Displaying items by tag: Religion

CofE leaders are concerned that a growing number of parents who discover their child will be born with Down’s Syndrome are choosing to terminate the pregnancy, a pattern which could see such children wiped out completely. The General Synod next week will debate a call to regulate providers of non-invasive prenatal testing, a relatively new test for the condition which carries no risk of miscarriage, unlike older procedures. The Church said that women should be provided with ‘comprehensive, unbiased information’ by doctors and test providers. In a document entitled Valuing People with Down’s Syndrome, the Church warned that the test might lead to major reductions of Down’s Syndrome live births. Iceland and Denmark have screening and almost 100% termination rates. Currently there are unregulated websites offering a blood test for a few hundred pounds, with no context or information about the prospects for someone with Down's Syndrome. See also

Anglo-Catholics warn that proposals to end the 200-year-old split with Methodism 'threaten the fundamentals' of the CofE. A motion will be debated at its General Synod to allow ministers from each church to practise in the other's. If passed, it would be ‘a profound sign of reconciliation, a healing of wounds that go back to the origins of Methodism in the 18th century,' says the Bishop of Coventry. However the catholic wing of the Church places great importance on churches being led by bishops who follow on from Jesus' apostles in ‘apostolic succession’. If the plans are passed by the synod next week and by the Methodist Church in the summer, the two churches will join forces and combine resources in areas where there are challenges in sustaining a Christian presence. It will also mean that for the first time ever, Methodists in the UK will have a bishop of their own.

Abortions are illegal in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. There is a new wave of youth-driven campaigning on both sides of the abortion argument, which will come to a head over the next few months now that the Irish government has confirmed it will hold a referendum on reform of the country’s strict anti-abortion laws by the end of May.

The following is a shortened version of a prayer given at the opening session of the Kansas Senate. ‘Heavenly Father, we ask your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance. Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good”, but that is what we do. We have lost spiritual stability and reversed our values. We ridicule the truth of Your Word and call it pluralism; we worship other gods, calling it multiculturalism; we endorse perversion, calling it alternative lifestyle; we exploit the poor, calling it a lottery; we reward laziness with welfare; we kill our unborn, calling it choice; we neglect disciplining our children, calling it building their self-esteem; the abuse of power is called politics; we embezzle public funds, calling it expenses; and we call bribery ‘sweets of office.’ Coveting others’ possessions is called ambition, and pornography is called freedom of expression. We ridicule our forefathers’ values, calling it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!’

Islamist parties in Iraq are shedding their religious platforms to focus on reform in the campaign for upcoming elections in May, and are also allying with secular parties. Out of 200+ Islamist parties registered with the independent electoral commission, only ten have names explicitly invoking Islam. This development clearly shows the overall decline in Islamic movements, both Shiite and Sunni, compared with previous elections in which Islamist parties accounted for more than half of the registered groups. Many Iraqis blame political Islam for the tragedies and corruption plaguing their country, as Islamists have held the reins of power since 2005. At present Shiite political power influences state institutions and there is ongoing support from Iran, so we need to pray for God’s intervention in the elections.

The Government is reconsidering a proposed new law which would allow adults to choose to change their gender without consulting a doctor. Reports suggest that education secretary and equalities minister Justine Greening now has cold feet on the proposals, which would affect all of the UK other than Scotland. A public consultation will now take place only after civil servants have completed analysis of a separate diversity survey. This is good news with which to start the New Year. Last year the Coalition for Marriage met MPs and worked with several other campaign groups to oppose these proposals. It argued that they would undermine traditional marriage and put women and children at risk.

In a few days protests spread across Iran, with demonstrations different in size, leadership and objectives from those in 2009. The protests started in Mashhad, when religious hardliners voiced legitimate economic grievances to score points against the Rouhani government. They lost control of events when corruption and falling living standards prompted political slogans against the Islamic Republic. Next, there were demonstrations praising Rouhani, but the core demonstrators chanted uncompromisingly anti-regime slogans. Many believe these protests are powered by people who tend not to vote, believing the system cannot be reformed. A spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards said that anti-government protests were over, but offered no evidence of how they had been defeated beyond arrests. His comments appeared to be a warning against more rallies. The BBC and Al Jazeera say that protests are still happening.

In 2017 we have witnessed miracles and seen suffering. But as we look ahead to 2018, we remember and proclaim that God is sovereign over every corner of the globe! He alone is the hope of 2018 - the Hope of the Nations. Though some situations may seem hopeless, we recognise and rejoice that He reigns ‘far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title’ and that ‘all things are under His feet’ (Ephesians 1:21,22). Nothing is impossible for Him. ‘The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all’ (Psalm 103:19). Nothing has or ever will usurp His authority and power. He reigns, and He rules over China and Europe, North Korea and Syria, Boko Haram, and IS. He rules over polio, cancer, and hunger. He rules over corporations, celebrities, and sports. He even rules over galaxies, stars, and planets, ‘and calls them each by name’ (Ps. 147:5).

A BBC review published on 20 December found religious people ‘poorly presented or satirised’ by the corporation, and suggests programming that ‘better reflects the UK’. BBC proposes to include religious themes in popular dramas and soaps on TV and radio, make more documentaries covering religious and ethical issues, and expand its religious affairs team. The ‘Thought for the Day’ slot on Radio 4 will be more closely linked to news items with women and young people. Figures from a wider range of religions will be invited to contribute. Pray that Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general, will remember its religion home page statement: ‘Christianity is the largest religion in the world with over two billion followers. 42 million people in Britain today describe themselves as Christian, and six million are actively practising.’

Christmas can be financially or emotionally stressful for some families, ‘I married the wrong person’ can be a cry for help when it comes from a person unable to cope with stresses this time of year. There is a battle over marriages today, and the enemy would love nothing more than to destroy families and damage the children caught up in difficult family relationships. We can pray for social workers and councillors looking after the interests of children involved in family breakdowns, separations or court proceedings. Cafcass is an employer of social workers who look after the interests of children involved in family court proceedings. It reported that in November 2017 it received a total of 3,811 new private cases.