Unionism is in the grip of 'an existential identity crisis' says ex-Presbyterian moderator Norman Hamilton

Rev Hamilton made the comments today in a Radio Ulster interview, with more comments from him expected on Newsline at 6.30pm today.

Rev Hamilton held the post of moderator in 2010-2011, nominated by 11 of the denomination's 19 presbyteries, and has been a frequent commentator on Christian and political matters since.

He formerly sat on the Community Relations Council, has an OBE, and in 2021 joined the SDLP’s “New Ireland Commission” (which set out to "seek to engage with every community, sector and generation on this island to build new proposals that can generate a consensus on our future constitutional arrangements").

His interview with Radio Ulster focussed in large part on the DUP boycott of Stormont over its ongoing rejection of the Windsor Framework.

“Unionism is clearly having an existential identity crisis… struggling to figure out how it relates to ordinary people each and every day,” said Rev Hamilton.

Asked about the DUP boycott, he said “I absolutely respect their electoral mandate to do that... that provides you with an ethical basis for what you do”.

But he added: “What is not being discussed is the ethical and moral downside of that, and that's reflected in the fact we don't have government, we can't have ordinary things progressed as they need to be progressed.

"From a Christian pastor's point of view that's a significant ethical problem... that for me is the ethical cost of sticking rigidly to an electoral mandate.”

He also said that “’my-way-or-no-way’ is not confined to unionism – we see that within republicanism as well”.

Rev Hamilton has spoken out on a number of issues in recent times, often taking a conservative Christian line.

Last November, following a declaration by the CPS that it is "no longer appropriate" to read parts of the Bible aloud in public, he said: “The stifling of free expression in a democracy, threatens democracy itself.

"And whether you are a comedian, an author like JK Rowling, a Christian or an Islamic leader, the direction of travel by the CPS is deeply alarming.”

• Fears raised about freedom of expression as prosecutors say it is ‘no longer appropriate’ to quote parts of the Bible in public

He also stressed that Christians face “demanding” constraints on their lifestyles, in reaction largely to comments about gay people from Scottish moderator Iain Greenshields, who had declared “the only expression that we can possibly give to any human being, in any circumstance”.

• Former NI Presbyterian chief: 'Yes, God loves gay and straight alike... but He also sets out a demanding lifestyle'