advantage and the fostering, adoption and referral which agency of God in mission, the second compromised the child’s best interests. shook my foundation of faith and State inspection was actively resisted social action. Now, following a five-year and all to avoid a core problem - the false

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The memorial at Mount Jerome Cemetery in Harold’s Cross

belief that ‘illegitimacy’ itself conferred a So around a hundred other institutions fragility upon the lives of newborns such are named including around a dozen of that the high mortality rate in the homes Protestant evangelical ethos. Further to could be explained away. that, the report outlines the broader lives There are two ways in which the of the mothers in the homes. There are readers of VOX from Protestant and few venues of Protestant evangelical life evangelical traditions may be tempted in 20th century Dublin and Wicklow, to understand this story. One is that it which do not get at least a mention in the is about just one small institution; an text. isolated case limited to the actions of At this point, one could easily focus a tiny few. This view is understandable the blame for what happened on a given the fragmented nature of Protestant broader field of ‘society’ as some have evangelicalism and its institutions, in done. The Taoiseach was criticised for contrast to Roman Catholicism. However, this approach. Alternatively one may it would be a far from accurate analysis. take a forensic approach and pick out Those in governance of Bethany particular homes for analysis of their Home (one of three from a Protestant governance structures. This is done while ethos investigated by the Commission) ignoring other homes or generalising the came from the leadership of Anglican, links to the homes as just involving one’s Presbyterian, Brethren, Baptist, Methodist ‘members’ even though these members and other churches. But the report does were actually senior leaders. This is the not just focus on the 18 investigated approach taken by the Church of Ireland homes. It also highlights entry and exit and Irish Church Missions. Yet another points for the women and young children. approach is just to remain silent, allowing

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If the testimonies of survivors and the presence of infant cadavers cannot evoke lament among Christians, never mind words of repentance, then there is something very wrong.

the fragmented nature of Protestant buildings still stand, some still in use for evangelicalism to hide one’s links to Christian mission. Truth can be spoken persons and places. there. A second way one might be tempted At the annual memorial service, in to understand the story is as if the the Victorian Chapel of Mount Jerome details only became known in January Cemetery, the Bethany survivors select 2021. This is understandable given the hymns and songs from their time in the recent media coverage but there is little home and as an expression of their own new in the report. The story of Bethany faith. Those who claimed the name of Home broke over a decade ago in the Jesus in their governance and leadership national press (and was reported in of the home cast the shadow, which VOX magazine in 2010). The research drives the survivors’ activism. Yet still of Niall Meehan uncovered a litany of the words ring out “Jesus loves me this State complicity, child trafficking and I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This is inappropriate adoptions. The 1930s, grace. The appropriate response to the 40s or 50s may be worthy of further story of Bethany is, as with all Christian investigation and analysis. But the mission, a response to grace. silence of the 2010s demand no less It is the survivors who now offer the scrutiny. If the testimonies of survivors cup of cold water to those tasked with and the presence of infant cadavers rendering the 20th century story of Irish cannot evoke lament among Christians, evangelicalism. The question is, will never mind words of repentance, then it be accepted or will it continue to be there is something very wrong at the ignored? heart of Irish evangelicalism. So what can be done? In some ways the answer is simple - turn up and tell the truth. God is still worthy of our worship, of our lament and of our prayers. Survivors of these homes are still alive. They can be contacted, they can be listened to and they can receive Richard Carson is the Chief Executive of redress. Their records can be released, ACET Ireland, which runs a range of projects including those held by churches improving health at the intersections of HIV, and individuals. While some of the addiction, faith, sexuality, minority ethnic governance lines have ended many of the groups, poverty and more.

30 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 31 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 FAITH VOX MAGAZINE Finding

In the middle of the first lockdown, editor Ruth Garvey-Williams still managed to tour Ireland Faith last May thanks to the power of technology. She “visited” 32 counties in 31 days hearing inspirational stories of faith, life and reality and discovering how churches across the island were responding to the 2021 Covid-19 pandemic. As we face into our second year of restrictions, a VOX road trip will not be possible in 2021. But we know many people look forward to the encouragement of our summer edition and we will once again use digital technology to “travel” around Ireland for the 2021 Finding Faith Tour in May. So here’s the challenge: tell us where you would like to go and who you would like us to interview and we’ll add those stories to our 2021 itinerary. Email [email protected] or call 087 795 5401 with your requests.

32 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 on Doomism, Musings...Sentimentality and the Cross With Patrick Mitchel

he age of Information carried out by the Chinese government Technology has certainly against the Uighur population in T lived up to its name; we Xinjiang (despite denials satellite have instantaneous access to pictures and videos are damning). But to information about pretty well anything these we could add countless others. we care to think of. Despite lockdown, And then there’s information hidden the world remains at our fingertips away for so long but now exposed to – there’s no 5km limit if you have a the light of day. In this edition of VOX broadband connection. One thing I’ve are stories about injustices experienced discovered over the last few months is by children in Irish mother and baby joining live safaris in the African bush. homes and revelations about Ravi It’s been a wonderful way to ‘travel’, Zacharias exploiting and using women immerse yourself in another world and for his own sexual gratification. And this learn lots all at the same time. (I’m is even before mentioning social media watching a leopard hunt impalas as I and billions of individuals sharing their write this!) lives and opinions on everything from But the net is also the gateway to funny cat videos to #FreeBritney to all sorts of other information. There saving the planet from environmental is little that we can’t read or see for destruction. ourselves about what’s going on in the Such a vast amount of information world. Because billions of people now has never been available to any human carry smartphones, photographs and beings before. I wonder sometimes do videos are being taken daily on a vast we know too much? We’ve always known scale. Even events that authoritarian that the world was broken, but now we governments try to hide tend to hit the can watch it unfold livestreamed. news. Two examples as I’m writing are I’ve been musing about this new the abduction, imprisonment and now world - what it does to us and how are disappearance of Princess Latifa in Dubai disciples of Jesus best to navigate its (only made known through secret videos unfamiliar terrain. It seems to me that she took) and ethnic cleansing being there are at least two dead-ends we

33 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 can go down. One is ‘doomism’. All too leads to death. A power that we have easily, we can become news junkies, no way of overcoming on our own: not overwhelmed with bad news and in through better education, or self-esteem, a constant state of fear or depression or economics, or human ingenuity, or about our world and where it’s going. scientific progress, or more information, Another is ‘see no or good life choices. evil, hear no evil’ – we Humanly speaking, literally switch off, close All too easily, we have absolutely no our eyes and ears and grounds for optimism pretend the world isn’t we can become about ourselves or our like it is. We just retreat news junkies, world. into a safe bubble of By ‘hopeful’ I mean sentimental optimism. overwhelmed with that our hope is God A Christian form of bad news and in a alone – and that is a this sort of denial is great, big, wondrous to celebrate the love, constant state of sort of hope. This is forgiveness and presence fear or depression the mystery of Easter. of God while rarely, if The stronger our ever, talking about the about our world understanding of Sin, the reality and power of sin deeper is the good news and evil (including our own). of the cross. The cross “is the scene of But Easter speaks of a third, God’s climatic battle against the power of a deeper, and more mysterious way of malignant and implacable enemy” (Fleming understanding our world. The way of the Rutledge). No human has the ability to cross is neither ‘doomism’ nor optimistic break the power of Sin and death – only sentimentality, it is, rather, the way of God can. And, out of love, He has done ‘hopeful realism’. just that. By ‘realism’ I mean that Christians should be the last people to be surprised by bad news, even the bad news of a Christian leader being unmasked. This is because the Bible has a stark diagnosis of what’s wrong with this world. It is Sin with a capital ‘S’. This is not just your wrong actions and mine (personal sins), though it includes them for sure. But Sin as a malign, destructive power that

Dr. Patrick Mitchel is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the Irish Bible Institute. You can follow his blog at www.faithinireland.wordpress.com.

34 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 SPECIAL REPORT What Now?Now? Responding as individuals and churches to the Mother and Baby Homes reports

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evin and Richard have already is a researcher who has spent the last suggested key steps that can be five years working on the legacy of taken for individual Christians Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland. He and churches to respond to the has drafted letters for Christian leaders KMother and Baby Home reports. and for TDs calling for a swift and comprehensive response. These examples 1. FACING THE FACTS are available to download from the VOX This is not a time to ignore, dismiss website (www.vox.ie/motherandbaby) or avoid the ugly truth. You’ve made a and can be used as a template to help you start by reading this special report. You to campaign for redress. Here, we have could go deeper still by downloading and reproduced parts of his letter to Church reading the executive summary of the Leaders. two official reports. LETTER TO LEADERS OF RELIGIOUS 2. LAMENT ORDERS, CHURCHES AND Throughout scripture we see examples of RELIGIOUS BODIES when the people of God recognised that Like many other people, I am appalled at the they had done wrong and turned to the contents of the recently published Mother Lord in repentance. Even those who were and Baby Homes Commission Report and at not personally responsible (see Daniel’s the treatment of survivors both historically prayer in Daniel 9) were still willing and in the past few months. I write as a to humble themselves and confess the Christian, a follower of Jesus, and urge you sins of the past. Why not use the prayer to reflect on the need for your organisation resources available from 24/7 Prayer and to contribute spiritually, financially and Praxis (www.praxismovement.ie)? practically to addressing the abuses suffered by women and children in Mother and Baby 3. TELLING THE TRUTH Homes. Acknowledging (confessing) sin is a I was appalled to learn of the unusually necessary step in spiritual restoration. high mortality rates that led to such a The apostle John calls it “walking in the high number of deaths of infants in these light” (1 John 1: 5 - 10). Cover up and institutions. I was ashamed to learn of denial are hallmarks of darkness. This is how pregnant women and children were a time for courageous honesty. treated by our ancestors in Christ. No one is illegitimate in the eyes of God. Every 4. CAMPAIGNING FOR REDRESS human being is and always was beloved. Our prayers of lament and expressions It angers me to see the limited response of repentance should lead to action on historically to these deaths, discriminations behalf of the survivors. James Gallen and mistreatment within the institutions,

