Barnabas Fund seeks to boost teaching Christianity in schools
An Ofsted report last year stated the quality of RE lessons at many primary schools was ‘not good enough’ and ‘only six out of 10 schools are ‘satisfactory’ in teaching RE'. In response to this Barnabas Fund has launched a new resource pack to enrich teaching of Christianity within Religious Education called, ‘Assisting Christianity Teaching in Schools (ACTS)' and they are asking Christians to donate packs to local schools. Ofsted said ‘In many cases, the study of Jesus focused on an unsystematic collection of information about His life, with limited reference to His theological significance within the faith.’ The pack aimed at ages 7 to 11 covering basic Christianity, Bible reference, character development, the life and teachings of Jesus through children’s fiction and biographies, posters, maps, Bible guides, fact books, Bible story books, time lines, animated DVDs, activity workbooks and presentation slides.
Pray: that many churches will be able to step into this opportunity to meet educationl need. (Ps.34:11)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/barnabas.fund.seeks.to.boost.teaching.of.christianity.in.schools/28250.htm
Lord Sacks comments on equality laws
Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has warned, ‘New equality laws are forcing religious people to flee the country because they are being denied the freedom to live in accordance with their beliefs’ The Orthodox Jewish leader claimed that anti-discrimination policies had fuelled an ‘erosion of religious liberty’ in Britain that was leading to a new ‘Mayflower’, a reference to the flight of the persecuted Pilgrim Fathers to America in the 17th century. His comments follow growing alarm from leading religious figures over the increasing influence of equality laws. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, has called on the Prime Minister to review equality legislation amid concerns that religious freedoms and Britain’s Christian heritage are under threat. Speaking to the House of Commons public administration select committee, Lord Sacks also said, ‘I share a real concern that the attempt to impose the current prevailing template of equality and discrimination on religious organisations is an erosion of religious liberty.’
Pray: that rapid social change would not alter religious practices that have been in place for many years. (Lk.1:50)
Methodist's challenged to take 'tough decisions'
In a report to the annual Methodist Conference, taking place this week in Southport, the Methodist General Secretary, the Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, spoke of tough decisions ahead and his belief that the Church must change to fulfil its calling in contemporary society. ‘As disciples of Jesus we are called to become the Church God wants us to be,’ said Dr Atkins. ‘This will involve making some tough decisions’ he said. ‘We don’t have all the resources we would like to have but God has not given up on us. We must work hard to become a Church that demonstrates our faith through a commitment to justice and serving our local, national and international communities.’ He continued, ‘A more sacrificial, strategic approach is needed. Our churches must not exist simply to perpetuate the status quo, but to provide a place where people can come to faith and be nurtured in their journey with Christ.’
Pray: for the Methodist Church and indeed the whole church as we face the challenge of the future. (2Sa.7:19)
Key Families Conference held
The World Congress of Families hosted a key conference on 29 June 2011. The conference, ‘The Future of the Family in Coalition Britain’, was held to help identify the causes of family breakdown in the UK and present possible solutions. The event was sponsored by Christian Concern and was opened by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali emphasising the need to restore the ‘public doctrine of marriage’, stating that the nuclear family was both a ‘natural’ and ‘normative’ form of family, not only beneficial to children but to society as a whole. A number of factors that have contributed to family breakdown were identified. These include ‘No-fault’ divorces, cohabitation, failure to recognise marriage as distinct in the tax system and sexualisation of teenagers. Stewart Jackson MP emphasised that public policy should strengthen as opposed to weaken marriage.
Pray: for political policy makers at all levels to recognise the importance of marriage in a stable, well-functioning society. (Heb.13:4)
More: http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/key-families-conference-held
Muslim women’s advocate backs Bill to tackle Sharia
A top advocate for Muslim women’s rights has welcomed Baroness Cox’s Bill, which is designed to curb the problems caused by Sharia courts operating in England and Wales. Cassandra Balchin, co-founder and Chair of the Muslim Women’s Network-UK, said that in her work with Muslim women, she had found ‘anecdotal evidence of gender discriminatory arbitration and this included family cases’. Lady Cox’s Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill is designed to stop a parallel legal system taking root and it also aims to ensure equality before the law for women. Cassandra Balchin has claimed for some time that Muslim women in Britain suffer from fewer rights in the UK than in many Muslim countries. She also welcomed other aspects of the Bill, chiefly the proposed provisions to penalise false claims to legal jurisdiction. ‘Unlike the arbitration tribunals, Sharia councils have no legal status’, she said. (See 26-2011 Insight Article
Pray: for the success of this Bill and that God’s righteous authority would overrule. (Is.42:21)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/muslim-women%E2%80%99s-advocate-backs-bill-to-tackle-sharia/
Secularism greater threat to Christianity than Islam
The greatest threat to evangelical Christianity is not Islam, but rather secularism, consumerism and pop culture, a new study has found. In a survey of nearly 2,200 evangelical leaders from 166 countries, 71% identified the influence of secularism as a 'major threat' to evangelical Christianity. This was followed by consumerism (67%), and sex and violence in pop culture (59%). Only 47% of evangelicals identified the influence of Islam as a major threat. The survey, by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life, also found that evangelicals in the Global South are more optimistic about the future of evangelicalism than their brothers and sisters in the Global North. While seven in ten evangelical Protestant leaders (71%) living in the Global South expected the state of evangelicalism in their countries to be better in five years than it is today, in the Global North evangelical Protestant leaders expected the situation to either be the same (21%) or get worse (33%).
