Sir, - To many of us trained at the Church of Ireland Theological College, the views of the Dean of Clonmacnoise (The Irish Times, December 19th) are not new. The tenor of the theological training for the Church of Ireland ministry is one that undermines traditional Christian belief and the doctrine of the Church of Ireland and leads to the views adopted by the Dean.
The responsibility for this lies with the House of Bishops, who claim sole authority for the training of clergy. It seems incongruous, then, that the Dean is disciplined, but the kind of liberal theological views he espouses are promoted in the training of Church of Ireland clergy. Unless this problem is addressed the number of Church of Ireland clergy with these unorthodox beliefs will continue to grow. - Yours, etc.,
Rev Edmond Coulter, Milltown Rectory, Birches, Co Armagh.