Post #70

The Pope’s visit to Scotland and England enters its third day today. There has been mixed reaction to the visit. The political organizers of the visit were upset when the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland chose not to meet the Pope after an event in London.  The politicians are concerned that it puts a negative spin on their attempt to show a united Christian community.

Excerpt from the BBC: Irish Presbyterian Moderator defends his stance on the Pope

Dr Norman Hamilton will attend the service at Westminster Cathedral but will not meet the Pope. The Presbyterian Moderator has reiterated his choice not to meet the Pope after a service in London on Friday evening.   Dr. Hamilton has been invited to a special service in Westminster Cathedral on the second day of the Pope Benedict's visit.  He insisted his stance was not a snub to Catholics or Pope Benedict XVI.

The Presbyterian moderator explained why he was declining the invitation to meet the Pope after the service but denied there was any discourtesy involved.  "From where I stand, to be true to myself, I would want a meeting with the Pope to be substantive rather than a passing few courtesies because there are many things that trouble us over in Ireland so I am wanting to meet the Pope.  "I am wanting to have a proper engagement with him. I'm simply saying that the context of being presented to his holiness is not enough for us to help resolve some of the issues," he added.

Dr Hamilton said he would welcome the opportunity to have a "face to face" meeting with the Pope.  "I would welcome the opportunity to have a proper meeting with the Pope to sit down with him, man to man and discuss a number of troubling issues," he said.  "Some of those would be biblical and theological because we regard the Roman Catholic church as a church in error, others would be pastoral while others would be practical," he said.

Sources include
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11340154
http://www.presbyterianireland.org/assembly/moderator.html