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Special services of prayer and dedication asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples will soon be introduced in the Church of England on a trial basis, following a vote at the last General Synod. Synod voted in favour of a motion containing an amendment tabled by the Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, to bring forward...

The Church of Scotland recently joined campaigners to urge the First Minister to keep his promise, and to provide significant additional investment to tackle child poverty. More than 150 organisations across Scotland signed an Open Letter that called on Humza Yousaf to “do the right thing” and increase the Scottish Child Payment to at least...

People who have a religious faith are generally happier and more resilient than atheists and other non-religious people. That is the finding of a new study, Keep the Faith: Mental health in the UK, which has been recently published by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL). The think tank was set...

A Bible printed in 1620, one of the very first to be produced in Welsh, has been discovered by chance in a vestry cupboard in St Martin and St Enfail’s Church in Merthyr, near Carmarthen. Mari James, Library Development Officer at St David’s Cathedral, described the 400-year-old Bible as “quite a treasure” and “a precious...

Israel-Gaza Conflict – UK faith leaders condemn antisemitism and call for solidarity Archbishops invite choirs to join premiere of new Carol for Advent and Christmas Prospect of winter energy bills causing anxiety for millions, says Archbishop of York Church of England launches initiative to help schools reach Net Zero Synod meeting to focus on implementation...

The Archbishop of Canterbury was recently joined by Muslim and Jewish leaders at Lambeth Palace to condemn the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since the start of the war in Israel and Hamas. They called for unity between British faith communities, against the backdrop of the war. Archbishop Justin Welby, Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra and Rabbi...

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warmly invited parishes, choirs, and congregations to take part in the premiere of a special new Christmas carol in 2023. This new carol, a fresh interpretation of the famous words ‘The First Nowell’, has been composed by the well-known composer Bob Chilcott, for use by choirs across the Church of...

 Millions are looking ahead to this winter with ‘fear and anxiety’ about the cost of heating their homes, the Archbishop of York has said as he backed the recent launch of a campaign to provide a network of warm spaces for people who struggle to pay their energy bills. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is encouraging churches...

The Church of England has launched an ambitious initiative to help its network of schools reach net zero, as part of the first phase of its multi-million-pound Net Zero Carbon Programme. The initiative involves the establishment of a National Framework to help schools reduce carbon emissions, save money by improving their energy efficiency, and switch...

The General Synod of the Church of England met last month (November) to discuss the steps being taken to implement texts known as Prayers of Love and Faith, which ask for God’s blessing for same-sex couples. In February of this year, Synod agreed a motion welcoming the texts and calling on The House of Bishops to...

The Church of England has published a set of National Safeguarding Standards. They will serve as an ‘essential benchmark,’ enabling Church bodies to identify both their strengths and areas for development, which will in turn inform their strategic planning in respect of safeguarding. The five Standards have been developed after three years of consultation, and...

The Church of England still has a “considerable distance” to cover before it achieves racial justice, the Archbishop of York recently told a gathering of more than 100 lay ministers and clergy. Archbishop Stephen said: “We find ourselves on a profound path in our endeavours to build a church that fosters equal participation, and by...