Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Friday, 30 November 2018 00:32

Trans guidance for Scottish schools ‘harmful’

Rev David Robertson, former Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said new guidance on transgenderism sent to Scottish schools is 'harmful and totalitarian'. The document, 'Supporting Transgender Young People', was partly funded by the Scottish government and created in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland and the Scottish Trans Alliance. It says that teachers should not inform parents of a child's desire to change gender unless the child agrees, and allow children to use whichever toilet and changing room facilities they prefer, adding, ‘If parents voice concerns about their child sharing toilets and/or changing rooms with a trans learner, they should be reminded of the school's ethos of inclusion, equality and respect'. The guidance also recommends gender-neutral dress code options and allowing students to compete in sports according to their gender identity.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 30 November 2018 00:25

Government divorce reform consultation

The Government proposes to entirely remove fault from divorce law and replace it with a notification system. This would mean one spouse could end their marriage, whenever they wanted, by notifying the court and after a short period of time receive the final divorce decree, amounting to ‘no reason’ divorce. Fault sets out the high aspiration for marriage as a lifelong union. Many believe removing it would increase divorce rates, fundamentally change what marriage means, and increase the number of children living in broken families. Care (Christian Action Research and Education) is concerned that these proposals could fundamentally change what marriage means, leading to unstable situations where individual autonomy is prioritised in the law above children or the marriage. With this in mind Care has produced a short briefing paper with suggested points to make in responding to the consultation using an online form: see ‘More’ for further details. Submissions must be made before 10 December.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 30 November 2018 00:22

Extortionate funeral costs

Church treasurer Chris Harvey was shocked when quoted over £4,000 for her mother’s funeral, even though people could walk to the church. The £2bn funeral services sector now faces a major investigation. The Competition and Markets Authority said it has ‘serious concerns’ about above-inflation price rises. Cremation fees have risen by 84% since 2008. Chris had considered using the same funeral director they used when her father died years earlier, but the business had now become part of the Dignity chain, and she was shocked at their quotation. A church treasurer herself, she knew that relatively little of that money went to the church. She found another funeral director, saved £1,400, and donated the savings to the hospice where her mother died. People arranging a funeral could save £1,000+ by shopping around, but distressed families usually don’t do so.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 30 November 2018 00:12

Post-Brexit doubts

President Trump publicly doubted Theresa May's Brexit plan: ‘I think we have to take a look seriously whether or not the UK is allowed to trade with us’. The British parliament will vote on the withdrawal agreement on 11 December. Jean-Claude Juncker warned MPs planning to send May back to Brussels by voting down her Brexit deal that it would take the EU just ‘seconds’ to crush their hopes. President Macron said that the UK will be trapped in a customs union after Brexit, unless Downing Street offers European fishermen full access to British waters during the trade negotiations. However, Iceland’s foreign minister said, ‘The British could learn from Iceland when it comes to creating a new fisheries policy after Brexit’ (see). We can pray for God to ignite political wisdom and accurate insights in all politicians and media commentators. Pray also for inspired visions and purposes to be birthed in captains of commerce and industry.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 30 November 2018 00:00

Ukraine - prayer request

The Baptist Union is asking churches everywhere to pray for Ukraine, where martial law was imposed following a clash with Russia on 25 November in the Kerch Strait (a body of water separating the Black and Azov Seas). Ukraine’s navy reported three vessels being seized and sailors injured during the attack. The Ukraine parliament and the UN Security Council agreed to impose martial law, which will affect daily life drastically. At the time of writing President Poroshenko is urging NATO to send ships to the Sea of Azov, ‘to assist Ukraine and provide security’. Coincidentally, the UK defence secretary committed troops and the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to the Ukraine two days before this incident. He said it was a direct response to Russian aggression, adding, ‘As long as Ukraine faces Russian hostilities, it will find a steadfast partner in the UK’. See 

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 23 November 2018 00:26

Founder of the ‘debt saviours’