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our communities and society. I am also so much suffering and death. I welcome the conscious that contrary to the report’s apologies given by some churches, religious findings, survivors maintain that there was orders and organisations. I appreciate the a widespread practice of coercive and forced leadership shown in providing a response adoptions. I have no reason not to believe to the Commission’s report. I hope they are those who have come forward, and urge you the start of attempts to address the past and to do the same. not the end. An apology without material It is upsetting and frustrating to me consequences risks becoming mere empty that survivors that have been historically rhetoric. marginalised harmed and shamed are I believe as Christian communities today experiencing and churches we are difficulties in not called to adopt having their voices An apology a defensive and meaningfully heard confrontational posture and in playing a without material towards the abusive significant role parts of our past. in shaping the consequences risks Instead, we are called to response of churches, follow Christ and forego religious orders and becoming mere what power and privilege organisations to the empty rhetoric. remain in our churches abusive elements of and organisations, and our past. to situate ourselves The response of the churches and where we would expect to find Jesus: with the religious organisations to date has been least among us, those who have suffered loss, decidedly worldly. They have engaged their who were forgotten and neglected, those who lawyers, denied and minimised liability and are angry and hurt at what was done to them sought to settle cases to avoid scandal. To in the name of Christianity. date the Catholic church and associated As a leader of a Christian organisation, religious orders have paid 13% of the Bill I invite you to reflect on the need for for industrial school victims, nothing to Christians to repent of the abusive elements Magdalene laundry survivors, nor mother of our past. In Matthew’s Gospel, the root of and baby home residents. It has fought the word repentance is the Greek word poina and settled civil actions for sex abuse, and meaning “pain”. It relates to other words that refused to give families access to their should guide our responses as Christians adoption records to learn the truth of their to our past wrongdoing. Repentance relates loved ones. Other Christian institutions have to poine meaning legal compensation, engaged in similar tactics, perhaps fearful expiation and punishment. I urge your above all of the financial implications of Christian organisation to publicly and admitting wrongdoing. meaningfully make a financial contribution As a person of faith, I have been to the government’s intended scheme of lamenting what happened to vulnerable redress and reparation to victim-survivors of women and children. I have reflected on the Mother and Baby Homes. inadequacy of Christian charity that caused Churches and religious organisations

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can adopt a posture towards survivors that does not deny their opportunity to access justice and in particular access to their own personal information in the cases of adoption and “boarding out.” Survivors are entitled to the truth and to pursue accountability where possible. Their access to records, some of which may be held privately by your organisation, is key. I urge you to cooperate with the State’s efforts to consolidate and centralise all records of institutional abuse and adoption and consider depositing a copy of your records in the State’s National Archives, which have ample procedures to ensure adequate protection of confidentiality and anonymity. Christians have long called others to repent. Perhaps it is time for own institutions to reflect on our need for absolution. Mother and Baby homes reflect part of a broader system of social control that was pervasive in 20th century Ireland. This was informed by law, politics, social pressures – but also theology. Shame is a word that is ever present in survivors’ account of their experience of historical abuses and institutions. I urge your organisation to pray and reflect on the spiritual implications of the report – how did our theology inform these institutions and their practices? In what way do we continue to preach a gospel that creates feelings of shame in others, or seeks to control the salvation and moral and spiritual flourishing of those who seek a place at the table of communion. I appreciate this letter may be a challenge for you to read. It is written in love and a deep hope in all the good that church and the Christian faith can be in the world. I believe that love and good requires justice be done. Yours in Christ, James Gallen

38 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 CONFESSIONS OF A FEINT SAINT

Are we nearly there yet? By Annmarie Miles

“Their time of waiting and wandering came to an end. Ours will too.”

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wonder if I am starting to get insight into how God’s people felt when they were wandering in the desert. Doing the I same thing, seeing the same people, eating the same food and going around in circles. The sameness of lockdown is starting to get to me. I am grateful to have a home and food and people who love me. But some days I feel like these four walls are closing in. I know I’m not alone. A friend, who has been working from home for over a year, told me they felt they were starting to fray around the edges. An older lady in our church has been saying to God, “I don’t have many seasons left on this earth Lord, how many more of them will I spend stuck in this house?” She has become acutely aware of the promise from God that our times are in His hands. (Psalm 31:15) And what are we doing in the meantime? Have you completed a 5k? Hands up if you’ve redecorated. Who has mastered a new language or sorted out neglected cupboards? Not me! What has this year achieved for those of us who haven’t been baking sourdough bread? Yes, there is an end in sight, praise God, but it’s small on the horizon and it will take time before we can all live our lives as we used to. We’re not at the end of our journey yet. Of course for some, this past year has not just been a time of waiting. It has been a time of worrying and grieving as friends and loved ones have succumbed to the virus. If this season has given us more time, let’s commit to praying for those who have been most affected. God’s timing rarely matches ours but one thing we do know from the story of those 40 years is that God’s people were not left in the desert forever. Their time of waiting and wandering came to an end. Ours will too. And in the meantime, there is provision for the people of God. Keep praying. Keep trusting. We’re nearly there.

Annmarie Miles is originally from Tallaght and now lives in her husband Richard’s homeland, Wales. As well as VOX articles, she writes short stories, and is working on a book about her journey with food, weight gain, weight loss and God. Visit her blog at www.auntyamo.com. On Twitter she is @amowriting.

40 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 MY STORY

“My Story” is an opportunity for ordinary people living in Ireland to talk about their journey to faith or the impact God has in their daily lives.

MEET GLEN GALVIN The best year of Glen Galvin’s life was followed by the worst. But those two years laid the foundation for a friendship with Jesus that has transformed his life. Glen shared his story with VOX editor Ruth Garvey-Williams.

ELL US ABOUT YOURSELF Fiona in extraordinary circumstances. I grew up in the Irish community in We were married within six months and London. I went to a Catholic School things started falling into place. Tand always knew about Jesus. But like many people, I went my own way when I WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY hit my teens. Faith was always there but I EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES? didn’t want anything to do with it. I was I’m bald and my wife is a hairdresser and in a band and that was a huge part of my we met in a salon! The day I met her, life. I wouldn’t admit to believing in God; she wasn’t even supposed to be at work. it was not cool. Beforehand I would have said this is fate My life prior to getting married was but Fiona explained to me about her faith very colourful. I was involved in rock in God and that was a big eye opener. I bands, and toured a lot, playing guitar. believe now that it was meant to be. I got to a place, when I had just turned We went for an Indian meal on our 30 and I felt like I was at the end of first date and Fiona asked, “Do you have something. I had moved back to Ireland any faith or do you believe in God? and was living in Macra in Cork. Because I should tell you that my faith One night, I found myself praying. is very important to me.” She didn’t shy I felt desperate. Within ten days I met away from it. That was just awe inspiring

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to me. She was so brave to tell me on the first night out.

YOU SAY THAT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE BUT IT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE WORST. WHAT HAPPENED? I think it was God’s intention that my mum got to see me happy and married but the following year she passed away. She had a strong faith but she went through so many troubles in her life. I realise growing up there was always faith in the house but it was never spoken about; faith was a private thing. After my mum died, I went through all the stages of bereavement. I felt a lot of guilt about not being a very good son. I found life hard. My wife and my mother- in-law kept praying for me but I felt that they did not understand.

WHEN DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR FAITH CAME ALIVE? In 2015, we got a dog and much to my disgruntlement, I ended up walking the dog every day. During those early morning walks, I would find myself praying. One day in particular, I was walking and I felt I could not forgive myself for the things I had done. I became overwhelmed with emotion and I started crying. At that moment, I realised I BECAME OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTION AND I STARTED CRYING. AT THAT MOMENT, I REALISED THAT JESUS FORGAVE ME.

42 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 that Jesus forgave me. I could hardly like it was time for me to repay God and believe it. I knew that Jesus was there to be involved with something. I was because I was actually experiencing His praying about it and I didn’t know what forgiveness. I went from just praying to I was going to do. My wife noticed that I really talking with Jesus. Instead of being needed a Christian community and she mad for what I had lost, encouraged me to go I started thanking Him. I along to Grace Church. started having a different I SPENT 15 YEARS I had been going there outlook. IN THE MUSIC for a few weeks when I Some people can sit saw an announcement down and pray. I’ve never INDUSTRY, TRYING in the newsletter about been able to do that. But I Street Pastors. I was find walking and praying TO BE LIKED blown away by the really helps me and it is a amount of training they great way to start my day. AND TRYING TO provide. It is a tough To me, Jesus is like a role but it has taught really good mate who never BE COOL BUT I me a lot about real lets me down. It might be Christianity. There is no out of line to say it like ENDED UP WITH judgement or agenda; that but I know whenever NOTHING. it is purely about God’s things are hard, I can just grace. As a former go to Him and it will be all right again. drinker, to be on the other side of the When I think about what Jesus went nightlife is a real assault on your senses. through, I know I can put up with a little The last year has been the most bit of unsettlement. He is my Saviour but memorable and not for the right reasons. most of all He’s my friend. I find myself It is hard to see the city so lonely and driving and just chatting away to Him, desolate and to know that so many giving Him whatever’s on my mind. livelihoods have been affected. I see Sometimes I look around and it the former me in so many people I seems that Jesus is the best-kept secret. meet. Whether I’m doing first aid or Those who know about Him don’t want just talking to people, there is always to talk about Him. But I think faith something to keep you on your toes. And should be shared. When I think about there is always something you can do, the old me, I can’t believe that I didn’t even if it is just a word! really know about Jesus. I feel like I’ve wasted so much of my life not knowing WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES YOUR Him. FAITH MAKE IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE? YOU’VE BECOME A VOLUNTEER First and foremost I’ve realised the WITH CORK STREET PASTORS. TELL importance of prayer. I’ve seen the US ABOUT THAT. difference in a day that doesn’t start After a few months of getting into the with prayer. I don’t intend to ever let it habit of praying every morning, I felt happen but we are all guilty of saying I