Pray: that God would be our protector against the enemies of His church and people. (Ps.60:11)
MEPs reject plan to increase carbon emission cuts
Christian Aid has vowed to keep pressing the EU for tougher action on climate change after MEPs voted down a proposal to increase carbon emission cuts. The plan would have seen the level of emission cuts increase from 20 per cent to 30 per cent by 2020. The MEPs rejected the proposal despite intense lobbying by activists. The vote is non-binding, however Christian Aid said it would be pushing the EU to play a leadership role in the international climate negotiations in Durban at the end of the year. The aid agency argues that cuts of 30 per cent must be introduced by European countries, ‘as an absolute minimum’ if the climate crisis is to be addressed. Christian Aid, Greenpeace, Oxfam, WWF and Green Alliance have written jointly to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to bring the Conservative MEPs into line with the Government’s support for the proposal.
Pray: for the authorities and nations to take action to protect the world that God has given us to look after. (Ge.1:26-30)
MEPs reject plan to increase carbon emission cuts
Christian Aid has vowed to keep pressing the EU for tougher action on climate change after MEPs voted down a proposal to increase carbon emission cuts. The plan would have seen the level of emission cuts increase from 20 per cent to 30 per cent by 2020. The MEPs rejected the proposal despite intense lobbying by activists. The vote is non-binding, however Christian Aid said it would be pushing the EU to play a leadership role in the international climate negotiations in Durban at the end of the year. The aid agency argues that cuts of 30 per cent must be introduced by European countries, ‘as an absolute minimum’ if the climate crisis is to be addressed. Christian Aid, Greenpeace, Oxfam, WWF and Green Alliance have written jointly to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to bring the Conservative MEPs into line with the Government’s support for the proposal.
Pray: for the authorities and nations to take action to protect the world that God has given us to look after. (Ge.1:26-30)
Liechtenstein: Churches set to lose government funding
Churches in Liechtenstein, one of the world's smallest countries, could face financial disaster under government plans to withdraw state subsidies under new legislation. ‘This will be a drastic change - we depend on financial support, and there'll be no chance of obtaining it if the new law goes ahead,’ said Markus Meidert, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liechtenstein. But the new law will be especially hard and treacherous for smaller churches like ours, who have none of the Catholic Church's resources.’ A bill before Liechtenstein's 25-member parliament proposes to end the Roman Catholic Church's status as official state church and also withdraw state subsidies from recognised religious communities. Mr Meidert told ENI news that state grants account for half the current budget of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has no means of generating income like Christian churches in neighbouring Germany.
Pray: for the churches in Liechtenstein as they face this challenge and pray that they remember that God is Jehovah Jireh and He will provide. (Mt.16:18)
Liechtenstein: Churches set to lose government funding
Churches in Liechtenstein, one of the world's smallest countries, could face financial disaster under government plans to withdraw state subsidies under new legislation. ‘This will be a drastic change - we depend on financial support, and there'll be no chance of obtaining it if the new law goes ahead,’ said Markus Meidert, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liechtenstein. But the new law will be especially hard and treacherous for smaller churches like ours, who have none of the Catholic Church's resources.’ A bill before Liechtenstein's 25-member parliament proposes to end the Roman Catholic Church's status as official state church and also withdraw state subsidies from recognised religious communities. Mr Meidert told ENI news that state grants account for half the current budget of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has no means of generating income like Christian churches in neighbouring Germany.
Pray: for the churches in Liechtenstein as they face this challenge and pray that they remember that God is Jehovah Jireh and He will provide. (Mt.16:18)