In October 2018, BBC2 showed a documentary, The Debt Saviours, about the work of Christians Against Poverty (CAP), which aims to help those who have piled up debts and do not know how to cope. When CAP’s founder John Kirkby was himself in that situation back in the 1990’s, his world falling apart, a Christian couple took a real interest in him and introduced him to Jesus. His life changed dramatically. He writes: ‘This became the model of how CAP works today too: we partner qualified debt counsellors with the love of the church. It’s an equal partnership, with both sides determined to see someone become debt-free and know they are loved. Love is what the church does best, and it’s an underrated and powerful resource in the UK. All of those who go through CAP’s debt relief are given money management principles that will stay with them long after they are debt free. Contrary to popular belief, people in debt do want to pay their debts off, if they can. However, as many of them are on a very low income with little to spare, it would take them decades to achieve and insolvency can be the sensible option. This is why our head office building is called Jubilee Mill, mirroring the Old Testament’s Year of Jubilee when debts were wiped.’

Published in Praise Reports
Friday, 23 November 2018 00:24

PM to return to Brussels, still under pressure

Theresa May will make an unscheduled return visit to Brussels for Brexit talks on 24 November, as the UK and EU strive to do a deal in time for the summit of European leaders the next day. After a two-hour meeting with EU officials on 21 November, the PM said progress was being made on the future shape of EU-UK relations. The EU is now in a race against time to complete the text of an accompanying declaration on its future relations with the UK, covering trade, security and other issues, amid concerns from several member states. Before her first trip to Brussels, Mrs May had come under fire from every imaginable Brexit faction in the House of Commons, but reiterated that her deal delivered on the promises of Brexit and ensured a continued close trading relationship with the EU.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 23 November 2018 00:21

Prisons minister speaks out about hope

Over 500 people gathered at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) church in London on 19 November to hear from ex-offenders, prison chaplains, and judges. HTB's pastor Nicky Gumbel also interviewed Rory Stewart, the prisons minister, who stated in August 2018 that if he couldn't reduce violence and drugs use in prisons in 12 months he would resign. With nine months to go on that commitment, Stewart said he still believes it's possible. He added, ‘I think Christians do have a very important and special role in dealing with prisoners - that's partly because of the centrality of prisoners in the Bible. We have to remember that St Paul was a prisoner, that many of the people that we admire most in our church, many of the early martyrs and saints, were prisoners; and that continues to be true today.’ The former diplomat finished by praising the work of community chaplains, who welcome ex-offenders into their church and society. He also said of his own faith, ‘I find it the most wonderful cornerstone of my life’.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 23 November 2018 00:18

Gambling by children ‘a generational scandal’

An audit by the Gambling Commission issued on 21 November has shown the quadrupling of child problem gamblers to more than 50,000 in two years. It also found 70,000 youngsters were at risk, and 450,000 children bet regularly - the equivalent of one in seven children aged 11 to 16. Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans, branded the figures as a ‘generational scandal’, and warned that the UK needs to take the dangers of gambling seriously. The audit also showed that children were being inundated with gambling adverts, with two-thirds saying they had ‘seen it on TV’, and nearly a million young people had been exposed to gambling through ‘loot boxes’ in video games or on smartphone apps. See also our recent article on FOBTs: https://www.prayer-alert.net/praise-reports-pa-site/item/11186-uk-government-backs-down-over-gambling-machines

Published in British Isles

Alice Roberts, a professor at Birmingham University who presents BBC documentaries, has been criticised by her own mother for fronting an ‘antagonistic’ campaign by Humanists UK to end state funding of faith schools. Her mother Wendy, who taught for many years in faith schools, took the highly unusual step of writing to the Sunday Times to say that such schools ‘have been and still are a most benign benefit’, and she was embarrassed and upset by her daughter’s decision. Meanwhile, in a list of 500 top primary schools issued by the Sunday Times, nearly half are faith-based (mostly Catholic or CofE), vying with top fee-paying private schools. The news comes as ministers press ahead with plans to create many new Catholic-only schools in 2019, despite protests from critics. See https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/best-uk-schools-guide-church-schools-challenge-top-fee-paying-preps-9vdj725tn

Published in British Isles