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need that extra hour in bed. But when have a quick prayer together before I go your prayer time suffers, your day is all to work. We acknowledge that as hard upside down. Getting my head around as things are, we are not in hospital, we life and death has been something haven’t got a loved one in hospital and so I’ve really had to struggle with. Being we are doing alright. in touch with God has made it more understandable. It sounds like a cliché MUSIC WAS SUCH A HUGE PART but it is God’s will. I’ve realised, “Who OF YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU CAME am I to question God and to think that TO FAITH. WHAT HAPPENED WITH I’m owed an explanation?” Before I tried THAT? to control things and I put so much I spent 15 years in the music industry, pressure on myself. I would handle it trying to be liked and trying to be cool all by drinking excessively or doing but I ended up with nothing. But no one something stupid. Now I try to give can take the gift of music away from things to God instead. me. I still write and record music but I work with Acquired Brain Injury now my songs are faith inspired. They Ireland - assisting people who have had are not worship songs but they are more a brain injury. When people come out just testimony. I suppose previously of hospital, they need a lot of support as everything I wrote was materialistic or they work out the next steps for their life. cynical. It’s been difficult to find people Obviously at work, I need to be careful, to work with, especially when they hear especially as I’m working with people about the faith thing. who have been dealt a tough hand. It is not appropriate to thrust our beliefs at people but in those situations even my smile can make a difference (or with face coverings I’ve learnt to wave at people or make hand gestures). I’ve kept working through the pandemic so it has been a lot easier for me but my wife is a hairdresser and she has her own salon, so she has had to shut everything down. We make a habit of trying to

44 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 FAITH

A Pandemic of Silence

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The ugly truth behind Ravi Zacharias’ global ministry. How well are we listening?

BY KAREN HUBER

he shock was, quite literally, release in February 2021, RZIM finally heard around the world. admitted to believing “not only the When Ravi Zacharias died women who made their allegations public in May 2020, Christian leaders, but also additional women who had pastors, and theologians not previously made public allegations Tgrieved openly and with genuine against Ravi but whose identities and affection. For decades, Zacharias had stories were uncovered during the been their teacher, a trusted apologetic investigation.” These allegations included source for defending the faith, and a instances of “sexting, unwanted touching, brother in Christ. He travelled around spiritual abuse, and rape.” the world to speak at our churches and Since the release of the investigation, our ministry conferences. He was that many of those Christian leaders who heady mix of both spiritual authority and praised him so vociferously have Christian celebrity. redacted their support. “I was wrong,” And he was an abuser. A thief. A starts one pastor’s letter to a large, multi- scoundrel. And a liar. congregational church in the US where We may never know the true nature Zacharias often went on speaking tours. of Ravi Zacharias but an independent These leaders and teachers say they were investigation into Ravi Zacharias as taken in as anyone would be, fooled by International Ministries (RZIM) – the his charisma and intelligence, the wool organisation he founded – confirms what pulled over their eyes so as not to see the some suspected even before his passing. wolf he really was. Zacharias used his spiritual authority to These statements betray the fact sexually abuse, harass, and perhaps even that women began to speak up before traffic vulnerable women. Furthermore, Ravi’s death—women who were shushed, Zacharias funnelled large funds figuratively and literally. Women earmarked for humanitarian ministry to bound by non-disclosure agreements facilitate his abuse. that continue to hold them to silence In a statement following the report’s beyond the grave. Women in his own

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Women spoke up, but we drowned Here in Ireland, we out their voices with loyalty and submission to a man who claimed continue to bear to speak for God. In the cruellest of examples, Zacharias told an employee witness to the deep he had raped that she was his ‘reward’ for living a life of service to God... She pain endured by so said he warned her not ever to speak out against him or she would be responsible for the ‘millions of souls’ whose salvation many at the hands of would be lost if his reputation was damaged. ‘the Church’ for far Who can stand against that? “It was too easy to give him a pass too long. based on his gifting,” says Sam Allberry, a pastor and former speaker for RZIM UK. “That’s something we need to learn something very serious from. Gifting is not a reason to think someone doesn’t need the same spiritual discipline as a organisation who questioned his travel means of grace that the Bible says all of with a personal masseuse or his need for us need.” multiple mobile phones. Women who In recent months and years, moral were ignored, belittled, and litigated failings and abuses by those in spiritual by RZIM and a Christian culture which authority have been revealed with such places the word of a man (particularly speed and devastating force, it could men in power) as sturdier than that of a take your breath away. From America woman. to Australia, from youth leaders to Christianity Today first reported on megachurch pastors, men held in high allegations against Ravi Zacharias in spiritual regard have abused their 2017, when Lori Anne Thompson came authority particularly over women and forward, alleging six years of Zacharias children. Here in Ireland, we continue to soliciting nude photos and sexting. bear witness to the deep pain endured Thompson and her husband were by so many at the hands of ‘the Church’ vilified and countersued. “I knew the for far too long. It is a never-ending world to be an unsafe place before I met cycle of terrible news, further shocks, Ravi Zacharias,” Thompson wrote in a guilty verdicts, and State apologies. statement. “[B]ut I yet had hope that Investigations, reports, and apologies there were some safe and sacred spaces. often come decades too late, when buried I no longer live with that hope. I trusted physical, emotional and spiritual wounds him. I trusted Christendom. That trust can’t help but traumatise generation after is irreparably and catastrophically generation. shattered.” “Mistakes were made,” we admit.

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But we made them. “We did not know,” we say. Churches and faith- But we know now. “We will do better,” we promise. based organisations But will we? Even now, many of our leaders have a moral duty remain silent, perhaps too embarrassed to admit they bought into the lie. Karen to respond in some Garland, a lawyer working in Northern Ireland, says the silence from churches in Ireland and the UK on Zacharias’s manner to this story crimes has been deafening. “[It] directly affects how easy or difficult it is for and others like it. someone who has suffered abuse to feel safe and understood in a church community. Churches and faith-based organisations have a moral duty to May we heed the warning: respond in some manner to this story and others like it. The absence of a Even though you bring me burnt response tacitly communicates that abuse offerings and grain offerings, I will not is tolerated, that abusive leaders can act accept them. with impunity and that faith settings Though you bring choice fellowship are ultimately unsafe and unsupportive offerings, I will have no regard for them. environments for abuse victims of any Away with the noise of your songs! I age.” will not listen to the music of your harps. The truth behind Zacharias’s façade But let justice roll on like a river, should light a fire under all Christians righteousness like a never-failing stream! to hold our teachers, our churches, - Amos 5:22-24 and even our doctrines accountable. We should test the actions of those in Let justice roll on like a river, and authority against the standards set in may the truly righteous – the humble, Scripture, and we must pay heed to the the gentle, the peacemaker, the truth spirit of discernment. speaker – flow like a never-failing stream.

Karen Huber is a freelance writer focusing on faith, culture, and justice. Originally from Kansas, USA, she lives in Lucan, Co Dublin with her husband Matthew and their three children.

48 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 LIFE The Covid-19

Weighing the issues and improving acceptability among migrants

BY YVON LUKY

As the Faith Communities Coordinator by Covid-19. At the same time, migrants for ACET Ireland, Yvon Luky has been seem to be a target of choice for those working with the HSE to address faith in- who oppose Covid-19 vaccines. equalities for people from migrant backgrounds in Ireland including responses WHY THE RESISTANCE TO THE to the pandemic. The project engages VACCINE? with both leaders of migrant faith-based Even though resistance to the vaccine has groups and community organisations. various causes, some of them are more Here he opens a dialogue about the Cov- frequently mentioned. id-19 vaccine and considers why some • The legacy of some past abuses: people may be reluctant to be vaccinat- stories of minorities being used as ed. While focused on migrant communi- guinea pigs during human trials for ties, what he writes has relevance for all new products. Christians in Ireland. • Misinformation: information about the vaccines can be truncated, or some time, vaccine hesitancy manipulated, edited or presented in (or sometimes clear resistance) has such a way as to provoke a rejection. been reported among people from Misinformation campaigns use easy- a migrant background. Because to-digest short videos, actively cir- Fof pre-existing health inequalities, peo- culated through social media, which ple from migrant backgrounds have been seem to be a powerful resource. more exposed to or significantly affected People are encouraged to share what

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they received with their friends so sensitive way by knowledgeable people news spreads quickly discouraging who are trusted by community members. vaccination. An open dialogue is necessary. • Conspiracy theories: these attempt For instance, one way of debunking to establish a link between indepen- conspiracy theories is to explain that dent or coincidental facts and present there are currently more than ten vac- them as concerted efforts to deceive cine candidates that have been or are people or achieve a hidden malign being tested; some are already approved. agenda. For instance, Covid-19 is pre- These vaccines are produced by different sented as the result of human manip- (often competing) laboratories, with dif- ulations for the purpose of imposing, ferent technologies, funded by different through high death tolls and fear, the countries (also competing and sometimes limitation of freedom, paving the way rivals), making unlikely the possibility to a global government. of collusion of producers to alter their • Fiction and reality entwined: respective vaccines to achieve hidden things that are conceivable in theory goals. are presented as certitudes; the divid- To avoid being misled, people should ing line between fiction and reality is be encouraged to seek information from blurred. trusted sources only, to do fact-checks • Fear of the unknown: the sugges- and refrain from sharing any material tion of not enough data about the linked to the misinformation campaigns. long-term effects. • Prophetic interpretations: the WHAT DO WE CURRENTLY KNOW? Covid-19 pandemic is said to be an Contrary to what some think, there is no event of the end-times, and the vac- a single Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, there cine presented as the means by which are many vaccines with various working the devil is seeking to control popu- mechanisms. The race to discover a vac- lations and subject human beings. cine has resulted in a number of poten- Accepting the vaccine is therefore tially effective vaccines produced in considered as a way of falling into the different countries. trap of the devil. To date, there are three approved Simply said, people are misled to believe vaccines in Ireland: Pfizer/BioNTech, that there are lots of hidden things about Moderna and Astra-Zeneca. All approved Covid-19 and that what is happening is a Covid-19 vaccines are declared to be safe pre-planned agenda that will eventually and effective. Other vaccines might be harm us. approved in the near future. A number of If we do not understand the factors vaccines have also been produced outside underpinning the vaccine resistance or Europe including Johnson and Johnson rejection, it will be difficult to increase (US), Sputnik V (Russia), CoronaVac vaccine take-up. Even though some of the (China), and Covax (WHO). So far, glob- causes of resistance or rejection are due ally, more than 235 million doses have to ignorance, others may be legitimate already been administered. concerns that need to be addressed in a

50 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 “Over and above these considerations, Christians also refer to the Bible to ensure that their decision is in line with their faith and according to their conscience.”

