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Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has made a wide-ranging intervention into the growing debate on the place of religion in modern society. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph before the publication of a landmark report into religious discrimination, he attacks ‘fashionable’ views mocking and marginalising religion and says his Equality and Human Rights Commission will stand up for believers. Mr Phillips becomes one of the first and most high-profile figures in public life to warn that people of faith feel ‘under siege’ from ‘fashionable’ anti-religious views - which he admitted the Equality and Human Rights Commission had been wrongly identified with. ‘There is a view that says religion is a private matter and it's entirely a choice. I think that's entirely not right. Faith identity is part of what makes life richer and more meaningful for the individual'.
Pray: for Trevor Phillips, as he is likely to be criticised for his positive views on religion. (1Co.16:13)
You may remember that in January around a million people – including many thousands of students and young people – demonstrated on the streets of Paris against their government's proposals to redefine traditional marriage to include same sex couples. Hundreds of the demonstrators were UK-based French residents who boarded the Eurostar to Paris to join their compatriots. What is less well known is that on the same day a further 600 French residents refrained from travelling to Paris but demonstrated instead outside the French Embassy in west London. These UK-based French protesters are now organising another London demonstration, but this time in Trafalgar Square. As before, they are planning this to take place on the same day as the next Paris demonstration, Sunday 24th March, at which 2 million protesters are expected to march along the Champs-Elysees!
Pray: that a strong message will be sent to the French and British Governments that they must not redefine marriage. (Heb.13:4)
Local authorities should celebrate Christmas in the traditional Christian way and stop worrying about the PC brigade, said Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. He called for an end to ‘Christianophobia’. Mr Pickles said councils should stop introducing ‘politically correct’ versions of Christmas such as ‘Winterval’, which combines secular and inter-faith religious elements. The Communities Secretary called for councils to take pride in British Christian heritage by celebrating the nativity and all the traditions surrounding it. He said: ‘We should actively celebrate the Christian basis of Christmas, and not allow politically correct Grinches to marginalise Christianity and the birth of Christ. The war on Christmas is over, and the likes of Winterval, Winter Lights and Luminous deserve to be in the dustbin of history’. John Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said ‘It is absolutely right in our country that Christmas should be celebrated and it does not cause offence to other religions’.
Pray: for local authorities and councils to have the courage and confidence to celebrate a Christian Christmas. (2Co.3:4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/celebrate-traditional-christian-christmas-says-govt-minister/
The church today is not equipped to address domestic abuse, but one organisation is hoping to change this. A new resource to raise awareness of domestic abuse happening both within the church and outside has been announced by Peter Grant, co-director of Restored. He says that a lot of churches are getting on board, recognising that domestic abuse is happening in their midst. The resource pack is simple. It includes a charter that churches can display on their notice board stating that violence against women is always wrong. It also provides guidance about how best to respond to a woman who seeks help. ‘A lot of the messages around violence against women are aimed at women but we feel there also needs to be a campaign aimed at men saying ‘please stop’,’ says Peter who believes that the attitudes and actions of men must change if violence against women is to be ended.
Pray: for a positive response to this issue in all church groups and communities. (Col.3:19)
Young people finishing school, college or university this summer are facing the toughest outlook since 1994, according to a Trades Union Congress (TUC) analysis. The TUC report, published last week, looks at both employment and education trends over the last 20 years, shows that the proportion of young people in full-time education has nearly doubled from 24 per cent in 1992 to 41 per cent in 2012. Despite this surge in education, the proportion of young people who are neither working nor studying full-time today remains close to record levels at 20.4 per cent, the highest level since October 1994. The TUC is concerned that with 488,000 16-24 year olds currently out of work for at least six months - a figure that is rising even as overall unemployment falls - the country risks losing a generation of young people to unemployment and under-achievement before their careers have even begun.
