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Mon, 23 Apr 2018
C of E warns American Anglicans of 'consequences' over gender neutral wedding services
The Church of England has warned Anglicans in the US that there could be "stringent consequences" if proposed plans for gender neutral wedding services receive the go-ahead.
Premier Christian Radio
Fresh bid to legalise assisted suicide for the dying in Scotland
A fresh bid to introduce assisted suicide in Scotland is under way, with one MSP backing the prospect of cross-party legislation to give dying Scots the right to end their lives.
The Scotsman
Waiting lists for Jewish school places shorten
Waiting lists for state-aided Jewish secondary schools in London are almost a third lower than they were this time last year. The supply of new places appears to be the main reason for the trend.
The JC
Bishop George Bell investigation dropped by Sussex Police
A police investigation into former bishop of Chichester George Bell has been dropped amid criticism of the Archbishop of Canterbury for smearing his name.
The Telegraph
Corbyn changes plans for roundtable on relations with British Jews
Jeremy Corbyn's roundtable discussion with Jewish 'community leaders' has been postponed. Labour sources indicated that a series of meetings would be held in the coming weeks – with the first on Tuesday being with the "most representative groups".
Jewish News
Bid to build Sikh temple in Northamptonshire rejected
An application to build a Sikh temple in the Northamptonshire town of Kettering has been turned down by planners.
Northants Telegraph
Religious leaders visit Iceland to oppose ban on infant circumcision
Jewish and Muslim leaders from Britain met Icelandic MPs and officials in Reykjavik this week to lobby the island's government to oppose a ban on cutting infants' genitals for non-medical reasons.
The Times (£)
‘The stark differences in how the Trump and Obama administrations talk about human rights’
The US State Department published its first human-rights report under the Trump administration on Friday. The rights deemed worthy of promotion and protection, however, appear trimmed – particularly regarding the rights of women.
Quartz
Algerian woman denied French citizenship over handshake refusal
A French appeals court has upheld a ruling denying an Algerian woman citizenship after she refused to shake the hand of a senior official. The woman said her "religious beliefs" prevented her from shaking the hand of the male official in the citizenship ceremony.
BBC
French Jews ‘face ethnic cleansing by Islamists’
More than 300 political leaders, intellectuals and celebrities have signed a manifesto claiming that French Jews have fallen victim to a form of ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Islamist radicals, amid official indifference.
The Times (£)
‘Why should France tolerate Islamic intolerance?’
In rejecting the citizenship application of a woman who refused a handshake, Gavin Mortimer says, the French have demonstrated that they won't tolerate the intolerance of extremists.
The Spectator
‘Poland shatters a fragile peace with its Jews’
Legislation passed three months ago has confirmed some growing fears about anti-Semitism in Poland.
Bloomberg
Fri, 20 Apr 2018
Faith schools must teach British values, Lords report says
Faith schools should not be exempted from the requirement to teach "shared values of British citizenship", a House of Lords committee has said.
Church Times
Exeter Mosque denies links to extremism after receiving donations from radical al-Qaeda-supporting cleric
Exeter Mosque is being asked to reveal details of donations from a radical cleric, with fears it has benefited from terrorism-related activity.
Devon Live
Official human rights body in NI partners with evangelical Christians to produce video
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has partnered with the Evangelical Alliance to produce a video on the importance of freedom of conscience, thought and religion.
News Letter
Report reveals social segregation on religious lines in Scotland
A survey conducted by the Scottish government has revealed that Catholics and Muslims are among those who tend to live in the most deprived parts of the country.
Scottish Catholic Observer
Danish political party wants minimum age for male genital cutting
The health spokesperson for the Socialist People's Party in Denmark has said it will vote in favour of a minimum age for male circumcision if the issue is put to a vote.
The Local (Denmark)
Bangladesh blogger: the wrath of a father demanding justice for his son's murder
An interview with Ajoy Roy, the father of the murdered blogger Avijit. For three years he has been waiting for answers on his son's murder – but no lawsuit has been concluded.
DW
Southern Poverty Law Centre quietly deleted list of ‘anti-Muslim extremists’ after legal threat
The Southern Poverty Law Centre has removed a 'Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists' from its website after attorneys for Maajid Nawaz, a practicing Muslim and prominent Islamic reformer, threatened legal action over his inclusion on the list.
National Review
Video of Iran 'morality police' wrestling with woman sparks outrage
Shocking video footage of a young woman being wrestled to the floor by Iranian "morality police" because her hijab was loose has sparked outrage after it was posted online.
The Guardian
Saudi Arabia's first cinema in over 35 years opens with Black Panther
Saudi Arabia has unveiled its first cinema in over 35 years with a private screening of the blockbuster Black Panther.
The Guardian
Indian journalist charged over allegedly ‘blasphemous’ cartoon
A journalist in India has been charged with blasphemy and is the target of a campaign of violent online harassment and death threats over a cartoon she drew of two Hindu gods. Reporters Without Borders has urged the Indian authorities to protect her.
Ekklesia
Opening for abortion rights in Argentina
Protests and shifting public opinion have led Argentina's conservative president to call for its Congress to debate a broader legalisation of abortion in Argentina, which currently allows the procedure only in cases of rape or risks to the mother's health.
ABC News
Ukraine moves to split church from Russia as elections approach
Ukraine's Orthodox church could become independent of Moscow under the terms of a presidential initiative lawmakers approved on Thursday.
Reuters
Thu, 19 Apr 2018
Lords report backs Ofsted on LGBT education in faith schools
A report by a committee of peers has said there should be no exemption for faith schools on teaching British values.
The JC
London protesters accuse Modi of ‘Hindu supremacism’ amid recent murders
Crowds of demonstrators have rallied in central London to protest a visit by the Indian prime minister. The protesters said India is becoming a "Hindu supremacist place" under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
Evening Standard
‘Britain must speak out on India’s drift towards extremism’
Jawad Iqbal says the government needs to use Narendra Modi's visit this week to the Commonwealth summit to call him out on extremism.
The Times (£)
Nazi jailed after calling for the genocide of Jewish people
A self-confessed Nazi from Lancashire who called for the genocide of Jewish people has been jailed for causing racial hatred.
Metro
‘The Commonwealth should take the lead on freedom of religion and belief’
Preet Gill MP says confronting the demons of religious intolerance may not seem appealing – but it will strengthen the Commonwealth and society at large.
Huffington Post
Farmer wins battle with Church of England battle over land ownership
A farmer has won a long-running dispute with the Church of England about the ownership of his land.
Farmers Weekly
Irish archbishop stands firm on opposition to gay marriage
The most senior member of the Irish Catholic Church has said the church will not row back on its opposition to gay marriage before the Pope's visit in August.
The Times (£)
Yazidis who suffered under Isis face forced conversion to Islam
The Yazidis, who were recently the target of massacre, rape and sex slavery by Isis, are now facing forcible conversion to Islam under the threat of death.
The Independent
‘Liberals leave a vacuum on Islam which the far-right has filled’
An interview with ex-Muslim author Ali Rizvi. Rizvi argues that the left's reluctance to confront problematic parts of Islamic ideology has allowed the far-right to hijack the narrative about Muslims.
Newsroom
Christian groups one step closer to stopping same-sex marriage in Taiwan
Christian groups have edged closer to a national referendum on same-sex marriage in Taiwan. The latest development is a setback for marriage equality campaigners.
Gay Star News
Three Kansas men found guilty of bomb plot targeting Somali Muslim immigrants to US
Three men from Kansas were convicted yesterday of plotting to bomb an apartment complex where Somali immigrants lived and worshipped, following a four-week trial.
NPR
Merkel condemns attack on two men wearing Jewish skullcaps in Germany
German chancellor Angela Merkel has sharply condemned a street assault in Berlin on two young men wearing Jewish skullcaps. The attack has stoked a debate about anti-Semitism in the country.
Los Angeles Times
Wed, 18 Apr 2018
Bishop calls for gay people to be jailed in interview on BBC’s Today programme – NSS quoted
A bishop who has resisted the legalisation of homosexuality in Trinidad and Tobago appeared to defend jailing gay people in an interview on the BBC's Today programme. The NSS responded by saying his comments highlighted the importance of secular law.
Pink News
Theresa May says she deeply regrets Britain's legacy of anti-gay laws
The prime minister has said she "deeply regrets" Britain's historical legacy of anti-gay laws across the Commonwealth as its 53 leaders gathered in London for their annual summit.
The Guardian
Essex faith school deemed ‘inadequate’ amid ‘serious concerns about safeguarding pupils’
An independent faith school's Ofsted rating has plummeted from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate' in the space of six years.
Ilford Recorder
Engagement with Catholic schools in St Helens over sex education been "very difficult", says report
An official report has said engaging with Catholic schools on sex education has been "very difficult" in St Helens.
St Helens Star
Guernsey Christian leaders unite in opposition to assisted dying
Christian leaders from all of Guernsey's churches have united in opposition to a proposed bill to legalise assisted dying on the island. A proposal is due to be voted on in Guernsey's parliament on 16 May, with the backing of the island's chief minister.
The Tablet
Public oppose faith school admissions 'cheating'
A new YouGov survey has found that a majority of the public think it is 'unacceptable' for families to attend church to get their child into a religiously affiliated school.
Education Executive
Protests and rallies to greet Modi in London
Protests are set to be held today and later in the week as India's prime minister embarks on his second bilateral visit to the UK in three years. The treatment of religious minorities is one of the issues the protesters hope to raise.
The Hindu
‘The India I grew up in has gone. These rapes show a damaged, divided nation’
Anuradha Roy reflects on the reaction to the abduction, rape and murder of a girl from a Muslim family in India. She says "the slow sectarian poison released into the country's bloodstream by its Hindu nationalists has reached full toxicity".
The Guardian
Sex attack church elder banned from being alone with women
A church elder who carried out numerous sex attacks on elderly parishioners has been banned from being alone with women.
The Herald
Iceland’s Catholic leaders claim circumcision proposal is anti-Semitic
The Catholic Church in Iceland has spoken out against a proposal to enforce prison terms for those who cut infant boys' genitals.
Catholic Philly
Vatican exorcism course opens doors to 250 priests
The Vatican has opened its doors for its annual exorcism course amid increasing demand among some of the world's Catholic communities.
BBC
Tue, 17 Apr 2018
More than half of public says faith schools’ church attendance rule is ‘unacceptable’
Fifty-six per cent of the public thinks it is 'unacceptable' for Christian schools to admit pupils based on a family's church attendance, according to a YouGov poll.
Premier Christian Radio
British church leaders are branded Assad's 'useful idiots' after hailing “fascinating” talks with regime
Church of England leaders have been slammed for meeting Syrian officials and casting doubt on the Assad regime's atrocities there.
Daily Mail
Petition organised against Sunday opening of Stornoway arts centre
Petitioners on the isle of Lewis are gathering opposition to an arts centre's decision to open its doors seven days a week as soon as "operationally possible", according to reports.
Stornoway Gazette
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