VACCINES, HUMAN CELLS AND cine research). Over the decades, these ABORTION cells have been cloned and replicated For many Christians, one of the most and have now been used to propagate serious concerns about the Covid-19 vac- the AstraZeneca virus for the vaccine cines is the widely circulated story that but these cells do not make it into the cells from an aborted foetus were used final product. in their production or even that the vac- Some Christians have chosen not cines contain aborted cells. to take the AstraZeneca vaccine, while Most of current the Covid-19 vaccines others have weighed the ethics and approved for use in Ireland do not use chosen to be vaccinated. A quote from human cell lines in their production. For Belfast-based pastor and theologian, example, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Rev Malcolm Duncan is helpful. “We use mRNA technology; they are synthetic must each make a choice that does not vaccines. violate our sense of Christian teaching However some vaccines are made or our sense of Christian conscience. It using fetal human cell lines. That is the is, however, possible, to accept that two case for a number of traditional vaccines people, with equally passionate views of including the MMR vaccine and hepati- the dignity of life might reach different tis A vaccine. Over the decades, the same conclusions on the receipt of a Covid-19 fetal cells obtained from the early 1960s vaccine without having to suggest that have been cloned and replicated, many either have violated a commitment to the times; they have continued to grow in the dignity of life.” laboratory and are used to make modern vaccines. No further sources of fetal cells MAKING YOUR OWN DECISION are needed to make these vaccines. In Ireland, Covid-19 vaccines are free. The fetal cells are used to grow vac- They are not mandatory but are highly cine viruses but the vaccines themselves recommended in the absence of an effec- do not contain these cells. Currently tive treatment, because the virus spreads there are no approved Covid-19 vaccine through the normal interaction of daily that contain cells from aborted fetuses. life, because the restrictions imposed are The Covid-19 vaccine being devel- difficult to bear in the long term, because oped by AstraZeneca in collaboration Covid-19 infection can lead to serious, with Oxford University has generated life-threatening illness for vulnerable the most debate. AstraZeneca does use people, the vaccines are among the only a cell strain taken from a foetus aborted effective protective tools available. in 1973 (the fetus was aborted legally at According to the WHO (World the time and not for the purposes of vac- Health Organization), “The Covid-19

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vaccines produce protection against We are made in the image of God the disease as a result of developing an (Genesis 1:27): every human life is valua- immune response to the SARS-Cov-2 ble and precious. virus. Developing immunity through Do not harm or destroy your body vaccination means there is a reduced (1 Corinthians 3:17): Covid-19 can be risk of developing the illness and its deadly; do not knowingly or recklessly consequences. This immunity helps you expose your body to a risk of serious fight the virus if exposed. Getting vac- harm or destruction. cinated may also protect people around Loving your neighbour as your- you, because if you are protected from self (Matthew 19:19): Protect yourself to getting infected and from disease, you are protect others, as a sign of your love for less likely to infect someone else. This is them. particularly important to protect people Whatever you want people to do at increased risk for severe illness from for you, do the same for them (Luke Covid-19, such as healthcare providers, 6:31): If you expect other people to take older adults, and people with other med- all measures or precautions so that they ical conditions.’’ will not infect you with Covid-19, then do When it comes to vaccination, a num- the same for them. ber of factors can help you make the decision. These could include: WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW? • Your own interest (the desire to be in The Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled-out. good health) You will be contacted by you GP offer- • Whether or not you are particularly ing you to get vaccinated. It is available vulnerable to the disease (e.g. old age, for free. The recommendation of health underlying health conditions, com- authorities in clear: get the vaccine. My promised immunity etc.) own belief is that will be good for you, • Consideration for the health of your your family, your community, your coun- relatives, friends and the wider com- try and the world. munity; does your decision expose The decision is yours. others to harm? • What you know about the vaccine (effectiveness, safety, side-effects, potential risks, etc.) • Recommendation from health profes- sionals, health authorities, etc. • The example of role models Over and above these considerations, Christians also refer to the Bible to ensure that their decision is in line with their Pastor Yvon Luky is originally from DR faith and according to their conscience. Congo. He is the senior pastor of LA While there is no mention of vaccines GRACE Christian Assembly in Dublin and in the Scriptures, you can find principles is the Coordinator of the Platform of French that could underpin your decision: Speaking Churches in Ireland [PEFI].

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GLOBAL SUCCESS FOR IRISH TEENS The inspirational women behind the award-winning Memory Haven App

hree Irish teenagers won the or in the workplace,” Evelyn said. “One top prize in a prestigious global of my psychology professors commented technology competition last year that when there are very few [women] with an app designed to help people in a particular field then it looks odd or Timpacted by dementia. Supported by their strange; when you have more, then it mentor, Evelyn Nomayo, these young women becomes normal and the prejudice begins overcame setbacks, obstacles and abuse with to disappear.” vision, tenacity and faith. VOX magazine Looking for ways to encourage more editor Ruth Garvey-Williams spoke with women to get involved, Evelyn began Evelyn to find out more. a mentoring programme to help young Evelyn Nomayo is a PhD research women between the ages of 11 and 18. “It fellow at Trinity College Dublin and puts a smile on my face when I see the an IT consultant and developer who girls I work with and see how their lives completed her Masters in Computer are transformed. I’m passionate about Science at UCD. She is also a woman of this and it gives me joy. A number of faith and pours hours years ago I had a brain of time and energy “IT PUTS A SMILE ON haemorrhage and I into her non-profit was in hospital. When organisation Phase MY FACE WHEN I SEE I recovered, I knew Innovate, dedicated God had a purpose to encouraging young THE GIRLS I WORK for my life. He is my women into STEM rock!” she said. “Every (science, technology, WITH AND SEE HOW year, I recruit new engineering and girls to prepare them mathematics) fields. THEIR LIVES ARE for the Technovation “My motivation TRANSFORMED.” competition.” comes from being in The international the tech space where there are so few contest challenges teams of young people women. You encounter prejudice being from across the world to identify a social a female in STEM fields, while studying problem and to develop an app to address

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the problem. Six of Evelyn’s teams using artificial intelligence, voice and entered the 2020 competition and the face recognition technology. There are “Memory Haven” team won first prize at settings to upload, receive and share the Technovation World Summit. photos that can be played back as a slide show, a reminder alert that allows you MEMORY HAVEN to set tasks for the day and an alarm Choosing to enter the 2020 competition to remind care givers of such task (for took courage and faith for Rachael Akano example medication time),” the young (15), Margaret Akano (17) and Joy Njekwe women explained. (17) from Drogheda. The app allows a client’s contacts to “I remember when we first got be centrally located in case of emergency involved with Technovation, this and also includes fun puzzle games to particular team put in a lot of work but improve cognitive abilities and delay the did not get shortlisted. When I called effects of dementia. One unique feature them for a second time and invited is a playlist function. them to enter, I know it took a lot for “We discovered that musical them to try again,” Evelyn said. “They memories are undamaged by dementia. did not give up because they know we The right playlist can penetrate the are not doing this on our own. We want deepest form of dementia, bringing to change the world and because these comfort,” Evelyn explained. girls are Christians, they know they can Using facial recognition, the app can do that through the power of God. They detect the person’s mood and play music know who they are in Christ.” for them. For example, if the person is The competition involves hours of feeling sad, the app will play music to work from research and developing a cheer them up. business plan to creating and testing an For the 2020 Technovation app. Inspired by the death of Evelyn’s competition, 5,400 students from 62 beloved mother with dementia, Rachel, countries created more than 1,500 mobile Margaret and Joy considered how apps addressing problems ranging from technology could help address some Covid-19 to climate change. Eventually, of the challenges faced by dementia the entrants were whittled down to just sufferers and their families. 10 regional winners – five in the senior “Memory Haven includes a face division and five in the junior division. recognition feature which allows people As the only European team shortlisted, to identify their friends and families the Memory Haven team won the top

