News

• Brexit: A European Voice

  In the 1960s, it was said UK entry to the “Common Market” would mark the end of a thousand years of British history.  Fast-forwarding to 2019, the clock is now ticking rapidly towards the end of British membership of the European Union.  Where are we, and where are we going on Brexit? Brexit is a... (724 words)

• News (all stories) for February 2019

  Bishops call for a change of tone on Brexit debate
   Church of England parishes supporting winter shelters Christians in the Middle East face ‘imminent extinction’ Prince Charles praises persecuted Middle Eastern Christians Churches welcome UN climate summit’s outcome Jewish apprehension at growing anti-Semitism Parenting crisis among the poor Poverty on the increase Guidance for gender... (2126 words)

• Bishops call for a change of tone on Brexit debate
  

  The Church of England bishops who recently met in London made the following statement: ‘The bishops of the Church of England pray for national unity – and courage, integrity and clarity for our politicians. We call on the country to consider the nature of our public conversation. It is time to bring grace and generosity... (199 words)

• Church of England parishes supporting winter shelters

  More than 2,300 Church of England congregations are running or supporting night shelters this winter as homelessness projects expand to cope with rising demand. Some of these ‘church’ night shelters are adding extra beds, and others are opening for longer during the week. The Rt Rev James Langstaff, Bishop of Rochester, and Chair of the... (143 words)

• Christians in the Middle East face ‘imminent extinction’

  Christians have been in the Middle East for nearly 2000 years, but they now face the threat of ‘imminent extinction’, the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned. In a recent letter to The Sunday Telegraph, Archbishop Justin Welby told of a visit he had made about 15 years ago to the home of an elderly Palestinian... (214 words)

• Prince Charles praises persecuted Middle Eastern Christians

  Prince Charles has praised the ‘extraordinary grace and capacity for forgiveness’ of the thousands of Middle Eastern Christians facing persecution. Speaking late last year, the Prince said he had been “deeply humbled” by meeting Christians from the Middle East ‘who, with such inspiring faith and courage, are battling oppression and persecution.’ He wanted to assure... (70 words)

• Churches welcome UN climate summit’s outcome

  Churches and campaigners gave a cautious welcome to the recent UN Climate summit held in Poland.  The main result of the talks was to agree to adopt a rulebook for assessing the national plans that make up the Paris agreement, signed in late 2015. It may sound very technocratic, but such a rulebook will help... (202 words)

• Jewish apprehension at growing anti-Semitism

  Anti-Semitism is on the rise across Europe.  This is the finding of a recent survey of 16,300 Jewish people across 12 EU countries. France came top, with 95 per cent of the French Jews saying that anti-Semitism is a big problem.  In the UK, the figure is 75 per cent.  Furthermore, 29 per cent of... (251 words)

• Parenting crisis among the poor

  The cut-backs by the Government have caused a ‘parenting crisis’ in the UK, according to a recent report by the childcare charity Spurgeons. The annual report, The Parent Report, draws on an online YouGov survey of 1055 parents who have a child under the age of 18.  One in ten of these parents reported feeling... (180 words)

• Poverty on the increase

  More and more people in this country just aren’t making it, no matter how hard they work.  Such is the finding of a recent survey into poverty in the UK. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)’s recent 2018 poverty report has found that four million adults are in poverty in the UK – despite having a... (203 words)

• Guidance for gender transition services published

  New guidance for parishes planning services to help transgender people mark their transition has been published by the Church of England. The pastoral guidance will be incorporated into Common Worship. It encourages clergy to be ‘creative and sensitive’ in using liturgy to enable people to mark a major transition in their lives. It formally commends... (115 words)

• Church of England calls for better deal for asylum seekers

  A recent Parliamentary report that berates the Government’s housing for asylum-seekers has been supported by the Church of England’s refugee welcome co-ordinator, Nadine Daniel. Ms Daniel said that the entire asylum-housing system was crippled by a ‘perfect storm’ of insufficient funding, a paucity of housing stock, and a surge in asylum claims in the past... (86 words)

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