[arthurduncan]

went to see the Rev Brian Kennaway and Ian S Wood in the book festival the other day - I did so because I have just read Kennaway's interesting book Orange Order: A Tradition Betrayed. The thesis of the book is that what should essentially be a religious organisation with a political element has become a political organisation with a religious element. The disaster (which had been brewing for years) was Drumcree etc. when LOL leadership did not distance themselves from the UDA etc. nutters and let Seinn Fein/IRA gain the moral high ground as "statesmen" and "peacemakers". This has left mainstream protestantism without a moral centre. Kennaway (who was senior in the Grand Lodge of Ireland) argued again that the Institution is fundamentally about liberty, fraternity, equality - all the principles of the Reformed Church etc. etc. It is an interesting book certainly revealed quite a lot about the "DOBs" that I didn't know about.

he was asked "all this stuff about the reformed church is fine but why all the marching?" - interestingly he said "marching is part of our tradition but what I don't understand is why anyone would want to march where they are not welcome". He also said that the greatest betrayal of Orangeism is the refusal to talk to Seinn Fein/IRA - he believes you should talk to anyone who is made in God's image. I noticed Ian Wilson, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, applaud at both points.

FWIW my sense is that Wilson is a decent man who is struggling to keep the extremists at bay and is not really being helped by the Scottish Executive etc. with their assaults on the "bigots on parade". Wilson likes to make the comparison of the celebrated orange clad seikhs marching through the streets of Glasgow and the much hated orange clad defenders of the Reformed Church with their collarettes and bowlers. He feels liberals accept one form of religious expression because its "asian" and exotic, but yet reject the local version. He also points out that the majority of LOL marches in Scotland pass off without incident.