54 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 was directed at them, Evelyn believes it is vital for the Christian community to speak up. “When it comes to racism, I feel a lot of Christians stay quiet but this is not the way things should be. We cannot just accept the status quo. If you “WE HAD WORKED SO HARD see something that is wrong, then you should speak out. AND TO HAVE PEOPLE TRASH “Thankfully the girls are Christians and their parents are strong believers as US, NOT BECAUSE OF THE APP well. That helped them not to get down when people were being racist towards BUT BECAUSE OF THE COLOUR them. That is what being a woman of OF OUR SKIN, WAS A SHOCK.” faith empowers you to do - to see the bright side of things. They didn’t give up,” Evelyn said. prize in the senior division, beating Now in the final stage of refinement, strong contenders from New Zealand, the Memory Haven app will be launched America and Brazil. later this year. “For the competition, we had to create a viable product but since THEY DIDN’T GIVE UP then it has gone through a lot of testing In the aftermath to their outstanding with potential users. We’ve been working success, the Irish-Nigerian girls received with doctors and hospitals to see how messages of congratulations from across they can use the app and we hope to the country as people celebrated their announce the release very soon.” win for Ireland. But they were also Recently marking the anniversary subjected to a barrage of racial abuse on of her mum’s death, Evelyn knows how social media. essential it is to create time for what is “We had worked so hard and to important. “My lasting memory of my have people trash us, not because of mum is her dancing,” Evelyn smiled. the app but because of the colour of our “She was a very strong woman. She skin, was a shock,” one of the girls said. didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in her “Personally it was the first time I had mouth. She inspired me because of her ever experienced anything like this and tenacity. When we discovered that she it surprised me that people would even had dementia, it was painful. I wish she be thinking this way. At the same time, I were still around to make use of the app. felt sad for them that they put so much “We are all busy. But we can all make effort into insulting teenagers on the time to build someone else up. It will put Internet.” a smile on your own face too,” she said. While these resilient young women Find out more about Phase Innovate have had to learn to ignore the hate that at www.phaseinnovate.com.

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A Listening Life BY ANA MULLAN

grew up in a non-religious home (and I am sure I have done the same and at age 18, I decided to consider to others), people who with the best of more seriously the person of Jesus. intentions, told me that I shouldn’t Having been raised by parents who feel down, fearful or angry, had a difficult marriage, my own because I was a Christian. Of relationship with them was functional course a statement like that Ibut not close. To share how I felt about led me to feel not only certain issues or the difficulties I was down but also guilty. In facing was not something I would do my head I was saying very often. to myself, “I should In the church I was attending, there be better at following was a couple who loved music and were Jesus. I must try very good musicians. The husband was harder.” the organist in the church and though Time has passed he was Argentinian he was of African and I have come to extraction, something unusual in those realise that, had I days in Buenos Aires. His wife was followed the advice American and together they encouraged I was given, I would all the young people in the church to have been more like a form a choir. Those were precious times Buddhist than a follower as we rehearsed, laughed and sang of Jesus, trying to suppress together. any emotions or desires. But the thing that I remembered Sadly, for many people the most about them and especially the here in Ireland, Christianity is a husband was how he could see that I religion of negativity and control; was an unhappy young adult. He would a religion that takes from people the chat with me and ask me questions that freedom to be themselves. However, if led me to think. Every time I shared we read the gospels carefully, we would something about my life and my issues, find a different story. I felt I was being listened to. Even when We see a God who, in the person of at times I was not walking in the “right” Jesus, loves people by giving them the direction, he was willing to walk with space to turn Him down and decide for me. What I shared was taken seriously; it themselves what they are looking for mattered to somebody; I felt valued. in life. We see a God who is respectful On the other hand I did experience and doesn’t impose Himself on anybody,

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WE SEE A GOD WHO LISTENS ATTENTIVELY TO OUR FEARS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, ANGER AND FRUSTRATIONS.

who asks questions like: “What do you explains to them why things happened want me to do for you?” or “Do you as they happened; He gives them time, want to get well?” We see a God who space and company. listens attentively to our fears, 2020 and 2021 will be years that disappointments, anger and none of us will forget. We can identify frustrations. with the two disciples, with their There is a story in the disappointment, grief and fear because gospels of two followers so much has changed so suddenly. of Jesus. After Jesus is To have those feelings is not being a crucified in Jerusalem bad Jesus follower but a human being. they decide to leave What matters is what we do with those the city and to make feelings. their way to a nearby Jesus still walks with us and He town called Emmaus. is eager to listen to whatever is going They are basically on inside us. He desires to help us see running away; they things more clearly. The best gift we can are going in the wrong give to others at this time is the gift of direction. They walk listening; of walking with them even and talk and share their if they are not walking in the direction disappointment, grief that seems right to us. Listening and fear with each other. without judging, without trying to fix They had thought that Jesus anybody, but just being there and being a was going to bring freedom to companion on the road. the nation and it hadn’t turned My friend from church passed away out that way. several years ago but the gift that he gave Along comes a stranger who asks me is still with me. them what had happened and they tell Him. The stranger turns out to be Jesus. Though He knew very well what had Ana Mullan is from Argentina but happened, He lets the two people talk has lived in Ireland for 35 years, the and process their feelings. He walks last 18 in Dublin. She is an artist, a with them even when they go in the spiritual director, retreat facilitator wrong direction. Jesus shows them the and an enthusiastic grandmother. hospitality of God the Father by walking and listening to them. And then He

57 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 REALITY HEART, Serve the City volunteers SOUL are still meeting needs in AND Dublin and Galway HANDS

team of volunteers were movement of volunteers showing hard at work washing kindness in practical ways to people in walls in a local school in need with the motto “Cross the Line.” We preparation for painting know people by their needs but what if work to be done. During the we knew them by name? Volunteers are Atea break, one parent became tearful, “I welcomed from all faith perspectives and went to this school and it wasn’t a happy worldviews, united by our core values of experience. But somehow washing these humility, compassion, respect, courage, walls, I can feel something happening love and hope.” within me.” She had come along out of a “Starting out, we kept it really simple. sense of responsibility but she went away It was about mobilising volunteers feeling more at peace. to help marginalised and vulnerable These are the golden moments, people. At first I thought this would be according to Alan McElwee who helped temporary until I could get involved in to launch Serve the City Ireland (STC) church ministry but now I’m convinced 16 years ago. Finding themselves in a it was what God was calling me to give “fallow” season in the early 2000s, Alan my heart, soul and hands to!” and his wife Sheryl had been asking At various times, branches have God about how they could be part of operated in Dublin, Galway, Cork and His kingdom work. “In that period of Limerick. Working closely through reflection, I got to hear about Serve the community partnerships STC identifies City, which was started in Brussels by a needs at the grassroots. Whether helping Christian faith community called The elderly people with gardening or painting Well,” Alan said. walls, supporting refugees and asylum “Serve the City is a global seekers or caring for those who are lonely

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or isolated, hundreds of people volunteer about faith with people,” Alan shared. with STC every year. “I met Paul when we were on a “Volunteers give up their time, volunteer project, painting an older skills and energy to serve someone person’s house. Paul was a soft-spoken and they often find the experience Donegal man and I let him chat. He kept to be transformational. It can be a coming back and eventually he shared surprise to encounter deep levels of his story while we were having a cup of marginalisation and poverty on your tea. He was really reflecting on his life doorstep and it helps us and his brother Seamus, all to take a lot less for who is a pastor, has clearly granted,” Alan explained. “WE TRY TO been an influence.” Finding a “Volunteers might say: space to talk helped Paul on ‘I’m learning to be more SERVE BOTH his journey to faith in Jesus grateful for what I have. VOLUNTEERS and today he has become one I’m more compassionate of the directors of STC. towards people. I never AND CLIENTS Another volunteer team realised what it was like met a young woman on for someone with mobility EQUALLY.” her way to a party. After needs.’” spending some time together, “In STC we try to serve both all of a sudden she said, “I prefer hanging volunteers and clients equally. And one out with you guys.” Instead of going of the ways we do that is by giving time to her party, she stayed with them all to listen and allowing people to reflect on evening and then began volunteering. our mission, vision, values and approach. Her faith journey also began with that Through this I have had conversations connection.

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FOR SUCH AS TIME AS THIS Like every other organisation, the pandemic brought new challenges but STC was uniquely placed to respond. After going through a strategic review in 2019, the leaders had been taking stock. “In February 2020, we gathered with a number of our city leaders. Then March hit and the penny dropped that the world was going to change. It was easy to pivot because we were already in that frame of mind and it felt that this was a time God had called us to. Suddenly the work we had been doing had become ‘essential’ work. “We are good at volunteer engagement and leadership so we rolled up our sleeves and got stuck in to providing care and support: delivering meals, shopping for those who were cocooning, dropping off library books, setting up an emergency food bank and supporting domestic violence refuges. By the end of the summer, STC went from 600 to 1,300 volunteers working across Dublin and Galway. The food bank alone helped 2,100 families over 12 weeks. It was a super busy period and we were grateful to be able to make the most of the opportunity.” Responding to the needs of the city also created heartache as the team at STC saw how the most vulnerable and marginalised were even more impacted by the pandemic. “For several years we’ve been engaging with our refugee friends in direct provision centres,” Alan said. “During the lockdowns and outbreaks they were very restricted in their movements and unable to go out. Many people experienced anxiety. We couldn’t provide much support and they were unable to get out to volunteer

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and interact with others. However, we centres are phased out, refugees and were able to provide care packages and asylum seekers will be embedded essential items through partnerships within the community providing more with others.” opportunity to build real friendships,” Towards the end of 2020, STC Alan added. applied for funding to create a three-year There will be many opportunities for programme called Cairdeas (friendship) volunteers to get involved as Cairdeas building on their experience of working develops in both Dublin and Galway. STC with their refugee friends. is now looking for an individual, couple “I certainly thought it was a long or team to re-start the work of Serve the shot,” Alan admitted, “One thing we had City in Cork with a view to launching the going for us, is that one of our project Cairdeas project there in 2022 as there leaders lives in direct provision and we are nine direct provision centres across prepared the proposal with him, based the county. More details are available by on direct insights.” emailing [email protected] Shortly before Christmas they To find out more about STC Ireland, heard that their application had been visit www.servethecity.ie. To learn more successful. about STC International including their “Cairdeas will be a great way for us to podcast series on Covid Kindness visit love our neighbours. As direct provision www.servethecity.net.

