History
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he described history as “a tale told by an idiot…signifying nothing.”
In contrast, as Christians, we regard history as ‘His story’, believing that it is very significant to us in the present, affirming that God is sovereign and Lord over everything – not only over what has passed, but also what is still to come.
It is often good to look back, as hindsight can afford us a fresh perspective and offer lessons that can be learned. This month we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Gamble Library at Union Theological College. Librarian Joy Conkey gives us a fascinating glimpse of how the library has grown and been shaped over the years, as well as providing insight into the key people who valued books and learning and generously gave of their time and money to make the library what it is today.
This month also marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. This was a truly momentous occasion on this island, impacting deeply the lives of citizens and future generations. We asked a number of Presbyterians to share their thoughts, both on the time of the Agreement itself, but also how the intervening years have panned out. Reading these reflections, it is clear that the problems were, and remain, complex. As one person put it: “…compromise and pain were always going to be part of the price.”
As we approach Easter – the greatest event in human history – Moderator Dr John Kirkpatrick offers a reflection that reminds us of the “silent grace” of Jesus as he accepted the punishment that should have been ours. In Revelation we read of Jesus being described as “the lamb”, depicting this sacrifice he made, but we also read of him as “the lion”, testifying to his power and strength.
In C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the character of Aslan perfectly portrays Jesus’ sacrifice and strength: “They heard from behind them a loud noise – a great cracking, deafening noise… The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end… There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it has apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.”
Aslan tells the other characters that “when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”
This Easter we can give thanks for the sacrificial courage of our Lord Jesus Christ and that through his glorious resurrection, our salvation is freely given and also secure.
Happy Easter.
The Presbyterian Herald is the official magazine of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. It provides a forum for debate and discussion on a wide range of topics and aims to challenge and encourage Presbyterians, as well as inform them about what the wider Church is involved in. It has a readership in excess of 25,000 and is distributed throughout Ireland.
To find out more go to www.presbyterianireland.org/herald or access the digital version via Issuu.