Pray: for young people as they face the challenges of work and the toughest economic climate for nearly 20 years. (Eph.2:10)
Tory strategists have held meetings with US lobbying experts ahead of a drive to try to win hesitant Conservative MPs around to supporting gay marriage. It is understood that senior Tories met a group of lobbying experts, who have worked with the US campaign group ‘Freedom to Marry’, ahead of a renewed charm offensive within the party. ‘From what we know, the battle that there is, is really to try to convince Conservatives,’ said Benjamin Cohen, co-founder of the Coalition For Equal Marriage, which campaigns in support of same-sex unions. ‘We are working with them to try to determine the best way of presenting the argument to conservative backbenchers.’ The drive is expected to focus less on arguments about equality and rights and more about gay marriage as something which could be ‘good for society’. David Cameron has repeatedly stressed his determination to bring in same-sex marriage by 2015.
Pray: for an honest debate that addresses people’s concerns rather than one that tries to bully people into submission. (1Pe.3:15)
Junior defence minister, Gerald Howarth, has distanced himself from David Cameron’s plan to legalise marriage for samesex couples, and told The Telegraph that Tory MPs should not be forced to vote in support of changing the legal definition of marriage if the issue is put before Parliament. According to the newspaper, Mr. Howarth believed many Christians would be ‘very concerned’ by the proposal. At present, homosexual couples are allowed to enter into civil partnerships which give them similar legal protection to married couples, but the term ‘marriage’ is used to define heterosexual unions only. Mr Howarth, MP for Aldershot, said that MPs should be given a free vote on the issue as it is a matter of ‘conscience. Equality Minister Lynne Featherstone announced last month that a public consultation would be launched in March 2012.
Pray: for the Government to seek to protect marriage and not redefine it; may Christians in Parliament speak out boldly and clearly. (Gen.2:24)
Local councillors in Northumberland and Warwickshire have quit the Conservative Party over its controversial push to redefine marriage. In Nuneaton two councillors left the Party, saying there was no mandate for the move. And in Hexham a respected council figure said he could not ‘go along with David Cameron and the rest of them’ on the issue. Nuneaton councillors Nick and Matt Grant, who are brothers, said they were both elected ‘on national and local Conservative manifestos that made no reference to ‘same sex marriage’. They added that although the House of Lords could reject the proposal, while it is ‘promoted and pushed by the leader of the party we belong to, we no longer feel we can remain in that party or campaign actively for it’. They will now be on the council as Independents.
Pray: that parliamentarians will take notice of all the objections against redefining marriage and instead to hold traditional marriage as the preferred form. (Pr.2:17-18)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/tories-hit-with-further-party-losses-over-gay-marriage/
Fashion retailer Topshop has rejected moves to prevent further disasters in garment factories in Bangladesh. The anti-poverty charity War on Want has urged the public to press Topshop's parent company, Arcadia Group, to join other leading fashion retailers that have signed the Bangladesh Safety Accord. The appeal comes three months after the Rana Plaza building in Savar collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people and injuring over 2,500 others. The charity's sweatshops campaigner, Murray Worthy, said: "Topshop’s bosses have got no excuse for not signing this agreement. With their bumper profits, they can easily afford a tiny fraction of that to make their supplier factories safe. “Their failure to act and to work with other UK high street retailers to make these factories safe leaves thousands of workers’ lives at risk. No one should have to work living in fear of death. Yet that is exactly the fate to which Topshop are condemning their workers."
Pray: for Arcadia Group to rethink their position in this matter and fall in line with other UK retailers. (Tim.5:18)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18669
A senior High Court judge is set to retire early, partly because of the lack of support from some of his colleagues for his pro-marriage beliefs. Sir Paul Coleridge says there are ‘hundreds’ in the judiciary who agree with him in private, but are too frightened to say so publicly. The judge set up the Marriage Foundation in 2012 to combat the culture of broken families. He was attacked for his involvement, with critics saying a sitting judge should not be so overtly ‘political’. Now, in an interview for Roman Catholic paper The Tablet, he says he will take early retirement so that he will have more freedom to speak his mind. He said he ‘could have struggled on’ if he had got ‘more solid support’. Sir Paul announced in October that he will retire from the bench next year in order to focus on his work with the Marriage Foundation.
Pray: that Sir Paul’s decision to resign and focus on the Marriage Foundation will bring stronger leadership. (Heb.13:4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/top-judge-to-step-down-over-lack-of-support-on-marriage/