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Meet the Young Humanitarian of the Year 2020 Irish Red Cross honours Jay for his work with Tiglin and The Lighthouse Café

ay Bobinac was homeless and I am community employment sleeping rough in Dublin when he supervisor with Tiglin and with Dublin first arrived at The Lighthouse. Christian Mission. At the moment we Today the 24-year-old manages serve around 200 - 250 meals per day at J the soup kitchen and oversees the Lighthouse Café in Pearse Street and community employment opportunities with we also provide clothes and refer people Dublin Christian Mission and Tiglin. He to other services. We’ve been doing that shared his story with VOX magazine: for a year now throughout the pandemic. Every Our community employment programme country in helps to prepare people for employment. the world The vast majority come from addiction has the Red background. They might work with us Cross. It for six months or stay for as long as two was a really years working in the soup kitchen and high honour gaining experience. to win I grew up on a rural island in Croatia. the Young It was a very different society. I left at the Humanitarian age of 19 and was homeless in Dublin. of the Year During that time, I connected with The for Ireland. Lighthouse. I was sleeping rough in St I’m glad to Stephen’s Green and Phoenix Park. The be the face city was my house and the Lighthouse but it is a was like my living room. It was more testament than just a place to eat. I met Joe Murphy to the whole (from The Lighthouse) and Aubrey team and McCarthy (from Tiglin) and they helped what we do me a lot. I wasn’t the most sociable here. person but a lot of people engaged with

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me. One thing I noticed was that they The people who come back over and focused on doing things rather than over again don’t come for food, they preaching - it was about deeds not words. come for friendship. There is not a big I think there is a saying, whoever differentiation between the client and the gives a cup of cold water will surely be person working. They are on the same rewarded. I have received much more plane; everybody is treated equally. I have than a just cup of water! many friendships with the guys out there. The turning point came in 2016. I Without relationship, you won’t ever be got a room with transitional housing able to help people to change. That is from Dublin Christian Mission with a what makes it happen. You see somebody reasonable rent and thanks to the range for who they are. People crave that sense of programme supports from Tiglin of community and belonging. That is the and The Lighthouse, I was able to begin key element. studying. I continued volunteering with People who come in to volunteer or them while I completed my degree in through community employment may Social Care and I am now studying for my have never had a family environment in Masters. their lives. They are vulnerable but the Today, I have come full circle and I way things are structured here means am managing the place where I came in that everybody finds a sense of belonging. as a service user. I often meet people who With the Christen ethos, there is are destitute and vulnerable. They need a time of prayer for 30 minutes before more than food. They need a connection. work begins. Everybody joins in and they It is easier for me to help others because pray for anybody who needs support. For I was the one that was helped. I have example, today the mother of one of the an in-depth understanding. You need volunteers was sick, so everybody was somebody to be there for you. praying for her.

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“I was so Brainwashed” A ‘chance’ meeting with the friend of a friend led Zoe* to months of involvement with a secretive cult during her time at university in Dublin. Now Zoe and her mother Carol* are keen to warn others of the dangers of Shincheonji and their tactics. They shared their story with VOX magazine. (*names changed)

n the summer of 2019, Zoe was being really friendly,” Zoe said. doing an internship at a Dublin After the coffee, the young woman university. Part of a close and loving suggested meeting again but this time to Christian family and an active study the Bible. The following week, they Imember of the university Christian met in a local park. The young woman Union, Zoe is an intelligent young asked if Zoe had questions about the woman who is keen to go deeper in her Bible. Afterwards, she messaged to say faith. she had met a man who could answer “I was in the city one evening and Zoe’s questions. I bumped into a girl who was friendly Although initially cautious, Zoe says, with a close friend of mine. When she “because I knew her, I agreed to meet asked to go for coffee with me, I was a up with them both. [This man] seemed bit surprised but I thought she was just to know the Bible really well and the

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“THEY TOLD ME I HAD NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE BIBLE BEFORE THIS AND THAT MY LIFE WAS SO MUCH BETTER NOW THAT I WAS PART OF THE GROUP.”

three of us began meeting two or three interference. “To be able to go to the times a week to study. He would jump main meetings twice a week you had to from place to place [in the Bible] and ‘pass over’ from darkness into light. They it impressed me that he was able to do also used the Passover from Exodus to that. I was amazed at his knowledge.” justify this. After my Passover, I realised Eventually Zoe was invited to take part that many of those who I thought were in an intensive six-month Bible study learning were already SCJ members. programme and she agreed. After this there was the graduation “They began saying how you should ceremony in London, which was called not tell anyone and used Micah 7:5 to the light graduation and celebrated the back it up. The other girl was very sure many people who had come to know the that she would not tell her family so ‘truth.’” Attending the graduation meant I did not tell anyone either,” Zoe said. travelling to London (a trip that Zoe was “In October, I began the lessons. There to keep completely secret from her family were six of us. I didn’t realise then but even though it meant missing a family there was always one who was learning event). and one who had brought them along (a There was increasing pressure to recruiter like the girl who brought me). attend meetings and give money to “Eventually, I started to have lessons the group. Whenever anyone asked a on my own. I was told that I was learning question, the leaders always had a verse quicker than the others. The man was from the Bible and an assurance that Zoe very respectful; it wasn’t dangerous in would learn in time. “They did not want that sense but it was very important us to ask questions. I think I was brought that I was never late and if I was, they on quicker because I didn’t question [so were really annoyed. I couldn’t miss a much]. In hindsight, I wish I had!” Zoe single session and they wanted to know said. everything I was doing. I wasn’t able to Back at home, mum Carol became go home as much and I had to lie to my increasingly concerned that Zoe didn’t parents.” seem to want to visit anymore but the family still had no idea about what was KEEPING SECRETS going on. Zoe was told that she needed to There was more pressure to attend make sure she was learning without studies and meetings even to the

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detriment of Zoe’s university degree. able to unlock the true meaning of the “They laughed when I talked about Bible.” college grades and said they are not Zoe discovered that the girl who had important. They told me I had never recruited her into the group was called really understood the Bible before this a ‘harvester’ - the original invitation to and that my life was so much better coffee was a deliberate attempt to draw now that I was part of the group,” Zoe her into the group. explained. “I didn’t see the people I “The man I was meeting in Ireland loved and I had to stop meeting with was from Austria. He had been ordered friends but they really make you by the group to move to Ireland with believe that your family will be going only two days’ notice to become a to heaven because of you. That was a ‘harvester’ and a teacher for Shincheonji. big motivation. I wanted the best for There was a lot of importance placed my family. I thought if I didn’t do that on me becoming a harvester too - going out to find people who were potential new recruits. We would stand on Grafton Street “YOU WILL THINK I’M CRAZY.” and ask people questions. We had to figure out if people I would be making my family lose out might be suitable and write a report,” she on eternal life. I hate lying but I kept on added. going with it.” The group would target young men The group expected Zoe to be at a and women in Dublin churches or meeting on Christmas Eve and told her Christian Union meetings, befriending to lie to her parents about where she them and then persuading them to come was going, something they described as along to Shincheonji meetings, in the ‘wisdom’. Carol begged Zoe not to go back same way Zoe had been recruited. to Dublin. “I told her, ‘I want you here for Everything finally came to a head Christmas Eve’ but she went anyway. I in February 2020. The whole family had could not understand it. I thought, ‘This been invited to a party but Zoe told them is not Zoe.’” she could not go. The meetings Zoe attended were “We were out for a walk and I told all presented from the Shincheonji her, ‘Surely you can miss one week’ but ‘church’ in South Korea and everything she kept making up excuses,” Carol said. was translated. “We had to wear black “I kept pushing her until eventually she trousers and a white shirt and we all sat said, ‘you will think I’m crazy.’” on the floor. You had to bow your head Zoe’s father reassured her, gently when the leader, Lee Man Hee came on. and patiently encouraging her to tell This man thought he was the new ‘John’ them the truth about what had been that it talks about in Revelation. He also happening. referred to himself as the ‘advocate’ - and “Whenever I was trying to tell my said he was the only person who could parents, it was so hard. I felt guilty interpret scripture and that he alone was telling them because I was told I wasn’t

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supposed to. Telling them was such a relief but I was so brainwashed at the time. Thankfully they stayed calm and didn’t overreact,” Zoe said. Carol and her husband could tell something was seriously wrong and suggested that Zoe should talk to their ABOUT SHINCHEONJI church minister. After months of (SCJ) manipulation and repetition of the same ideas, it wasn’t easy to get through to Zoe. The group originates in South “I think the key issue was that they were Korea and has been operating telling her to lie to her parents. They in Ireland since November depended on secrecy but it was quite 2018. It typically recruits young easy to show Zoe that this is disobeying Christian students through one of the Ten Commandments (honour cold contact 1-2-1 interviews your father and mother),” the minister on university campuses or said. by acting under the guise of Gradually he was able to show how Alpha, with the aim to take the group had been misusing scripture the person for a coffee. (Since and to highlight how the claims they Covid they’ve also used social were making were not right. “It was media). The group refers to evident that these teachings were a method of “unlocking the destructive. They manipulated the deep secrets” of the Bible. It is love she has for her family. Telling controlling, secretive, teaches Zoe that her grandparents’ salvation a false gospel and requires depended on her obedience to the group high levels of commitment and was a complete twisting of the word of engagement. They operated God.” in a similar fashion beforehand Although there appeared to be a in the UK and Nicky Gumbel breakthrough, Carol was still concerned. shared about them on Premier “I was so afraid to let Zoe go back to Christian News. You can Dublin. If she had met with the wrong read a testimony of someone person, they would have pulled her right previously involved to get back in.” a flavour of how and why Together with their minister, Carol someone gets involved and and her husband supported Zoe as she the progressive nature of the left the group. They encouraged her to cult, The NY times also ran re-connect with friends and also began a piece on them at the start to search the Internet to find out more of the pandemic when the about Shincheonji. What they discovered SCJ ‘church’ became a Covid was an alarming pattern of manipulation super-spreader. and spiritual abuse. “We’ve learnt about other students

