UK & Ireland in Brief

In a report published in mid-November, two thirds of GPs were shown to be in favour of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) dropping its opposition to assisted dying.

The survey found that 38% of 689 GP respondents favoured the adoption of a neutral stance on assisted dying by the RCGP, while 31% said the college should go even further and support a change in the law to allow doctors to help terminally ill patients to die in the UK. The article notes that the RCGP is currently opposed to a change in the law on assisted dying.

The Swansea mission, involving 11 churches over 10 days, (reported on in early November) had one aim – to make Christ known.

Around 26,000 newspapers were distributed and over 35 evangelistic meetings, from coffee mornings to curry nights, were held across the region. Mission organisers are grateful to God for the gospel clearly preached through testimonies and talks. The gospel work continues.

Campaigners are trying to launch a legal challenge to the Christian coronation of future monarchs, it was reported in November.

The National Secular Society (NSS) has instructed lawyers to investigate challenging the ancient religious rite under human rights legislation. The Director of Communications at the Church of England, said: ‘To politicise the coronation in this way is a misguided and misjudged act by a campaign group of less than 10,000 members.’

The General Synod, meeting in November, has voted overwhelmingly in favour of legislation which will pave the way for women bishops next year.

There were 25 recorded abstentions; 378 voted in favour; and only eight members voted against the motion. The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt. Revd. James Langstaff, said: ‘The train is on the track and moving forward, and we know there are some stations to pass through along the way, but we can see the end of this particular journey.’

It was reported in mid-November that schools in Scotland are holding lunchtime sex clinics for pupils as young as 13.

Pro-family campaigners say the service makes the issue of underage sex worse rather than better. 12 schools in Lothian, Dumfries and Galloway are offering students tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea during lunchtime and after-school clinics. Figures showed that Lanarkshire saw a 40% increase of syphilis cases in a year, with 15 to 17-year-olds a particular concern.

On November 22, the Department of Health launched a consultation on the updated procedures that independent abortion clinics must follow in order to be approved to carry out termination of pregnancy.

The consultation, closing on January 17, will focus on whether the updated procedures include the necessary conditions to ensure women receive a safe, high-quality service from independent sector abortion providers which meet the requirements of the Abortion Act 1967.

A report in November said that only one in ten Grace Baptist churches is pastored by a Scot.

In a fiercely nationalistic country, this is an increasing problem. The Grace Baptists in Scotland are encouraging people to pray for Scottish men to train for Christian ministry.

Over a million watch The Bibleon Channel 5.

The Bible television drama was watched by 1.5 million people on the first Saturday night of screening. This is over 5% of the total viewing audience. Christians seemed very divided on the content and how accurately it depicted the Bible. This lead to some heated debate on Twitter #TheBibleUK.

A church in the Conwy Valley, Wales, has had a rare Bible, dating back to the 16th century, stolen.

The Geneva Breeches Bible, from 1589, was at St. Mary’s Church in Trefriw, in a glass case covered with a cloth. Churchgoers realised it was gone when a child asked to see it and the discovery was made that it had been replaced by a 99p copy of the Bible

David Cameron’s broadcasting adviser is set to enter a gay marriage with the man who was formerly deputy director for civil service reform.

Michael Salter, who advised the Prime Minister over the recent redefinition of marriage, met Rob Church at a Stonewall awards ceremony.