The Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, Dr Richard Henderson, has told his diocesan synod that "the violence and perceived intransigence at Drumcree, now worldwide knowledge, has brought acute embarrassment and raw pain to so many of us".
Speaking in Westport, Co Mayo, he said "Though it's hard to speak about it, to say less would be simply untrue. This is not to pass a judgment. It's just a fact."
Dr Henderson is the second Church of Ireland bishop to speak about Drumcree this week. At his diocesan synod the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Dr Richard Clarke, said many attending believed "the reputation and standing of the Church of Ireland in the southern part of this island has been severely damaged by events at Drumcree during July".
Dr Clarke said one of the things he had learned since was that "the events at Drumcree had far wider repercussions than merely for Ireland, North or South". At the Lambeth conference of Anglican bishops worldwide, held at Canterbury in August, English and US bishops were able to tell him "the events of that week gave credence to the many people in their settings who would say that religion is more about hatred than about love . . ."
He said "the image of Christianity before Muslims, Hindus and those of other faiths has clearly been damaged . . ."
He felt "the time has certainly come for the sectarianism committee, set up by the Church of Ireland, and for the General Synod to acknowledge that what happened at Drumcree is a matter for the entire church to address".
Both bishops spoke about the Lambeth debate on homosexuality which endorsed traditional Christian teaching.
Dr Henderson told his synod: "It is scarcely possible to imagine a more emotive issue, touching the very heart of Christianity and humanity". Where both homosexuality and Drumcree were concerned, "for any group or individual to insist on its rights to the exclusion of the rights of others damages not only others, but the group also".
Dr Clarke said the resolution on sexuality was "ungenerous, unloving and ultimately unsustainable".