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from all over Ireland and Northern be able to engage with our committed Ireland who’ve got involved with the cult. young adult Christians who have a great These were intelligent young women desire to grow in grace through sound and men with a real desire to know teaching and doctrine. We need to ask God’s word. In most cases, they came some serious questions of ourselves from loving Christian homes. They were in Church leadership about how we deliberately targeted. Some of them have are equipping our people to face the not been able to get free.” challenges of a secular world but one in At this point, the pandemic was which false teachers are preying on our beginning to hit and Zoe returned most committed young Christians with home for the remainder of her degree enticements to false teaching which course. “Being at home was really distorts the Gospel.” helpful,” she said. “It was important to cut connections until they knew they would not be able to pull me back in. I got back in touch with my own church and reconnected with friends from the Christian Union.” THINGS TO WATCH OUT Today Zoe feels she is fortunate to FOR IN FRIENDS OR YOUR have escaped because she sees the impact SON/DAUGHTER on others who have been unable to break • They become vague about free and has realised how she was being where they are going or who taken away from her family and all her they are meeting friends. • Cancel plans to meet with “Like other cults Shincheonji take friends texts out of context,” Zoe’s minister • Stop going to the Christian added. “The way that they teach is events they would usually controlling and manipulative and add go to to that all the secrecy, they are putting • Less time to go home to people into bondage. family “What is alarming is the number of • Home late and up and away dedicated young Christians who have early been allured into this group without the • Not so keen to talk about knowledge of their families. I contacted faith anymore the head of Christian Unions Ireland • Late to events (CUI) to alert them to the danger of • Making up excuses which Shincheonji and also spoke to church they would not normally leaders in Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Down and Antrim - the pastors of people Zoe had met in the group. In each instance, none of the families were aware of their child’s involvement with Shincheonji. “I genuinely believe that we must

68 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 MUSIC REVIEWS

Fighting for us quality of this song in which Farren cries MICHAEL FARREN out to the Lord in praise and worship even in these troubled times. He is speaking It is quite Jesus’ promises into his own situation. astonishing that Despite all that is going on in our lives, we Fighting For Us can rejoice in belonging to Jesus through is technically the His sacrifice. debut album of Praise The King attributes every Michael Farren. I promise God has kept to the resurrected say, astonishing Christ. The curse of sin is broken, the because Michael darkness runs from light, we stand here Farren has had an enormous impact on forgiven, because Jesus is alive. A brilliant Christian music for many years now as a song full of hope and assurance. songwriter and producer. There are few In the title track, Farren declares if any of the big names in Christian music that the God who fights for us has who cannot count some of Michael’s unimaginable power. This song leaves us songs in their catalogue. I have loved in no doubt that His love and loyalty to us Michael Farren’s music for a very long is unconditional. There are 11 tracks in all time, and eagerly awaited this new album. on this brilliant album. Fighting for us by I was not disappointed. Fighting For Us is Michael Farren is a must-listen-to album one of the best albums you are likely to and not just during these pandemic times. hear this year. This pandemic has been a time of crisis for many. It has been a time when Jubilee many of us questioned the whys of life and MAVERICK CITY MUSIC faith. It has also been a time of doubt and Who is Maverick questioning for Michael Farren. City? Well the Raised the son of a Baptist pastor who website describes in turn was the son of a Baptist preacher, them as a praise Michael Farren never thought he would and worship hit a low point in his life or faith but that music collective is precisely what happened. He says, that started out “I’m a pretty solid guy, I’ve been around of a dream to church my whole life and yet I am shocked make space for that I have asked some of the questions folk that would otherwise live in their own that I’ve asked of God in the last couple separate worlds; to break the unspoken of years. Things I would never have rules that exist in the Gospel World but imagined I would wrestle with. And that is more importantly to be a megaphone for kind of the whole point of this album. It is a community of creatives that had been giving people permission to ask the hard pushed to the margins of the church questions.” music industry. They came together out of So, to the album itself. It opens with recognition that now more than ever, this I belong to Jesus. I love the Psalm-like world needs a plurality of strong diverse

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voices carrying messages that can help is best known as the primary songwriter reshape it. and vocalist for popular Christian rock The sound that hits you in the face the ensemble Housefires and the writer of first time you press play is the beautiful the 2015 chart-topping song Good Good harmony of long lost family. I came across Father, has crafted a collection of songs their music with the release of their that call us back to the heart of our faith. chart-topping song Man of your word, Indeed, the title track brings us back to and I cannot get enough of them now. basics and what God truly desires from Their album Jubilee is currently riding us – to love and serve Him, care for others high in the Christian music charts and is and do what we can to live in a way that the perfect antidote to any isolation you reflects our Saviour here on earth. might be feeling from the restrictions on It would be hard to single out any corporate worship in these Covid times. one track for special mention. Indeed if I Each track is like an individual praise were to write about all 17, my editor would and worship session, and whether you be having a hissy fit. [Ed note: hissy fit?!] just dip in and enjoy a track or two, or Having said that however, there are a few give yourself a real treat and listen to that merit comment: the album in its entirety, I have no doubt As For Me is a stunningly beautiful whatsoever that you will find the listening song of praise and worship that features experience both uplifting and satisfying. Chris Tomlin on vocals. No Weapon If I was to single out one track for special assures us that nothing can separate mention it would be the Hymn Medley that us from the love and sheltering arms of clocks in at 16 minutes and 22 seconds. God, welcome assurance when many feel It is beautiful. Jubilee by Maverick City is embattled and isolated. To Have And To a must-listen-to album for those of you Hold is a beautiful, stripped-back, acoustic looking for something a little deeper and song that paints a picture of the kind more worshipful. of love story that God intended. I have been playing this one repeatedly and am always left with a feeling of intimacy and Act Justly, Love closeness to Jesus. Mercy, Walk Humbly My own personal favourite is Canvas PAT BARRETT and Clay, which was released last year as If Maverick City’s a single. I think this song is every bit as Jubilee album good as Good Good Father. contains a mere Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly seven tracks, is an album of impeccable quality. There is albeit long ones, something here for everyone. Pat Barrett’s new album Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Almond Eyes Humbly, contains a staggering 17. So, has BRANDON LAKE quality been sacrificed at the expense Regular readers will know that I am not of quantity? Absolutely not. Barrett who a huge fan of mega worship groups but

70 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 having said that, merits repeat playing. I loved it. Give it a occasionally some listen. solo material has Before I finish, could I just reiterate my emerged that has desire to promote home-based Christian blown me away. artists both here in VOX and on my radio Brandon Lake programme on UCB Ireland, so if you have has been leading something you’d like me to take a listen worship with the to, please drop me an email to vincent@ Bethel juggernaut for a while now and ucbradio.ie. currently has a live album complete with all the bells and whistles in the Christian music charts. It’s not this album however Albums reviewed by UCB I want to highlight, but a little solo effort Ireland Radio producer/ comprising of five beautiful songs that he presenter Vincent Hughes. wrote to surprise his wife for their tenth Listen to his programme 12- anniversary. It’s called Almond Eyes, and 4pm Monday to Friday and is just gorgeous. When Christians write 11am-3pm on Saturdays on songs about love, they are generally about Virgin Media Channel 918, our love for Jesus, and rightly so. But what on Sky Channel 0214 or via about our love for each other? The love the smartphone app. You between a Christian couple when Christ can contact Vincent at is at the centre of such a relationship. We [email protected] | should celebrate it more in song. Almond www.ucbireland.com. Eyes is a beautiful EP and the title track

Hear by Wired Worship

Sadly, no Irish releases to write about but I would like to mention that Wired Worship, that brilliant music collective from Donegal and Derry, completed their two-part album recording right at the end of 2020, and the whole album Hear is now available. The album was recorded in two stages during an incredibly difficult year for musicians, and the result is a collection of self-penned and beautifully produced songs that reflect our Irish Christian culture. It comprises 12 worship songs that would easily find a home in any Church service. Give it a listen and support this wonderful group of musicians who are working so hard and passionately to produce an indigenous Irish worship sound. Hear by Wired Worship is available on all streaming platforms right now.

71 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 BOOK REVIEWS

Healing through creativity Pregnancy by Fiona Horrobin and Abortion Lead author Dr Mark I have waited impatiently for the completion of this Houghton book but it was well worth it. It is in a large format, beautifully presented and fit for the proverbial coffee We are all too aware that table. I was surprised at the variety of beautiful images unintended pregnancies contained inside but then it is a book about creativity. in the past led to Mother It is the culmination of the Healing Retreats of Ellel and Baby Homes. But since Ministries since 1986, and more specifically of their the 2018 Referendum, the Healing Through Creativity courses. They discovered outcome has often been that creativity forms a bridge between the head and the abortion. I’m delighted that heart. Knowing God as a head exercise is so different this title which I reviewed to having a heart relationship with Him. Creative here previously has now expression breaks through subconscious barriers, been completely updated, facilitating God’s healing of our innermost beings. with much additional This is a book of two parts, and both parts are material. It is written “for spiritual and practical. The first part explains the pregnant women, men, principles of healing through creativity, and how our counsellors, pastors, identity is linked to and set free by creative expression. schools and policymakers” The second part explores the practical outworking of so it will help anyone who these principles. It soon becomes clear that creativity may meet a woman in crisis does not necessitate being artistic. But God uses many pregnancy. The lead author different creative elements to minister healing. Here describes it as a female- is just one example: “Making a greeting card prompts driven team effort by holding another person in mind and facilitates God’s co-writers, researchers and healing in the area of bonding with another through world-class experts. The giving something of oneself.” dedication sums up their The teaching is illustrated by relevant anecdotes approach: “Before making of healing. In particular, Sarah’s story is woven through decisions, check out your the narrative. God used many forms of creativity to hopes, dreams, risks and bring her through to freedom from a place of extreme options. You have more brokenness. options than you think.”

