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Christianity Today, April, 2007 |

Ireland's Evangelical Moment

Irish national identity has eroded, making room for Protestants.

Mary Cagney | posted 3/13/2007 08:36AM

Less than 20 years ago, more than eight of ten people in Ireland attended Catholic Mass at least weekly. Today, fewer than half do. The erosion of Ireland's traditional Catholic identity may be largely ...

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Daniel Nickel

Posted: March 20, 2007 9:46 AM

If evangelicals know what it is to be saved, it is a good time to be an evangelical in Ireland. Most Catholics are still seeking to earn salvation through the sacraments. Their works are the means and Christ is not the center and only hope of salvation. Ask any priest here if he is sure of Heaven. He will say he is sure after a few years in purgatory. The gospel is well hidden by the Catholic Church. But God says: "By grace you are saved through faith..." Ephesians 2:8. I use this verse going door to door in Limerick, Ireland. To think one can know he is saved according to Scripture. Most Catholics will say, hopefullly I will make it. Few will say they are saved. So goes the programming of religion in contrast to the plain teaching of Scripture. A gospel preacher in Ireland.

Timothy

Posted: March 19, 2007 11:42 AM

'[IBI] has also played a key role in the church growth. Remarkably, IBI is "the first major evangelical Bible college since the Puritans lost control of Trinity College, Dublin, in the 1630s"..' Those of us from Ireland, or who know Ireland well, can spot the difference between "Ireland as the cross-border entity that encompasses the island" and "Ireland as the Republic in the South", but the fact is that most Americans and a lot of Brits don't spot the difference and get confused. This will lead to many non-Irish thinking that there were no Evangelical seminaries created on the island of Ireland before IBI came into being. This is not the case and there are quite a few in N. Ireland. To those who start patronising us for our "family feud", please note that the English invaded Ireland as Catholics with an English Pope's support and the invitation of an Irish king who had kidnapped another king's wife. The Pope told the Irish to accept their English masters until the Reformation came

Fr. Jim

Posted: March 19, 2007 11:27 AM


Such hubris. Pretending that somehow Christianity is new to Ireland. The Irish are unlikely in large numbers to join the evangelicals. All this will do is weaken Christianity as a whole in Ireland. How about concentrating on evangelizing places where few people know Christ or is that maybe a bit to risky for you?

Julie

Posted: March 19, 2007 7:51 AM


This article made me very angry also. And Jim, the Catholic church IS Biblical, and indeed is the church that GAVE us the Bible. How has Catholicism failed? How is evangelicalism a greater choice? This is sheer arrogance and ignorance.

Bill	Posted: March 17, 2007 2:34 PM

Patrick, When a Catholic in Ireland truly comes to know Jesus, he or she does not have to start a new church but they should go into fellowship with an existing Bible believing protestant fellowship. the Roman Catholic church teachs another Gospel and another Christ and only hinders the salvation of anyone that stays in the Roman Catholic religion. Ireland needs another reformation of Justification by Grace alone, through faith alone because of Christ alone. Bill azusa755@sbcglobal.net

Dubliner

Posted: March 17, 2007 6:18 AM

Mary Cagney is wrong when she states that Ireland's national identity has eroded . The truth is quite the opposite . Irish national identity has never been stronger . Economically , politically and socially Ireland has moved on since the political separation from England . Both Catholicism and Protestantism are on the decline in Ireland just as they have been on the decline in England , France, Germany , Scandinavia , Italy etc . Modern , young secular Ireland casts an increasingly skeptical eye on all religious denominations . American tele evangelism or the hand clapping -hopping up and down hysterics that passes for worship will find no resonance with the vast majority of Irish people nor for that matter with most Europeans .

Jill	Posted: March 17, 2007 4:03 AM


Its always good when people open to Christianity- but this article seems to give the impression that Catholicism is an illegitimate form of Christianity, or perhaps that evangelicalism (however it is defined) is the only 'true' Christianity. I think here we need to remember Paul's words in Corinthians 1:10-17. We are all following Christ, so should not put down other denominations in this manner.

Victor

Posted: March 17, 2007 1:44 AM

I am from Russia, i.e. I am Russian Baptist. It seems that Catholics in Ireland and those who claim to be Orthodox in Russia share something in common. And this is rooted more in cultural things rather than in religious. When Christian faith is associated with national identity not in Christ himself, it suffers a huge lost. It is humorous that Evangelical Faith is brought to Europe through emigrants. It happens that instead of evangelizing them, people from Asia and Africa evangelize Europeans! It says a lot about a spiritual state in Europe.

