Muslim and Gay prayer services in churches
06 May 2015
A leading liberal clergyman (Rev Giles Goddard, vicar of St John's Waterloo) who had defended his right to offer services of thanksgiving for gay weddings and hold a full Muslim prayer service in his church has now apologised for the ‘great consternation’ and offence caused by his comments. When the Bishop of Southwark issued a statement expressing his sorrow at the infringement of Church of England guidelines, it was thought that was the end of the matter. However on Saturday the Dean of Westminster defended the choice of a prayer in which the prophet Muhammad was described as 'The Chosen One' at the Abbey as ‘within orthodox Christian worship’. See also the statement from THE MILL GATHERING in January 2015 (http://wpc.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The-Mill-Statement-Apr-2015.pdf).
The Methodist Church has deep roots in UK mining and manages £1.1bn of investments for charities and pension funds. Under a new climate policy announced this week, those funds could exclude investment in coal used for power generation, tar sands and companies whose business model is dedicated to finding and exploiting new fossil fuel reserves. The Church of England has announced it will end investments in heavily polluting tar sands oil and thermal coal. A third of Catholics say they will make their lifestyle greener if Pope Francis makes an official statement on climate change, ahead of a significant publication from the Vatican on the environment. (See article 1 in this week’s Europe section) The Quakers in the UK are disinvesting their money from fossil fuels and want an end to unconventional fracking and tar sands oil. See: http://www.quaker.org.uk/sites/default/files/Fracking-briefing-for-Friends-web-April-2015.pdf
NHS - Care Pathway still being used
06 May 2015
As a nation we have turned away from God’s values and His guidelines when it comes to taking and giving life. The Liverpool Care Pathway was meant to be phased out last year following concerns that it was being abused by NHS staff. But recently, nurses have warned that it is still being used by hospitals under a different name. The LCP is a practice whereby foods and fluids are withdrawn from patients who are thought to be close to death. They are usually sedated and given a 'do not resuscitate' order. An inquiry overseen by Baroness Neuberger ordered the practice to be phased out and the practice was banned last summer. But earlier this year nurses and cancer charities told MPs on the health select committee that the pathway was still being used by hospitals - although not by that name.
Threat to bomb new hospital over prayer room
06 May 2015
Medics at a Glasgow hospital were terrorised by a colleague who threatened to bomb the building when told there was no prayer room for him to practise his faith. Police were called to the Southern General in Govan when he became abusive and threatened to blow up the hospital. It is understood that the man is a temporary porter at the five-storey laboratory building, part of the new £842m South Glasgow University Hospital. The incident sparked fears that the new 1,365-bed, 14-floor, South Glasgow University Hospital could be a target for terrorists. Medics told the Evening Times that they fear for their safety after details of the incident on 10 April emerged this week. One doctor, who asked to remain anonymous, said, ‘There are no security staff on site. The new building is due to open soon and could potentially be a target.’
Keeping abortion illegal in Northern Ireland
06 May 2015
Democratic Unionist Party MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who is a Stormont Junior Minister, said the Department of Health has - for the first time - published guidance to health professionals in Northern Ireland on terminating pregnancy. Such guidelines have not been previously in place as abortion remains illegal in NI, except when the mother's life is at risk. He said, ‘We will not be liberalising the law on abortion here.’ The Royal College of Midwives has said they will bring greater clarity to the legal position of staff who take part in terminations. Although the move will not change the law, and the guidelines will merely make clear what is and is not permitted, Jeffrey Donaldson has already said he and his party colleagues were unhappy with some of the guidelines. ‘We had a number of concerns that we raised with the Health Minister,’ he said.
Hundreds of children caught with drugs in school
30 Apr 2015
Police figures have revealed that hundreds of children have been caught with drugs at school, including cannabis, cocaine and even heroin. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal that there have been more than 2,000 drug incidents on school premises over the last four years. Four incidents involved children under the age of eleven, and one included an eight-year-old child. The figures were obtained from information provided by 34 police forces across England and Wales. Cannabis was involved in 625 incidents, while 27 cases were of children being caught with cocaine. Other types of drugs listed included LSD, amphetamines and ecstasy and seven instances of heroin possession on school premises. The incidents involving children under the age of eleven included an eight-year-old and a nine-year-old who were each caught with cannabis. Chris Keates, the General Secretary of teacher’s union NASUWT, described the evidence as ‘worrying’.
More minority ethnic Anglicans are needed for ordained ministry in the Church of England, the Archbishop of York said last week. In a foreword to a new booklet on minority ethnic vocations, Dr John Sentamu said there has never been a better time for Christians from minority ethnic backgrounds to respond to God's call to ordained ministry in the Church of England. ‘There is a greater need than ever for minority ethnic Anglicans to respond to God's call to ministry and servant leadership - we need people who are equipped for cross-ultural ministry in our increasingly diverse society,’ Dr Sentamu said. ‘We need more minority ethnic clergy as deacons, priests and bishops. We need ethnic diversity at all levels in the Church's ministry. This booklet shows how crucial it is for our ongoing vocations work in the Church of England.
Migrants are 'helpless victims', says bishop
30 Apr 2015
Britain needs leaders who will look on asylum seekers from Africa with 'compassion', the Bishop of Manchester has said. Rt Revd David Walker said there was a ‘political rhetoric that characterises them as wilful criminals rather than helpless victims’. Writing for the Observer newspaper the bishop said migrants are attempting to come to Europe through desperation and not want. ‘They are pushed, not pulled, towards the EU, forced out of their homelands by war, terrorism and the persecution of minorities,’ he wrote. Bishop David said: ‘Twenty-first-century Britain still aspires to be an international player. The moral cost of our continual overseas interventions has to include accepting a fair share of the victims of the wars to which we have contributed as legitimate refugees in our own land,’ he urged. Just days away from the General Election Bishop David said he wanted a government that looked upon refugees with compassion.