72 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 These book reviews by Julie Carvill of christianbooks. ie, from where you can order these and other inspiring VOX MAGAZINE titles: [email protected] or +353 (0)86 839 1870

tPt – the Celery Brown and the Passion courts of heaven translation by Karen R Ingerslev I reviewed tPt – the Passion Books on prayer, especially on the courts of translation here when heaven are popular. They put words on ways that the New Testament with many have prayed for years, and they share real Psalms, Proverbs and Song life testimonies. But I am blessed to read books of Songs was completed. for all ages. I really enjoyed this teen storybook, But I was immediately and it inspired me to avail more of the courts of asked for larger print by heaven in personal prayer. many, and for a smaller Celery Brown is the main character. Her best edition by many others. At friend Ivy has moved to America for her Dad’s job, last the range is complete, and neither Celery nor Ivy are happy about that. with something to suit But Ivy asked Jesus to let her see the heavenly everyone. There are six book of her life, and she saw a map of England embossed faux leather in her future. So Ivy suggests that they go to the large print colours, and courts of heaven about this for 40 days. She five embossed faux leather explains, “I’ve never actually been there… But compact editions. The Jesus can teach us, can’t He? We can imagine standard size comes in stepping into heaven and visiting the court room six embossed faux leather and seeing what Jesus shows us once we’re colours, three hardbacks, there.” and two fabric covered That’s exactly what they do, and gradually hardbacks, my favourite they move from trying to change God’s mind, to being Berry Blossoms. discovering how He feels. They check in with In addition Genesis – each other by video call, and are amazed that Firstfruits, and Isaiah – the God is showing them the same things. I won’t tell Vision are now available you the outcome. But alongside the courts, Celery as single volumes. Joshua, feels lonely now that Ivy has gone, her older sister Judges and Ruth – is jealous. But she bravely prays for healing when Courage to conquer is now another girl is injured on the netball court. being translate For 9 - 12 years.

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74 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 BOOK REVIEWS

Finally Free Travel: In Tandem By Stephanie McKittrick With God’s Heart By Peter Grier Finally Free is an autobiography telling the story of Belfast native While we are currently stuck in Stephanie McKittrick. It is her story of lockdown, we can still dream of the redemption and deliverance through days when we will be able to travel the truth of the gospel and the love of again. So how does something like Christ. Growing up in war-torn Belfast, travel connect you to God? What does she experienced abuse from an early God say about travel? Shouldn’t we age at the hands of her father who instead be doing evangelism? Where would beat his children and then go is the clear missionary purpose in all out and tell people about the love of this? Jesus. Not surprisingly, this presented Travel: In Tandem With God’s Stephanie with a confusing view of Heart brings us along on author Peter who Jesus is. She spent many years Grier’s travels as he applies the Bible’s running from Him, turning instead to teaching to the subject of travel. This drugs and alcohol to deal with her book combines a lovely mix of travel pain. It was only when her life reached stories and biblical reflections, which a low-point that she discovered that helps the reader connect to their own Jesus was the one she needed to run travel experiences and life. to; the only one who could save, heal From Morocco to China, the Arctic and restore her life. to the Pacific and other destinations This book offers hope for all who along the way this fun, interesting and struggle and shows that there is a travel-focused book will surely interest way out from your hardships through people who travel a lot or those who what Jesus has done for you on the dream of travelling. At the end of each cross. It is a story of resilience, fight, chapter there are questions and a determination, courage and strength. prayer, which will help you reflect on Finally Free will remind you that you the contents of the chapter. Why not are never alone on this journey called check out this very worthwhile read life. by Irish author Peter Grier.

75 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE

Suicidal Christians By Nita Tarr

Originally from South Africa, Nita Tarr now calls West Cork her home. She is a survivor of rape, abuse, kidnap, chronic illness, poverty and many suicide attempts. Many people believe that it is These book not ‘Christian’ to be depressed or feel suicidal. reviews by Yet, the reality is that many Christians struggle Ireland’s newest with negative and suicidal thoughts, resulting online Christian in feelings of failure and isolation. In her book bookshop Teach Suicidal Christians, Nita speaks honestly of Solas. To purchase her own struggles and discusses these difficult these and other topics, and the reality of God’s steadfast love great Christian throughout. With chapters titled “How can I call titles go to www. myself Christian?” and “I don’t know how to pray”, teachsolas.ie or Nita writes about parts of life that Christians often phone John on shy away from. An excerpt from her first chapter 089 454 0427. says, “Even though the word depression does not appear in the Bible, there are many examples of people who have experienced it. David the psalmist wrote: “I am laid low in the dust,” Elijah tells God: “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life.” Then there’s Jonah, Jeremiah and Paul, all who felt the shroud of depression descend over them.” This book will be a source of help and encouragement to Christians who have gone through, or who are going through turmoil and hardships in their lives. Suicidal Christians is a tapestry of gripping, graphic personal stories, poignant allegories, prayers and inspired practical advice.

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LOOKING UP IN LOCKDOWN BY SEÁN MULLAN

hat do a singer songwriter Morton to Debussy. And permeating from Belfast and a all the reminiscences is an awareness philosopher from Los of something bigger going on, what he Angeles have in common? refers to as light, as silence and as grace. WMaybe many things but in the 5k circle My other companion is the late of my lockdown life they have this in Dallas Willard, an academic philosopher common, they have become my close by profession, who also gave a lot companions. One has accompanied of time to teaching ordinary people me as I sanded, painted, scrubbed and how contemporary life might be lived repaired the cafe space where I work following Jesus of Nazareth. It’s these and that in normal times houses a talks rather than any lectures on thriving social business. The other has philosophy that I listen to on my canal kept me company on early morning walks. I wouldn’t want you to have an strolls “all along the banks of the Royal over-inflated view of my intellectual Canal” – yes, all within the 5k statute of capabilities. limitations. Willard had great intellectual capacity Van “the Man” Morrison is the but also the ability to make complex singer who energises my efforts truths easily understandable. And here’s at sanding skirting boards where he and Van have connected in my and scrubbing dark kitchen limited lockdown life. They can both sing corners, especially his album or talk about big things but root them in “Hymns to the Silence.” It is the ordinary and the everyday, in quiet 30 years old I was horrified city walks and floors that need scrubbing. to discover but is a piece of In “Hymns to the Silence” Van sings melodic craft that has worn well. of the ordinary places of his youth, It contains his musical musings on of Hyndfort Street and Orangefield, childhood experiences and some of his of North Road Bridge and Mrs Kelly’s formative influences, from Jelly Roll lamp. And he sings of ordinary days

78 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 VOX MAGAZINE THEY CAN BOTH SING OR TALK

and times. But all of ABOUT BIG their love of old hymns this ordinariness is THINGS BUT ROOT they might well have suffused with a sense gone on to listen together of wonder. He sings THEM IN THE to Van’s recording of of “early morning when “Be thou my vision” contemplation was at its ORDINARY AND with those musical best”, of living where THE EVERYDAY, IN maestros, The Chieftains “dusk had meaning” and providing a magnificent of late summer nights QUIET CITY WALKS interlude that would when “we sank into set an atheist’s heart restful slumber in silence AND FLOORS THAT soaring. And the old and carried on dreaming NEED SCRUBBING. philosopher might offer in God.” All of life is his definition of beauty sacred in these lyrics, every place holy. as God’s goodness made manifest to Dallas would agree. I have no idea if the senses. Van’s album, in my limited he ever listened to a Van Morrison album musical opinion, provides a resounding or if Van ever attended one of Dallas’s affirmation of the definition. talks but I like to think they would have One of Dallas Willard’s most had a lot to chat about. I think Dallas treasured themes was the would chat about the idea that grace was “Kingdom of God.” It is, he at work in those times of silence and would say, the range of God’s light Van sang about. Grace, Dallas used effective will and the natural to say, is God acting in our life to achieve home of the soul. It is immediately what we cannot achieve on our own. It and directly accessible to us through is the activity of God in the course of the Jesus of Nazareth. As I wrote this piece everyday to which we can learn to pay I realised that the only time I ever met attention. “Ah yes, learning to feel the Dallas Willard was in Belfast. He was silence,” I could imagine the Belfast man there to speak at a conference but I respond. imagine him also taking time to stroll They could certainly have had an the streets of Van’s Morrison’s Belfast interesting conversation about Jesus. He childhood with his Walkman and is the smartest person ever to live, Dallas headphones and “Hymns to the silence.” would assert. The person who chooses I like to think he might have walked to follow Him is choosing the good life, Hyndfort Street and that, as he did, the learning from Him to live a life free from Los Angeles philosopher listened to fear and anger and a life of becoming all the grainy tones of the Belfast minstrel that we are intended to be. Van might singing “You’ve got to try for the kingdom draw Dallas’s attention to the old hymn on high, by His grace.” lyrics included on this album: “Just a closer walk with thee, grant it Jesus if you please. I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk dear Seán Mullan has been working in church Lord close to thee.” leadership for many years. He has developed a And finding more common ground in project in Dublin City Centre called “Third Space”.

79 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021 Know someone who knows someone who’s looking for this issue of VOX?

Whether you’re in You can also order Tullamore or Tokyo, a printed copy for download your free €3 and have it sent digital copy today at anywhere on this www.vox.ie/mycopy island. 80 VOX.IE APR - JUN 2021