Newsline 19 February 2016

Newsline 19 February 2016

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News, Blogs & Opinion

NSS mourns the loss of honorary associate Lord Avebury

News | Sun, 14th Feb 2016

The National Secular Society is extremely saddened to report the passing of Lord Avebury who has died peacefully from Leukaemia at his home in Camberwell, south London, surrounded by his family. He was 87.

Lord Avebury was born Eric Lubbock and was the fourth baron Avebury. He became liberal MP for Orpington in 1962 and is perhaps best known for his celebrated by-election victory there where he achieved a 22% swing from the Conservatives. He became the fourth Baron Avebury in 1971 on the death of his cousin. In 1999 he was re-elected by his fellow Liberal Democrat peers to remain when most hereditary peers were removed. For some years before his death he was the longest serving LibDem peer. His fifty years as a Member of Parliament was celebrated by a reception given in his honour by John Bercow, MP, the Commons' Speaker, and attended by his many friends in Parliament of all political hues.

He supported countless human rights campaigns and formed the first human rights committee in Parliament. His knowledge of foreign affairs, particularly of remote parts of the developing world, was second to none. The weak and oppressed in these places have lost a true champion.

He was a most valued Honorary Associate of the NSS who worked tirelessly with us for many years. Of the many campaigns we worked on together, one of the most notable was the abolition of the blasphemy laws. In 2009 Lord Avebury was awarded (with Dr Evan Harris MP) the National Secular Society's Secularist of the Year Award in recognition of his role in the abolition of the common law offence of blasphemous libel in 2008. This had been proposed in the Commons by Dr Evan Harris but the Government could not contemplate the embarrassment this would cause the Church if he succeeded, so offered to support it in the Lords after a very nominal consultation.

He also campaigned for years against the injustice of caste discrimination, putting down an amendment in 2013 to require anti-discrimination legislation in a major Government bill that was running out of time. He felt so strongly, he defied Parliamentary convention by rejecting the elected House's (the Commons') reversal of his amendment and the Government had to concede. Sadly they have still not implemented Parliament's expressed will.

He worked tirelessly on removing mandatory daily Collective Worship in all maintained schools; causing such consternation with the bishops they sought assurances from the then-education secretary Michael Gove that he would not permit this. Speaking in a Parliamentary debate in 2011 after an amendment to abolish the collective worship requirement had failed, Lord Avebury said: "Sooner or later we shall get rid of the act of compulsory worship in schools, and the sooner the better."

More unfinished business is Chancel Repairs Liability under which even those who have never set foot in their local Anglican church can be responsible for its repair by virtue of owning a piece of land, however small, to which this mediaeval obligation attaches. A private member's bill to abolish it, introduced by Lord Avebury with the assistance of the NSS, is slated for its second reading shortly. Lord Carlile of Berriew QC has kindly agreed to take this forward.

Keith Porteous Wood, NSS executive director and a close friend of Lord Avebury, commented: "He was so charming and knowledgeable, working with him – as we did for well over ten years – was such a pleasure. He certainly helped the NSS hugely and I got the impression he thought that our assisting him over that period had enriched the end of his career. And what a distinguished one it was. I have been moved by the number of politicians who have approached me as it has become clear that he was dying, to say that they thought he was one of the most effective peers of his time. Fellow LibDem Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, who has devoted his life to Human Rights, described him as 'A great man and friend.' Eric however was always characteristically modest about his own achievements while being generous about those of others.

"He was always disarmingly frank and pragmatic about his death and he told me once that a consultant had told him how long he had left to live. He took the prediction very literally and precisely; he laughed when I suggested wryly that he was treating it just like an appointment. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Voluntary Euthanasia.

"He was proud of his ancestors, observing that many (I think it was more than ten) had met their ends by being executed – generally for having fallen foul of the monarch or ending up on the losing side. It made me wonder if speaking truth unto power ran in the blood."

"He certainly comes from a great lineage. The first baron Avebury was a polymath, a successful banker and the most successful lawmaker of his time. He was a neighbour of Charles Darwin and one of his closest friends. He was responsible for introducing Bank Holidays, creating the cheque clearing system, the Shop Hours Act, Open Spaces Act, Public Libraries Act, the Ancient Monuments Act, which paved the way for the creation of English Heritage. He bought the stone age circle in Avebury, Wiltshire to save it for the nation - from jobbing builders who were about to destroy it.

"I have lost a very close friend, the nation has lost a Human Rights champion. Our condolences to Lindsay his wife, and all his family."

Eric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury

Born 29 September 1928, London, died 14 February 2016, London

Other obituaries

https://www.secularism.org.uk/uploads/lord-avebury-memorial-celebration.pdf

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/14/lord-avebury-lib-dem-peer-dies-aged-87

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11483334

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35573794

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/politics-obituaries/12156569/Lord-Avebury-obituary.html

http://www.libdemvoice.org/lord-eric-avebury-passes-away-49430.html

Lord Avebury's blog, updated shortly before his death, can be read here.

Church stresses “urgent need” to focus evangelism on children, young people and their parents

News | Thu, 18th Feb 2016

The National Secular Society (NSS) has warned that publicly funded schools shouldn't be used for evangelism after a report from the Church of England stressed an "urgent need to focus on children, young people and their parents".

The report from the Church's Evangelism Task Group, published in 2015 but discussed at this week's General Synod, says that "while we recognise that we should not be driven by a sense of fear or anxiety the current and future health of the Church of England depends on a renewed sense of urgency to engage with children and young people."

In a letter to Nick Gibb, the minister of state for schools, the NSS called for a duty on all schools, including schools of a religious character, to be respectful and inclusive of all pupils, regardless of their religion or belief, including non-belief.

Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns manager, said: "We're becoming increasingly concerned about the way in which the Church is using publicly-funded education as an opportunity to proselytize.

"These are publicly funded schools, often with a mixed intake of children from a range of faith and non-religious backgrounds. The way in which some church schools are imposing a Christian ethos in what are essentially pluralistic settings is infringing upon parental rights and failing to respect children and young people's own right to freedom of religion or belief."

Mr Evans said parents and school governors have been increasingly contacting the NSS with concerns about a range of issues including schools introducing multiple prayers throughout the day meaning parents cannot effectively withdraw their children from school worship; the values of Church of England faith schools being presented as uniquely "Christian"; religious paraphernalia in classrooms; regular priest-led assemblies and pastoral care being delivered through 'school chaplains'.

One parent governor told the NSS that he felt "very isolated and uncomfortable" by what he described as "an aggressive new push to convert children" at his school.

In 2013 the former chair of the Church of England's Board of Education told the General Synod "We don't need to attract [children, young people and parents] to church they're already there, if we embrace our church schools fully."

More than one million children attend publicly-funded Church of England schools and with more than 130 sponsored and 350 converter academies, the Church is the biggest sponsor of academies in England.

More children attend compulsory collective worship in Church of England schools each day than there are regular church-goers. Just 18 in 1,000 people regularly attend Anglican services.

The Church of England's finance chief said that an 81-year-old was eight times more likely to attend church than a 21 year old, the Independent reported, and that church attendance was likely to halve over the next thirty years.

See also: "Classrooms should be free from an overbearing religious ethos".

Classrooms should be free from an overbearing religious ethos

Opinion | Mon, 15th Feb 2016

With the Church seeking to extend its influence over the management of schools, Stephen Evans argues that religious groups' demands shouldn't outweigh parental rights and children's independent interests.

In 2013 the former chair of the Church of England's Board of Education told the General Synod "We don't need to attract [children, young people and parents] to church they're already there, if we embrace our church schools fully."

Three years on and, according to official Church of England figures, weekly Church attendance has slipped below one million for the first time. Meanwhile, over a million children are attending publicly-funded church-run schools and academies. That means there are more children attending compulsory worship in schools every day than there are Anglicans worshipping in churches each week.

With the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey warning that the Church "will be extinct in one generation", it's little wonder that the CofE regards schools as "absolutely core" to its mission.

Despite all of its talk of 'inclusivity' the Church appears increasingly keen to turn the schools it runs into places of worship. But it fails to understand that there's more to inclusivity than not having a discriminatory admissions policy.

In addition to Ofsted inspections, 'church schools' are inspected by their local dioceses to ensure that they are "distinctively and recognisably Christian institutions". Pressure to receive a favourable diocesan inspection may well explain why we're now seeing some CofE schools increasing their religiosity by worshipping at the beginning and end of each day and before and after lunch; introducing prayer corners in classrooms complete with "a small cross, candle, school prayer, prayer box, children's bible, prayer book and copy of the Lord's prayer"; having regular visits from priests, and even employing them as 'school chaplains'.

Basic human and civic values, such as compassion, truthfulness, tolerance, respect, responsibility, forgiveness, generosity and justice are being promoted in schools as uniquely 'Christian values' – biasing children's religious outlook and painting non-Christians as morally inferior.

Despite academisation being sold to us as something that would enable greater 'autonomy' for head teachers and schools, multi-academy chains are now the bodies controlling what goes on in academies – and Church-controlled MATs are wasting no time in ensuring governors and staff promote a 'robust Christian ethos'.

Senior staff in church schools are usually practising Christians (a job requirement for many headteachers) and many parents feel uncomfortable raising concerns about the way in which religion is being promoted in their child's school, fearing their perfectly reasonable secular stance will be regarded as 'anti-religious' by the committed Christians running the school – and indeed they are often given a frosty and defensive response.

But of course, many teachers will simply be carrying out the orders and policies from on high to "share the truths of the Christian foundation" and "lead the children into an awareness of God in their daily lives."

Academisation further disempowers parents. When these issues aren't satisfactorily addressed in school parents can no longer turn to local education authorities but must instead appeal to those running the Diocesan Multi Academy Trusts. Good luck with that.

Traditionally, acts of worship have been part of school assemblies, but some 'church schools' are now moving it into the much more intimate setting of the classroom. Concerns about 'classroom worship' have recently been raised with the NSS by school governors, teachers, parents and pupils alike. Brent Laytham, a professor of theology who literally wrote the book on 'classroom worship' calls it "a practice of great pedagogical power and curricular import".

But where do parental and child rights come in all of this?

Of course, the argument goes that if someone chooses to send their child to a CofE school, they have to accept all the "churchy things" that go with it.

But why should they? Church schools are rarely, if ever, homogenous religious communities and there's no good reason why the Church should be given free rein to treat them as if they are. Besides, children shouldn't be regarded as having settled religious identities and convictions. Schools should be giving them the tools and freedom to make their own reflective choices in their own time, not manipulating them into becoming young Anglican sympathisers.

Research shows that most parents choose schools based on their locality and academic standards – very few choose faith schools for the "churchy things". Parents are simply having to put up with the religion bit.

The parental right of withdrawal offers no real solution. Despite little enthusiasm for religion, few parents – and for obvious reasons - choose to voluntarily exclude their child from any part of the school day. The practical difficulties in exercising the right of withdrawal become insurmountable when worship encroaches into the classroom and religion 'permeates the whole school experience'.

The way in which school worship impinges on the rights of others is implicitly acknowledged by the presence of special Equality Act exemption that means acts of worship by schools are not covered by the provisions prohibiting religious discrimination.

Indeed – a recent academic report on collective worship pointed out "the protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief of those who do not wish to participate is undermined by current practices". Heiner Bielefeldt, the UN's Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, has said reform is "necessary".

There's an obvious tension in robustly asserting a Christian ethos on a religiously diverse and largely religiously indifferent school community. Doing so is disrespectful to both pupils and parents.

It's clearly incongruous that in modern secular Britain so much of our education system is under religious control. In the ongoing debate over the place of religion in schools, let's make sure parental rights and children's independent interests are not eclipsed by the wishes of organised religion.

Stephen Evans is the campaigns manager of the National Secular Society.The views expressed in our blogs are those of the author and may not represent the views of the NSS. Follow him on Twitter: @Stephenmevans1

Church’s call to pray for Richard Dawkins is “cheap and nasty”, says bishop

News | Mon, 15th Feb 2016

Stephen Lowe, the former Anglican Bishop of Hulme, has criticised the Church of England's tweet offering prayers for Richard Dawkins following the professor's stroke.

On 12 February the Church of England's official twitter account offered "prayers for Prof Dawkins and his family" prompting criticism and allegations that the Church was 'trolling' him.

The Rt Reverend Stephen Lowe said of the message, "I think it's a bit cheap and nasty and I regret it."

Reverend Arun Arora, Director of Communications for the Archbishops' Council, defended the tweet that he'd sent and said it was a "genuine tweet offering prayer for a public person who was unwell."

Keith Porteous Wood, the executive director of the National Secular Society, speaking to the BBC, questioned whether it was an attempt to court publicity.

"The Church's tweet has certainly caused a great deal of publicity, something that will have been neither unexpected nor unwelcome to them.

"We note there was another attempt to promote the Church's 'Just Pray' website when the Reverend Arun Arora was interviewed on Radio 5 over the tweet.

"Ultimately, whether the attempt was sarcastic or an attempt to draw attention to itself only the Church can say. But it wouldn't be the first time it has courted publicity."

The National Secular Society was critical of the Church's actions during the Lord's Prayer advert 'controversy', particularly after it emerged that a large part of the advert had not even been filmed until months after the cinema chain had declined to screen it.

Mr Wood added: "The Church's indignant response to the cinema chain declining to screen the Lord's Prayer advert was craftily released on the very day its prayer website was launched, despite the cinema chain's refusal being known months earlier. It complained of its freedom of expression being curtailed while boasting about the number of hits on the site, which have since flatlined.

"The Church's talk of taking legal action against DCM on the grounds of discrimination was, as we said at the time, baseless. A QC specialising in the media has since confirmed that our assertions on the lack of any grounds for legal action were correct."

Catholics for Choice defend secularism against Pope’s misrepresentation

News | Tue, 16th Feb 2016

A liberal international Catholic group has criticised the Pope for misrepresenting secularism in a joint declaration he issued with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Their joint declaration, following the first meeting between a Pope and the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church for a thousand years, said that "very aggressive secularist ideology" sought to "relegate" Christians to the "margins of public life."

They were "concerned about the situation in many countries" and particularly worried about what they described as "the transformation of some countries into secularized societies, estranged from all reference to God and to His truth."

In response to this, the president of US-based Catholics for Choice, Jon O'Brien, said that they "misrepresent the true meaning of secularism."

"A secular society is not one in which one religion or religious belief is in any way oppressed, but one in which all citizens can practice as they see fit," he countered.

"In a secular society, we can have freedom of religion and freedom from religion. True religious freedom respects the rights of others to practice or not as they see fit. It does not [favour] one religion over another and it does not force other religions to adhere to a particular religious belief. You cannot have freedom of religion without freedom from religion—it is a two-sided coin."

The declaration also stated restated both leaders' commitment to marriage as being solely "between a man and a woman" and said that they regretted "that other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union". The joint statement claimed that "paternity and maternity as the distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage is being banished from the public conscience."

In response to this, O'Brien argued that Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill were trying to impose their beliefs on others: "Religious leaders have the right to express their opinion, but the right to decide about one's own life choices is one that rests with individuals. The state should not be party to coercive practices that seek to elevate one person's theological view or personal opinion above the rights of individuals.

"It is ironic that within both the Orthodox and Roman traditions, majorities of believers all over the world do not agree with these religious leaders and have continued to use birth control and abortion in good faith … a global survey of Catholics found that 66 percent believed that abortion should be permitted in some or all circumstances. Having failed to convince their own communities to adhere to their perspective, both leaders are trying to influence laws to deny fundamental rights. Such an imposition over law would have a devastating effect on the poor, who do not have the financial means to overcome barriers to health the ways that the rich can."

In a video recently produced by Catholics for Choice on behalf of the Global Interfaith and Secular Alliance, O'Brien warned that "time and time again" conservative interpretations of religion were being used to deny people their human rights.

"We need to stand up against religious extremism," he argued. "The idea that Government would be used to help religions discrimination against people's freedom is just downright fundamentally wrong."

"Religion… can't get to dominate public policy," he concluded.

NSS Speaks Out

Many moving obituaries for our honorary associate Lord Avebury were published since the sad news of his death on 14 February 2016. His dedicated support for the work of the National Secular Society was cited by the Guardian, BBC and Liberal Democrat Voice.

Our executive director Keith Porteous Wood and president Terry Sanderson gave many interviews to BBC radio stations this week on the Church of England's call for prayers for Richard Dawkins, and on the subject of religious advertising.

We were also quoted in the Milton Keynes Citizen criticising the pro-faith school bias of Milton Keynes Council's consultation on opening a new school.