The Charity Commission, Britain’s charity watchdog has put the charitable status of the nation’s churches in question after it ruled that a congregation in Devon did not exist for public benefit. Under charity law, churches and other organisations must show that their existence has some form of ‘public benefit.’ But in a letter to the Plymouth Brethren, the Charity Commission explained its refusal to grant charitable status to one of the denomination’s churches in Devon. Head of legal services for the Commission, Kenneth Dibble, stated: ‘This decision makes it clear that there was no presumption that religion generally, or at any more specific level, is for the public benefit, even in the case of Christianity or the Church of England.’ A committee of MPs is currently investigating the Charity Commission. Some of these MPs have expressed concern that the Charity Commission is engaged in a ‘politically correct’ campaign aimed at suppressing Christianity.
Pray: that the investigation into the Charity Commission will over-ruleand the understanding that the role of churches is not of public benefit should be reversed. (Heb.8:3)