Scottish Church concerns over gay marriage ignored; European Court to hear UK religious discrimination cases; Church of England Podcast – Sunday Trading; Tutu, Blair and Iraq; Warrant issued for priest; Pakistani Imam arrested
Scottish Church concerns over gay marriage ignored
The head of the Catholic Church in Scotland has hit out at the Scottish Government for pushing ahead with plans to legalise gay marriage despite a public consultation which found that 60 per cent of Scots were opposed to the move
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.concerns.over.gay.marriage.ignored/30575.htm
European Court to hear UK religious discrimination cases
This week, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will hear four cases relating to alleged religious discrimination in the UK. Press reports state that four test cases on employment law which touch on the freedom of Christians to wear crosses at work and support for same-sex relationships will come before the European Court of Human Rights over the next two days. The Mail carries comment by Lord Carey that the Government has “passed up the opportunity to support the right of Christians to express their faith”
The Church Times has a report by Gavin Drake titled Strasbourg to hear religious-discrimination cases….
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2012/31-august/news/uk/strasbourg-to-hear-religious-discrimination-cases
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/sep/02/christian-rights-cases-strasbourg-court?newsfeed=true
Church of England Podcast – Sunday Trading
Vicky Beeching, a research fellow in Christian ethics at Durham University, talks about why she thinks Sunday trading shouldn’t be extended permanently. Listen to her podcast at:
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/follow-us-online/podcasts.aspx
Tutu, Blair and Iraq
Reports and comment on Archbishop Tutu’s call for former PM Tony Blair and George Bush to face war crimes charges over the invasion of Iraq.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2197315/Put-Blair-trial-Tutu-hasn-t-got-prayer-.html
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/09/02/desmond-tutu-still-does-not-agree-with-the-war/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/02/tony-blair-iraq-war-desmond-tutu
Warrant issued for priest
Police have obtained a European Arrest Warrant for a Catholic priest, Laurence Soper who taught at St Benedict’s School, West Ealing, who failed to answer bail after being accused of historic sex offences.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9515448/Manhunt-for-fugitive-paedophile-priest.html
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3525880.ece
Pakistani Imam who brought charges against a Christian girl for burning pages of the Koran, has been arrested.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9515586/Muslim-cleric-arrested-in-Pakistan-Koran-burning-case.html
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article3525870.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/02/pakistani-mullah-accused-girl-blasphemy