It is here that Mazar - the 48-year-old widowed mother of four and granddaughter of renowned archeologist Professor Benjamin Mazar - began excavating in February, in a dig sponsored by the conservative Jerusalem think tank, the Shalem Center, where she is a senior fellow, together with the academic support of the Hebrew University.

The statement notes that the new legislation makes no change to the law in relation to marriage and that the Government has stated that it has no intention of introducing 'same-sex' marriage. It also notes that the Act leaves 'entirely open the nature of the commitment that members of a couple choose to make to each other when forming a civil partnership. In particular, it is not predicated on the intention to engage in a sexual relationship.'

II. The Church

But actually I was delighted when I heard that you had been mulling over Acts, because I've been doing that as well; and I believe there are fresh things to be heard from within this great book, which comprises roughly one-eighth of the whole New Testament and yet is often neglected as we analyze the gospels and squabble over Paul.