Churches Together in Britain and Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Nicola Brady as its next General Secretary. Nicola will join CTBI at the beginning of 2022 following her period of service as General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches.
In her response Nicola said, ‘I am grateful for this opportunity to help guide and support the work of CTBI at a critical time, in collaboration with colleagues across Britain and Ireland. It is important that we continue to build on the close working relationships that have really shown their worth as our member churches responded to the multi-layered challenges of Covid-19. The vision for reconciliation and renewal that is at the heart of our ecumenical structures has much to offer a society that is struggling with multiple threats to social cohesion, both local and global. The pandemic experience to date has demonstrated the resilience of our faith as a force for good in society and the hope-filled leadership that churches can bring when they work together for the common good.’
CTBI Moderator, the Revd Graham Sparkes, commented, ‘We welcome Nicola at a time of challenge and opportunity. Across our four nations and beyond there are many fractures and divisions that threaten our shared humanity, and Nicola is deeply aware of the need for CTBI to witness to the reconciling hope at the heart of our Christian faith. Her rich experience and deep commitment will guide and strengthen the ecumenical vision that guides and sustains us, and we very much look forward to her leadership amongst us.’
Biographical details
Dr Nicola Brady is currently General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches and Joint Secretary of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting where she facilitates relationship-building between Christian churches on the island of Ireland and collaborative action on issues of shared concern to member churches. She has a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. Her PhD, also from Trinity College Dublin, examined the response of the Catholic hierarchy to political violence in Northern Ireland (1921-1973) and the Basque Country (1936-1975).
Nicola has particular experience in the area of faith-based peace-building on the island of Ireland and internationally, including human rights advocacy, support to victims/survivors, facilitation of civic dialogue, community engagement with policing, and research across a broad range of issues relevant to reconciliation. She is a Director of Christian Aid Ireland and the Maximilian Kolbe Foundation, which works to extend the lessons of German-Polish reconciliation post-World War II to other conflict areas.
In 2017 she took part in an international workshop organised by the Catholic Bishops of Germany and Colombia to support the peace process in Colombia, engaging with victims and survivors, armed actors, NGOs and faith communities. In 2019 she became an Eisenhower Fellow and undertook a professional development programme in the US with a focus on developing the capacity of the faith sector to promote social cohesion in communities divided by race, violence, political polarisation and socio-economic inequality. She is currently chairing the Steering Committee for the Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Her recent publications include The Churches, Reconciliation and Addressing the Legacy of Intercommunal Violence in Northern Ireland, Glencree Journal (2021), 92-102 — co-authored with Dr Gladys Ganiel, Queen’s University Belfast and Pulling Together or Pulling Apart: Perspectives on Nationhood, Identity and Belonging in Europe (Peter Lang, 2019) — co-edited with Dr Susana Bayó Belenguer, Trinity College Dublin.
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
CTBI serves the churches of Britain and Ireland on the shared journey towards full visible unity in Christ. It provides information and guidance to bridge understanding of issues in today’s society, and creates ecumenical space for Christian to listen and work together for peace and reconciliation. It develops publications and resources with other organisations and members to offer reflection, prayer and study materials to celebrate Christian events, as well as opportunities to learn and address key issues. It seeks to value the contribution of each church, respectful of relationships at all levels and recognizing the diversity and difference within both churches and nations.