Patrick

Posted: March 16, 2007 6:48 AM

Since I’m quoted in the story I like to offer a few comments. Some responses have misinterpreted the author as endorsing some sort of ‘Protestant crusade’ and rejoicing in the decline of ‘Catholic Ireland’. I do not know any evangelicals in the Republic who see things that way. Having experienced God’s love and forgiveness, they are simply ‘being evangelical’ in wanting to communicate and humbly live out that life-changing gospel. But the real irony of seeing some sort re-play of the nineteenth century ‘Protestant crusade’ in Ireland today is that most Irish evangelicals are NOT Protestants and would never dream of considering themselves such! To most Irish people 'Protestant' is an alien and foreign term loaded with negative historical and political baggage. Evangelicals I know both from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds, are extremely sensitive to this and try to focus on the gospel message, not anything else. What church someone belongs to is their choice.

Daniel

Posted: March 14, 2007 8:41 PM

I don't see the article so much as anti-Catholic, but simply stating a fact: Catholicism, which as a matter of fact has not exactly been warm towards Protestants in Ireland, is declining in Ireland which opens a number of "religious" options that, in that culture, were not so open before - including both Evangelicalism and Secularism. I pray God (and I hope this author would too) that the Catholic Church in Ireland should experience a new day of flourishing - but as an Christian concerned about God's world and about humans, he can't simply wait around to see if it will happen or not.

Sile	Posted: March 14, 2007 8:30 PM

Allow me to give some perspective on all this: this is a short news item written for evangelicals on what is happening in the evangelical church in Ireland. Hence its focus. It is not an in-depth analysis of Christianity in Ireland both Catholic and Evangelical (or, dare I say, Protestant.) I am an Irish Catholic and have even been a Catholic lay missionary for a number of years and have evangelized in Ireland within the Catholic Church. This short article rightly points out the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland over the decades and even centuries. It’s an influence that is difficult to understand if one has not grown up with it. The huge change in Irish society during the last 25 years has made room for the Evangelicals in Ireland to grow but it has also allowed for increasing openness, dialogue and cooperation between Catholics and Protestants as old suspicions and attitudes have changed. I can only see it as a good thing and pray the Lord's blessing on it all.

Stanislav Z

Posted: March 14, 2007 1:13 PM

Jane, what galls many fervent and sincere Christians, especially those who share the direct faith of the apostles, is the extreme presumption some arrogate upon themselves. God gives faith and grace to men; He allows those that He wills to paradise. God alone is the judge. We do not need anyone to weigh our faith. It is a wonder to be forever finding self-appointed infallible magistrates, who are so anxious and willing to condemn and damn us, if and when, we deviate a jot or tittle from their perspective and practice; and, often, this they proclaim hiding behind their private interpretation of the Scriptures, which they hold binding upon all. No pope ever dictated so severely, evasively or completely as that. No faithful Catholic needs to be led away from the church.

Tim	Posted: March 14, 2007 10:57 AM

Randy. I would caution your intolerance against the intolerance you place upon evangelicals. Are we not serving the same Christ? Is Christ not Lord of all who call upon Him in Faith? Your post reminds me of Catholic attitudes I grew up fearing. Please, let us work the fields that are white unto the harvest together, maybe the world will see what Christ always intended, a unified, not divided church that bears His Name, not a Demoninational Arrogance.

Carole

Posted: March 14, 2007 7:42 AM

I'm an American Catholic living in Ireland--I love Jesus Christ very deeply, and even consider myself an evangelical Catholic. I myself came to know Jesus with the help of a loving Protestant Christian, but I only found that my Catholicsm made sense in light of this relationship with Christ. I have met some of the guys at the IBI, and we share a common concern that too many Catholics do not have a living faith in Jesus Christ. We are all always in need of conversion. However, in my opinion, the answer is not to woo Catholics away from their Catholic roots in order to start new churches (divisions in Christianity would be part of the problem in my opinion, and contrary to the express will of Jesus that we may be one: John 17:9-11), but rather to help them/us to know Jesus. This might sound silly to you but I wonder is there a creative way to evangelize Catholics without starting new churches? It worked for me!

Chris

Posted: March 14, 2007 7:31 AM

It brings tears to my eyes to think that Christians continue to pray on the weakness and sins of their brethren. We should be evangelizing for Christ. No one will believe God sent His only begotten son, if we don't learn to mourn our losses, seek the truth together in love and then bring to the world as united in Christ. It is the attitude demonstrated in this article that continues to wound the body of Christ.

Jim Murdoch

Posted: March 14, 2007 6:21 AM

It is a delight to see evangelical churches in the Republic of Ireland. Most evangelicals would refrain from using the loaded word "Protestant" because of its political bias. Sadly many new churches are not sharing together as well as they might do. Sadly too some older established yet clearly biblical churches have been bypassed by Irish folk (from a Catholic background, by virtue of birth) finding Christ but who fear that becoming members means embracing West Bristish Protestantism. The greatest encouragement is, that the Bible is available and being studied by individuals and groups. Ireland too is now through IBI and others training church leaders and also sending missionaries to other countries with the saving message of Christ Jesus. One feels deep sadness for Irish Catholic people who feel disillusioned by church scandals. It is also a challenge to help folk who feel that since Catholicism has failed them, Christianity has failed. God bless Ireland.

