Bishop’s warning on Church’s future; European court case; Archbishop of Canterbgury – “We must locate education at the very heart of the humanitarian agenda”; Archbishop of York “Online Safety – Let’s Put Children First”; Archbishop’s Young Leaders Award; Petition – block access to hardcore pornography
Bishop’s warning on Church’s future
CEN – Twin warnings about the Church of England becoming irrelevant – or even sinking into near oblivion – are being sounded in the North.
And the oblivion forecast comes from Bishop of Manchester Nigel McCulloch.
He sounds the grim message in the September issue of Crux, his diocesan monthly.
The doyen of Anglican Church leaders in the York province declares: “We are in a missionary situation.
“Alarming recent projections shared at the General Synod suggest that unless we start growing our congregations now at the rate of three per cent each year, we will decline into near oblivion.”
Bishop McCulloch fears “that really is a wake-up call. Not just for more ministers and better buildings, but for what in Christianity counts far more – the perseverance, enthusiasm and commitment that, by God’s grace, you and I give to making new disciples of Jesus. Please don’t leave that to others.”
The warning about the Church becoming irrelevant comes from Blackburn diocese parish development officer the Rev Tim Horobin.
It appears in the September issue of See, the diocesan monthly, in a hard-hitting think-piece headed: “We must connect to the people of today.
http://religiousintelligence.org/churchnewspaper/?p=27663
Christians should ‘leave their beliefs at home or get another job’
Telegraph – Christians should leave their religious beliefs at home or accept that a personal expression of faith at work, such as wearing a cross, means they might have to resign and get another job, government lawyers have said.
Landmark cases, brought by four British Christians, including two workers forced out of their jobs after visibly wearing crosses, have been heard today at the European Court of Human Rights
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has previously pledged to change the law to protect religious expression at work but official legal submissions on Tuesday to Strasbourg human rights judges made a clear “difference between the professional and private sphere”.
James Eadie QC, acting for the government, told the European court that the refusal to allow an NHS nurse and a British Airways worker to visibly wear a crucifix at work “did not prevent either of them practicing religion in private”, which would be protected by human rights law.
He argued that that a Christian, or any other religious believer, “under difficulty” is not discriminated against if the choice of “resigning and moving to a different job” is not blocked.
“The option remains open to them,” he said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9520026/Christians-should-leave-their-beliefs-at-home-or-get-another-job.html
Archbishop of Canterbgury – “We must locate education at the very heart of the humanitarian agenda”
The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday hosted a conference on Education for Children Affected by Armed Conflict – something which has been a priority issue for him throughout his ministry as Archbishop, promoting the education services of Anglican Churches in a number of conflict-affected areas. For further information, go to:
Archbishop Says “Online Safety – Let’s Put Children First”
The Archbishop of York has written today in the Daily Mail about the importance of protecting young people using the internet. For further information, see end of briefing or go to:
http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2605/online-safety-lets-put-children-first
Archbishop’s Young Leaders Award ‘Taster Day’ Invitation
The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has invited Headteachers of North of England schools to Manor Church of England Academy, York on Thursday 4 October to hear more about his Youth Trust’s Young Leaders Award. For further information go to: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2583/archbishop-young-leaders-award-taster-day-invitation
Petition – block access to hardcore pornography
Telegraph – Report that “more than 110,000 people have signed a petition demanding internet companies block access to hardcore pornography as a default setting to protect children”; the petition was “organised by Premier Christian Media”.