Spring 2023

Editorial

Guest editor Robin Stockitt writes:

I have recently been inspired through reading a book entitled ‘The Salt Path’, which tells the story of a couple who lost everything and chose to walk the South West Coastal Path through Devon and Cornwall. In the process of their journey they came to fascinating and powerful insights. It is not a Christian book but it resonated with me as so many paradigm shifts and spiritual encounters in the Bible seem to occur whilst travelling. Indeed there is a strong Christian tradition of pilgrimage which acknowledges the potentially transformative effects of going on a journey.

This edition of Search is a collection of musings on this theme. Andrea Campanale describes how her path of faith has led her towards those communities often found well outside the boundaries of the established church. Shannon Parrott describes the inner journey that we all make, accompanied by the Psalmist and Carola von Wrangel speaks of her journey out of one theological paradigm into another more grace-filled one. Harold Miller shares his observations and insights gained from a recent trip to Leipzig, while Paddy McGlinchey outlines a hopeful route towards a rapprochement between Catholics and Evangelicals. With the help of Criostor MacBruithin, we follow the journeys that Abram made, whilst Leonard Madden speaks of the power of journeying together. Finally, Paul Hoey depicts his journey towards Santiago de Compostela. Each contributor has taken the metaphor of Journey and demonstrated its rich potential for contributing to our appreciation and understanding of our shared life of faith.

Please see the announcement for our April Colloquium overleaf. I hope you enjoy these articles and are enriched by them.

Rev.Dr. Robin Stockitt

 

 

 

SEARCH editor Canon Ginnie Kennerley writes:
‘My warmest thanks to Revd Dr Robin Stockitt, who retired from parish ministry in Donagheady (Derry) recently, for taking on the editorship of this spring 2023 issue of SEARCH. After over fifteen years of editing the journal myself, it’s good to have a break! A noted theological writer as well as a pastor and teacher, Robin brings much expertise to the task. Please do it again soon, Robin!

Contents

A missional journey to the margins

JOHN V. Taylor, theologian and Bishop of Winchester between 1975 and 1985, describes mission as, ‘an adventure of the imagination.’ Adventure implies risk and daring. An active and intentional quest with the potential for failure, as...

Andrea Campanale

Is founder of Sacred Space, Kingston upon Thames.

 

Cause me to understand your ways, O Lord

WHEN we think of ‘journeys’ we think of movement from point A to point B. A destination is in focus. Yet perhaps the most significant journeys are not the ones of physical movement. Perhaps the most...

Shannon Parrott

Is an Old Testament post-doctoral research student at Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich.

 

Caution: uneven floor. My journey towards Grace

THIS is a story of journey and pilgrimage. Although I’m an educated Episcopal priest and ‘theologian,’ this is not a theological treatise. Rather, this is my reflection on the profound transformation God has wrought in me....

Carola von Wrangel

Was formerly the Rector of Christ Christ, Frankfurt and now lives is Seattle working for Food For The Poor.

 

A Journey from Lurgan to Leipzig

RETIREMENT and Covid came at around the same time for Liz and myself. We had just moved house, settled in the leafy suburbs of Lurgan in our Tigin Beag (wee small house) when the pandemic arrived....

Harold Miller

Is the former bishop of The Diocese of Down and Dromore, now retired.

 

The Evangelical-Roman Catholic journey towards rapprochement

RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE between Evangelicals and Roman Catholics may sound like an unlikely scenario but lessons drawn from history, as I will seek to demonstrate in what follows, can yield some surprisingly fruitful outcomes, ones which may...

Paddy McGlinchey

is a member of staff at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute.

 

A biblical hermeneutics of the ‘faith journey’

ACCORDING to the Church of Ireland’s rite, ‘Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in response to God’s love.’ Those present are invited...

Criostor MacBruithin

Is Rector of Castlerock Christ Church, Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.

 

Reflection on Journeys as Pilgrimage

PILGRIMAGE has traditionally been conceived as a journey to places in which divine-human encounters have taken place.1 These are journeys, accompanied by prayer,2 that traditionally involve a person leaving home, traveling to a specific site that...

Leonard Madden

Is curate at St. Mary’s cathedral, Limerick.

 

The Camino – Package holiday or Pilgrimage?

IT WAS the friendly woman sitting beside me on the airplane who triggered the question. We’d gotten into conversation about our most memorable trips. Mine, I told her, was undoubtedly the Camino walk to Santiago de...

Paul Hoey

Is Rector of St Canice’s Parish Church and Faughanvale Parish, Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.

 

Liturgica: Synodality as revealed in the celebration of liturgy

Readers may know that the Roman Catholic Church is currently in synod throughout the world. Pope Francis has invited members of the Church to rediscover and embed the characteristics of synodality into the very way of...

Julie Kavanagh

 

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