-
'In the Media' is available in your inbox as part of our our daily media briefing. Subscribe today.
* = Registration may be required to read the article
Wed, 27 Oct 2021
Guernsey's Catholic schools could close if anti-discrimination laws are passed, says bishop
The Guernsey States are proposing that no religion, belief or sexual orientation should limit somebody from getting a job. It would mean that a headteacher who is not a practicing Catholic, could become the headteacher of a Catholic school after five years.
ITV
Fife terror plot accused Sam Imrie 'revered mass murderers'
A man who allegedly planned to attack a Fife mosque admired mass murderers, a court has been told.
BBC
Police treating 'slaughter leaflets' in Borehamwood as 'hate incident'
Police say the leaflets have a focus on banning kosher and halal slaughter and are said to have been distributed by what has been described as a "far-right white nationalist group".
Borehamwood & Elstree Times
Row over failed bid to rescue LGBT Afghans
Campaigners have accused MPs and the Government of failing LGBT Afghans after a scheme to evacuate them in August brought just "six or seven" to the UK.
The Evening Standard
‘The curious case of Boris and the bishops’
As the head of government in a country with an established church, the Prime Minister and his office are intimately involved in deciding who runs the Church of England via his role in the appointment of bishops.
The Spectator*
'French far right flock to Zemmour’s banner as fear of ‘Muslim domination’ grows'
Demographers scoff at claims that white, Christian France is facing extinction but many voters are unconvinced, writes Adam Sage.
The Times*
China offers to help the Taliban to rebuild Afghanistan
China has offered to help the Taliban rebuild Afghanistan in exchange for their co-operation in eliminating terrorist groups it says are stoking unrest among its Muslim Uighur population.
The Times*
US: Church fights for tax exemptions over ‘religious’ use of hallucinogenic drug
A Des Moines-based church that uses a hallucinogenic drug in religious ceremonies is challenging the Internal Revenue Service's decision to deny it tax-exempt status.
Iowa Capital Dispatch
US: Gay teacher fired from his job at Catholic school for ‘breaching contract’ after marrying another man
A Catholic school teacher said he was fired from his job after the Brooklyn Diocese determined he had violated "Catholic doctrine and morality" by marrying a man.
indy100
‘Whatever happened to separation of church and state?’
Has the principle of government neutrality towards religion in the US been locked away, asks Howard L. Simon.
News-Press
Tue, 26 Oct 2021
NSS chief exec: ‘The question of religion and public benefit’
Stephen Evans responds to a recent piece in Christian Today on our 2019 report, "For the Public Benefit? – the case for removing the advancement of religion as a charitable purpose".
Christian Today
‘Should buffer zones be introduced around Scotland's abortion clinics?’
Back Off Scotland was set up a year ago to lobby for buffer zones - areas where protesters are forbidden from standing - outside all abortion clinics. Former NSS vice president Alistair McBay is quoted.
The Scotsman*
Police to take no action over Crystal Palace fans’ Newcastle banner
Police have confirmed they will not be taking any action against Crystal Palace supporters who raised a banner in protest at the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United last weekend.
The Guardian
‘Why are there fewer teenager mothers in Northern Ireland?’
For the first time since records began, the number of teenagers giving birth in Northern Ireland in a single year has fallen below 500.
BBC
‘I hate Halloween but banning it in schools on religious grounds is odd’
In some schools, Halloween has joined the ever-lengthening list of banned fun, because parents of one religious denomination or another object to its origins as a pagan festival, says Stefano Hatfield.
iNews
‘Catholic last rites and police priorities’
While this religious ritual is important to Catholics and should be facilitated where possible, we must take police advice in weighing compassion with concerns that a perpetrator might escape or worse, create further victims, says Neil Barber in a letter (scroll down).
Edinburgh Evening News
NI: Teachers' union calls for religious exemption to be scrapped
A teachers' union has called for the scrapping of the exemption that enables schools to circumvent fair employment legislation.
The Irish News*
German IS woman jailed for Yazidi girl's death in Iraq
A German Muslim convert who joined the Islamic State group in Iraq has been jailed for 10 years in Munich over the killing of a Yazidi girl she and her husband had bought as a slave.
BBC
Austrian government proposes law to legalise assisted suicide
Austria's federal government has submitted a draft law to make assisted suicide for seriously ill adults legal, the federal chancellery said in a statement on Saturday.
Reuters*
Fleeing Afghanistan: 'Women are imprisoned, while the criminals are free'
When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, hundreds of female judges went into hiding. The Taliban had opened prisons across the country, freeing the very men the judges once incarcerated.
BBC
Mon, 25 Oct 2021
Politicians too willing to turn blind eye to extremism, says ex-minister
Robert Jenrick, who lost his job at the last Cabinet reshuffle, told the BBC the government's Prevent strategy has "lost its way".
BBC
MPs who campaign for reform of halal and kosher animal slaughter told to boost their security in the wake of murder of Sir David Amess
MPs backing reform of the law over kosher and halal animal slaughter have been told to boost their security in the wake of the murder of Sir David Amess.
