These articles were first published in our August edition of the newspaper, click here for more.
The Bishop of Truro’s final report published on 8 July on worldwide Christian persecution, made recommendations for religious literacy training in the UK Foreign Office. It also said mechanisms are needed to facilitate immediate responses to atrocity crimes, including genocide.
Jeremy Hunt said he would adopt all 22 recommendations from the report noting that Christians are the most persecuted group in the world.
More than 30 academics wrote to The Sunday Times stating that educational freedom is being stifled by homosexual lobby group Stonewall.
‘Tendentious and anti-scientific claims’ are presented by Stonewall to staff as ‘objective fact, without the opportunity for scrutiny’. The group asked Stonewall to clarify its support for academic freedom, and, failing this, urged universities to split from the organisation. It was recently revealed that 40 UK universities spent almost £1million on LGBT training for their staff over the past five years.
A mission day in Bradford on 15 June saw churches get together to reach out to people who wouldn’t be connected to church.
One person wanted to know what had happened to her drug-dealing brother who was converted before he died. A relative of the Bradford hangman who was dramatically saved visited the bookstall. Another person said: ‘I’ve wanted to talk with a Christian’. Participants found it so encouraging that they have organised a similar event for July.
The Department of State for Health and Social Care admitted there are differences in treatment given to wanted and unwanted babies in the womb, it was reported in June.
While babies are given painkillers prior to their surgery – which takes place between 20 and 26 weeks gestation – those at the same gestational age or older whose lives are ended by an abortion do not receive any pain relief.
On 18 May around 100 women of all ages gathered, from many parts of Kent, in Bethersden to enjoy fellowship together at the annual Grace Baptist Women’s Conference held at Union Chapel.
Dr Ruth Eardley, a GP, spoke on Health, Wholeness and Healing over three practical, challenging and heart-warming sessions encouraging people to have a biblical theology of health and well-being – as well as a robust theology of suffering.
Former bishop, Peter Ball, who was jailed for a string of sexual offences against teenagers and young men, died in June.
He was jailed in 2015 after pleading guilty to a string of offences against 18 teenagers and young men. The Church of England’s safeguarding lead said: ‘We have been made aware of the death of Peter Ball and our prayers and thoughts are with everyone affected by this news.’