Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

The Bishop of Chelmsford has called for a crackdown on internet shopping on Christmas Day, after plans for major sales for that day. Stephen Cottrell said he would support laws to allow only essential services during the Christian festival. Stores such as Amazon, Debenhams, and John Lewis are to launch sales on Christmas Day, slashing prices by up to 66%, and experts predict millions will spend record amounts online. The Bishop said that shopping should not tempt people away from precious time with family and friends over Christmas, and companies should voluntarily postpone their sales. But he added, ‘How you shut down the internet for a day I don’t know, but if anyone has an idea I would certainly back it in the House of Lords.’ In further erosion of Christianity, a survey has found, nearly a third of primary schools have dropped or watered down traditional nativity plays, because of fears of offending non-Christians or non-believers. See the next article.

The approach to Christmas is a perfect time to reflect upon the true nature of the babe of Bethlehem. It is fashionable these days, at least in some circles, to downplay doctrinal distinctions and credal formulations when discussing Christ. Some think it is more inclusive to leave things rather loose and free; that a rigid definition of the Prince of Peace could offend people. But does a watered-down Christ and a warm and fuzzy definition of Jesus match what Scripture reveals concerning the Son of God? In the early centuries of Christianity believers put together written summaries of the Christian faith. The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed declare among other things that Jesus ‘was conceived by the Holy Spirit’ and was ‘born of the Virgin Mary’ (Apostles' Creed); and Jesus is ‘very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made’ (Nicene Creed).

People say Christmas is all about the children - and for Christians, one child in particular. But this year many children are faring badly in villages, towns and cities. Granada ITV news has been reporting on child poverty. Primary school staff spoke of hungry children, and parents collapsing in the school hall because they had not eaten for days so that their children could eat. Those parents were invited into the breakfast club for cereal and toast, and then referred to a foodbank. Other parents are being allowed to charge their phones and wash children’s clothes in the school, because they have no electricity or hot water at home. Coats and shoes are given to children who haven’t got them. The schools reported that they had seen a ‘noticeable rise’ in the numbers of working families who were in this kind of poverty. Mrs May was recently challenged in parliament about 128,000 children being homeless this Christmas.

Hundreds of victims of domestic abuse are being turned away from refuges in Wales due to lack of space. As many as 500 women, children and men were turned away in 2016-17, half the time because units were full. Welsh Women's Aid said there had been a 5% funding cut in specialist services for violence against women. There are fears that the loss of a protected Welsh government grant could see more refuges close (already 34 have done so since 2010). Fleeing violence and finding refuge is not just a welsh challenge. Across the UK one-third of all referrals to refuges are turned away, according to Women’s Aid; others say two out of three women are turned away. Specialist domestic violence services for black and ethnic minority women and women with disabilities have borne the brunt of the cuts. See also

In a world of instant results, it’s good to remind ourselves that the journey of faith is a long one for most people. Let’s make a decision today that, ‘short time or long’, we will use all the opportunities that Christmas brings to care, invite and pray for those we know to come to know Jesus.

(Mark Greenwood, National Evangelist for Elim Churches, HOPE Leadership Team)

This week, as we look forward to Christmas, we remember our Saviour who was born in a stable to parents who were forced to flee their home country. This week in the United Kingdom there are an estimated 118,995 refugees who were born on a different continent and forced to flee their home country. They are experiencing uncertainty about their future, and many have no knowledge of the true meaning of Christmas. In the festive buzz leading up to the 25th, we can pray that many will have divine appointments with Christ, and will hear about and believe in the Father who loved them so much he sent His Son to earth just for them. May these ‘foreigners’ living in an unfamiliar culture find hope and a future living in God’s family, growing and flourishing as Jesus leads them.

Justin Welby called for a Christmas truce in the increasingly bitter Brexit row. He called for a ‘ceasefire’ on insults and personalised attacks as the process of leaving the EU continues. His intervention came after Dominic Grieve was accused of ‘treachery’ after the Government was defeated in a Brexit legislation vote. Conservative rebels have been subjected to intense criticism from newspapers as the EU Withdrawal Bill goes through the Commons. He said, ‘In Christmas 1914 there was a ceasefire. It would be very good to have a ceasefire from insult and the use of pejorative terms about people at this time. As a country, we have a future ahead of us, we have made a clear decision about Brexit. How we do it is a question for robust political argument, but personalised attacks have to be avoided.’ See also next article, ‘Spiritual Brexit battle’.

Theresa May, David Davis, and the negotiating team showed tenacity and skill to achieve breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations, despite derogatory comments by political opponents and anti-Brexiteers. This significant step recognised that Britain will leave the EU in 15 months’ time, with or without a trade agreement. Then on 13 December an amendment was thrown out, meaning an even more compressed timescale to pass secondary legislations to implement Brexit. The next day Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer demanded assurance that government will not overturn that decision. The battle goes on. But the God of Creation holds the nations in his hands. The Brexit battle is primarily a spiritual battle, and evidence of this has been seen as powerful personalities and media conspire to undermine this agreement. See also

Twenty-six C of E bishops have reserved seats in the House of Lords, with the right to debate and vote on changes to the law. Recently the Archbishop of Canterbury led a debate on education, in which three other bishops spoke about values, schools, early years, further education, and skills. Bishops also spoke in debates on the autumn budget, and in response to Government statements on Zimbabwe, the social mobility commission, and terrorism. They asked questions about social housing in rural areas, and rough sleeping. In the House of Commons the second church estates commissioner answered questions from MPs on her bill to enable mothers to have equal status on marriage certificates, and on religious minorities in Egypt. Our bishops’ words have an influence on Westminster, so pray for God's Spirit to fill each one of them and spill out in all that they say and do.

According to the National Secular Society, Prince Charles’s accession to the throne could trigger a national debate about the relationship between the Church of England and the state, providing an ‘opportune moment’ to make the case for disestablishment. Debate about whether an established, privileged ‘state church’ is appropriate in an increasingly multi-faith and secular society is seen by many as off-limits while the Queen remains monarch. But the society’s report says Charles’s coronation is likely to throw up pressing questions about the institutional links between church, monarchy and parliament, claiming that the disestablishment of the church is now necessary and inevitable. Only two countries in the world, Britain and Iran, have religious leaders in their legislatures by right. Pray for the continuation of a monarchy crowned and anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey.