More RS A Level students
12 Aug 2021
The number of Religious Studies A Level exam entries has increased 6.1 percent this year. The subject outperformed other A-level subjects as a whole, with a greater increase than most other humanities subjects. This suggests that candidates are recognising the value of RS for higher education entry and graduate employment, and as an essential life skill. Professor Trevor Cooling said, ‘Religious Studies has maintained its popularity over the past two decades at A Level, where students have a greater say in their subject choice, compared with GCSE when RS may not be offered as an examination course. Young people clearly value the importance of extending their knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews at A-level and continue to vote with their feet.’ He urges the Government to ensure it is resourced properly and taught by professionally trained teachers.
Prayer for leaders
12 Aug 2021
The following is based on declarations by Suzanne Ferrett, a UK-based prophetic leader: ‘Lord, we thank You that mercy triumphs over judgment. We stand in Your grace and speak Your blessing over our nation. We pray, in the Name of Jesus, for the words and thoughts of our leaders across this land to establish Your plans and will for the UK. We pray that in these significant days, the UK will be led at all times by the men and women of Your choosing. May every seat of authority be filled by the person appointed by You for tasks in commerce, industry, politics, police, NHS and all social services. We pray that they will carry, impart, and implement God-given vision. We pray for Your voice to be heard and acted upon in every influential gateway of society.’
The pandemic, and lockdown, made Adam Ellison want to help other people. Before coronavirus, he was content with his job in marketing and his own social bubble. But that changed when millions faced hardship due to disruption caused by the pandemic. ‘I've become more conscious of everybody else,’ he says. In October, he became a volunteer on Olio, an app that allows people to share edible food waste with others. Every Saturday he goes to Tesco at 7 am to collect unsold produce. He adds the items to the app and people living nearby request them for pickup. The food goes within a day. Olio will soon branch out with ‘Borrow’ - lending items that are only used occasionally. The big question now is whether the broader surge of app-mediated compassion will continue. Mr Ellison said, ‘If everybody did something small but meaningful, we'd live in a much better society. I think Covid's been a catalyst for that.’
UK's embassy hired a Kremlin spy
12 Aug 2021
David Smith, a security guard at the British Embassy in Berlin, is accused and charged with passing classified documents to a Russian spy. Smith received a bundle of cash in return for providing reports to a Kremlin agent of counter-terrorism tactics in the event of an attack, details invaluable to enemy agents seeking embassy weaknesses in a city where Russian espionage is rife. Smith may have been blackmailed by Putin agents due to his 'extreme right-wing views'. Germany’s domestic intelligence service said Russian espionage is as active as it was during the Cold War. Questions will be raised about vetting procedures at the British embassy in Berlin, which is seen by Moscow as a prime intelligence target. Smith was hired directly by the embassy - not the Foreign Office in London. This spying case is part of growing attempts by Russian spies to infiltrate Western intelligence operations in recent months.
Free to question LGBT?
12 Aug 2021
Rev Dr Bernard Randall lost his job for disagreeing with LGBT ideology. As Trent College’s chaplain, his job was to ‘be the particular voice and embodiment of Christian values which are at the heart of Trent’s ethos’. Educate and Celebrate, a pro-LGBT 'inclusion' charity, was invited to train school staff. Bernard researched the group and feared the worst but kept an open mind and went to the training. It was as bad as he feared. In line with his school role as 'the voice of Christian values', Bernard raised concerns to management. He was ignored. When a pupil asked him to address the issue in chapel he agreed to preach and encouraged students to respect others' views while ‘not being obliged to accept someone else's ideology’. And the ‘Christian’ school suspended him for gross misconduct. The Christian Legal Centre is supporting Bernard. His tribunal, due in June, was postponed because the school's lawyers didn’t comply with court orders.
No one is above the law
12 Aug 2021
The head of the Metropolitan Police has said ‘no one is above the law’ when asked about sexual assault allegations made against Prince Andrew. Dame Cressida Dick said, ‘I am aware that currently there is a lot of comment in the media. We will of course again review our position - but at the moment there is no investigation.’ Dame Cressida added, ‘It’s been reviewed twice before; we’ve worked closely with the CPS, and we are of course open to working with authorities from overseas. We will give them every assistance if they ask us for anything within the law. As a result of what’s going on, I’ve asked my team to have another look at the material.’
Muslim policewoman with racist disposition
12 Aug 2021
Photos and film of a police officer wearing a hijab on the front line went viral last year. But police constable Ruby Begum used Twitter to insult Jews and mock the 9/11 attacks before joining the Met. Scotland Yard faces questions over how her rants were missed during vetting. She communicated over many months with a woman who fled Europe to live under IS's so-called caliphate. The Met has now launched an investigation, while Miss Begum has been placed on 'restricted duties'. She works for the Met's taskforce dealing with public order and has run a Twitter account since 2012, posting 25,000 messages. Interspersed with commonplace concerns are posts that will dismay Met Police chiefs battling longstanding accusations of institutional racism.
Bosnia: pray for revival
12 Aug 2021
Over 50% of Bosnians are Muslim. Muslims visit Christian neighbours at Christmas, and vice versa during Ramadan. It is difficult to differentiate between Muslims and Orthodox Christian women as both wear headscarves. People’s faith is more noticeable during religious months. Pray for a revival of prayer in the local church, and that Christians will come together and lift honest cries to God. May prayer become a unifying factor among local churches. Pray against timidity keeping believers from sharing Jesus with their friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers. Pray that believers will seek opportunities to love and share with Bosnians, Serbs, Croats and others from the Balkans. Ask that every believer will be equipped to make disciples who make disciples, and that they will live by God’s Spirit.