The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “The task before us cannot be overestimated. We could easily be disheartened. We cannot do it alone. But. . . Allelulia! For we are not thrown back on ourselves, but in, by and through the power of the Holy Spirit, God brings forth life. It is right that as the Evangelism Task Group considers how it may resource the Church to bear faithful witness to Jesus Christ, the commitment to pray is the essential first step.
Read moreThe effective proscribing by the bishops of the two political parties comes after the General Synod gave final approval in 2012 to legislation making it 'unbecoming' or 'inappropriate' conduct for clergy to be members of a political party with policies and activities declared “incompatible” with Church teaching on race equality.
The Church of England bishops were given the power to make a declaration on parties or organisations deemed incompatible with Christian teaching.
Read moreBrierley said that the alleviation in the rate of decline was due partly to "the large number of new black and other immigrant churches which have been started" and "the increasing success of new gatherings" in the fresh expressions movement.
Read moreThe statement can be read in full here:
As the Co-Chairs of the Christian Muslim Forum we call for compassion in this situation and for the death sentence against Mariam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag to be dropped.
Read moreFirst, we do not know, and will never be told, why the House of Bishops reached this decision? Why? Because House meetings are private and their papers and minutes are never published. This is very odd given that the House meets as a House of the General Synod and all Synod meetings are open to everyone and the papers and minutes are publicly available.
Read moreIt adds that church primary schools should draw up policies specifically recognising the needs of transgender pupils.
Meanwhile older children who decide to come out are to be given “unequivocal support” from teachers and chaplains.
Secondary school children should, it adds, be given frank information to help them to “explore their identity”.
Meanwhile traditional Church doctrines on homosexuality are to be presented only alongside a range of alternatives.
Read more“This is an atrocious and inexcusable act and my prayers and thoughts go out to the young people and their families at this upsetting time. I appeal to those who have taken these schoolgirls to release them immediately and unharmed. This is in a part of Nigeria I have visited and in a country whose people are close to my heart. Let your hearts be open in compassion and mercy to those who have suffered so much.”
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Read moreDespite concerns about the behaviour of the Church many Conservatives are still opposed to the divorce of Church and state, a political view point known as antidisestablishmentarianism (also one of the English language’s longest words). Only 22 percent of Conservatives support a separation, whilst 72 percent support the link.
Read moreLord Williams’s comments come in the wake of remarks by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, that Christians should be ‘more evangelical’ about their faith and that Britain is a Christian country.
Mr Cameron’s comments led to a plethora of atheists coming forward to claim that Britain was a secular country culminating in Nick Clegg, the deputy premier, calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England.
Read moreTheir intervention follows the civil wedding this month of Canon Jeremy Pemberton, a hospital chaplain, and his partner Laurence Cunnington under new laws pushed through by David Cameron.
Mr Pemberton, from Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is facing disciplinary action from the Bishop of Lincoln Christopher Lowson for disobeying the House of Bishops’ ruling that gay clergy should not marry because marriage should only be between a man and a women.
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