Ric	Posted: March 13, 2007 6:24 PM


Having a sister church in Ireland, this is great to hear!

Chuck

Posted: March 13, 2007 4:15 PM

The article is ok as it stands. Since the gorilla in the kitchen is the Roman Catholic Church, it might be nice to get their view. I mean this family feud was causing sectarian violence long before the Shiites and the Sunni's. Maybe the real story lies in the last paragraph. Because the walls are coming down a lot of Catholics wonder who these "fundy's" are, and, I'll just bet, a lot of "fundy's" are asking the same questions of their "Romish" Brethren.

Graham Ledger

Posted: March 13, 2007 3:16 PM

I pray for God to reveal himself in those competing in a way Jesus would never advocate. Indeed the deep discomfort in reading partisan thoughts shows me the fruits for what they are. Truly may God bless you with His will. The deepest peace, comfort and depth in Christ for this Protestant has come from those living in the ordinariness of everyday in their Catholic faith. The most unnerved and disconcerted I feel is reading words of conflict as displayed on this page. May God's will be done in Jesus' name.

Jane	Posted: March 13, 2007 2:28 PM

As a former Catholic who is Irish - and now under the evangelical umbrella (so to speak) I understand the difficulties. The reason the Catholic church has failed as while somewhat similar to Christianity it is not the Christian Church. Some Catholics may be Christian but if they follow competley the teachings then they deny that Christ died for them a fundamental point. It is an intrinsic part of the Irish identity and Irish people who struggle to believe there is a God will identify themselves as Catholic. There may be faith in Ireland but is it saving faith? People need to be gentle as it is extremely stressful for Irish people to leave the Catholic Church - its still strongly linked to schools and organisations and it can be very isolating in a small village. The other issue is Catholics in general are not encouraged read the Bible. Pray for revival and that the Lord will bless the Irish people with Christianity. Christ has come for all people in all nations - God bless

Randy

Posted: March 13, 2007 1:59 PM

Well, there's a good bit of anti-Catholic bigotry for you. For centuries, evangelicals made no headway in Ireland due to "pervasive Catholic influence" as though all Ireland was under a cloud. What is pervasive is evangelical arrogance, ignorance and intolerance. Let's face it, many evangelical mega-churches in the U.S., such as Willow Creek, are populated by poorly formed Catholics who were convinced they needed to "accept Jesus as their personal savior." Is this really evangelism? The Catholic Church deserves the heavy losses it has suffered for failing to properly screen its priest candidates and for becoming lax in spiritual formation, among other things. But Catholicism is a sleeping giant, and when it awakens and cleans up its house, it wil have a far greater capacity to bring people to Christian virtue and wholeness than evangelicalism ever did. When ex-Catholic fair-weather evangelicals realize this, they'll come home again and the Willow Creeks will shrivel.

Stanislav

Posted: March 13, 2007 1:46 PM


Perhaps, Ian Paisley can raise a new cromwellian army and finish off the remaining adherents of the ancient faith, spread by Saint Patrick, that has endured through centuries of foreign oppression and persecution.

Brad Ryden

Posted: March 13, 2007 11:20 AM

The opening of this article really made me angry. I am not a Catholic so I am not being made angry from the obvious insults given. The premise of this article feeds into the hellish American Church ideal that we have all the answers and that if only the world would accept what we have to offer. then all would be well. When will the church have the courage to simply bend its knee to Jesus Christ and his will and see that God is soverign, even over all his Children in the world, Ireland included. Even Paul admonished us when he said 'I know nothing except Christ crucified" Shame on you for promoting division instead of seeking God on how to let out lights shine.

Stephen Murphy (Irish Baptist Pastor)

Posted: March 13, 2007 10:57 AM

Jason seems to miss the point: Evangelicalism has traditionally been both the theological and practical alternative to Roman Catholicism. Ireland never experienced a real Reformation. It is only with the advent of a confident generation that does not need to identify Catholicism with national identity that Evangelicalism can get a "fair hearing" in Irish society. The big difference now is that Evangelicals have moved from being an appendage to a culturally foreign Protestantism to being composed largely of former Catholics as well as new immigrants. I believe God has good times ahead for the new Irish Evangelicals, of which , by God;s grace I am one!

Jason

Posted: March 13, 2007 10:33 AM


It seems strange to praise tolerance for evangelicals at the expense and with the decline of traditional Catholic Christian faith. A "post-Christendom" and "consumerist" society is a heavy price to pay for "much more space" where "everyone has a voice and a place." It is too bad that evangelicalism sees itself in a zero-sum competition with Catholicism for the hearts of believers.

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