Mail Online
Police investigating after Palace fans display banner at Newcastle match
The banner, depicting an image of the club's new Saudi Arabian owners, PIF, about to behead a magpie as faceless fans in the background sang: "We've got our club back," was unfurled by Palace supporters before the 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.
Guardian
Less religious teens, but why?
What precisely is that is prompting Generation Z to lose faith? Generation Z has persistently been the least religious generation throughout modern years.
This is local London
43 countries criticize China at UN for repression of Uyghurs
More than 40 mainly Western countries criticized China at a U.N. meeting on Thursday for the reported torture and repression of Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, keeping a spotlight on the region where foreign governments and researchers say an estimated 1 million people or more have been confined in camps.
Associated Press
Bangladesh's Hindus living in fear following mob attacks
"It was a pre-planned attack on the Hindu community," said Achinta Das, the head of the Hindu festival committee in Comilla town.
BBC
Islamic State claims responsibility for Kandahar mosque bombing, two Afghanistan nationals named
The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing on a Shiite mosque in southern Afghanistan that killed 47 people and wounded scores more.
ABC
Benin votes to legalise abortion
Parliamentarians in Benin have voted to legalise abortion in the West African country, where it was already authorised under restricted conditions.
France 24
Malaysian transgender entrepreneur Nur Sajat fled her home, family and business in fear for her life. Now she's safe in Australia
In January, the 36-year-old beauty entrepreneur was accused of insulting Islam, charges that could have seen her jailed for three years, most likely in a men's prison.
ABC
Rudd: Morrison should not be attacked for his faith. But he should tell us how it affects his politics
It's not unreasonable or intrusive for Australians to ask how Scott Morrison's religious faith impacts on his political behaviour and decision-making, writes former prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Crikey
Fri, 22 Oct 2021
‘Why the Catholic Church's approach to sex abuse survivors needs a fundamental reset’ – NSS vice president
Unless the Catholic Church now engages properly and empathetically with survivors, more legal battles await, and both legally and morally the Church will find itself on the losing side, says Richard Scorer.
The Tablet*
‘Europe is in a muddle over ritual slaughter’ – NSS mentioned
Religiously slaughtered meat should at least be clearly labelled so that the non-religious, as well as the devout, can follow their consciences, says NSS chief executive Stephen Evans.
The Economist*
Michael Forsyth explains why he had a change of heart on assisted dying
A long-term opponent of the "right to die" campaign, Forsyth now says he will support the Assisted Dying Bill – giving terminally ill people the right to legally seek help to die - which will have its second reading in the Westminster Parliament today.
The National*
‘Assisted Dying Bill is a humane end of life insurance policy’
Although modest, this bill would transform all our lives and deaths for the better, says Molly Meacher.
The Times*
Judge says £5m Catholic sex abuse claim can proceed
A man sexually abused by a Catholic monk has been given permission to continue a £5 million compensation action against his former school.
The Times*
Ali Harbi Ali charged with murder of David Amess
Nick Price, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "We will submit to the court that this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and ideological motivations."
BBC
Sex and relationship lessons ‘help pupils feel safe’
As well as the sex education lessons in secondary schools, relationships lessons are now compulsory in primary schools in England.
BBC
Pro-lifer hits campaigner with car outside clinic
A campaigner has been left stunned after she witnessed a pro-life supporter hit her friend with a car outside a sexual health clinic.
Edinburgh Evening News*
Woman's fear after getting handwritten Jehovah's Witness letter
The handwritten note from a Jehovah's Witness, seemingly only targeting her, asked her to consider the bible as a source of practical life advice.
The Argus
Vatican census shows Catholicism growing everywhere but Europe
"The increase applies to all continents, except Europe," which saw the number of Catholic faithful decrease by almost 300,000, the survey found.
The Washington Post*
More than 30,000 Polish women sought illegal or foreign abortions since law change last year
Tens of thousands have travelled to other European countries including England for legal terminations since near-total ban, campaigners say.
The Guardian
UN experts to Pakistan: Release man charged with blasphemy
Human rights experts working with the United Nations have asked Pakistan to quickly release a Christian man who was detained two years ago on alleged blasphemy charges.
The Independent
Thu, 21 Oct 2021
Right to give last rites should become law after Amess death, MP says
Catholic priests' right to give the last rites to the dying, including at crime scenes, should be enshrined in forthcoming legislation in the wake of the killing of David Amess, an MP has said.
The Guardian
Hate preachers face more time in jail under new tougher sentencing guidelines
Hate preachers face a crackdown as jail terms for encouraging terrorism are to be more than doubled from seven to 15 years under sentencing council guidelines to be announced on Wednesday.
The Telegraph*
‘Why are we so paralysed into not talking about Islamist terrorism?’
When faced with a possible murder in the name of Islamic fundamentalism, this country still struggles to find any way to respond to it, says Douglas Murray.
The Sun
Parents protest against sex education lessons outside East London school
Muslim parents worried about relationships and sex education lessons have marched outside the head teacher's office demanding to be heard, reports say.
My London
Faith leaders in joint stand against legalisation of assisted suicide
Faith leaders have come together to oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide ahead of a debate in Parliament.
Christian Today
‘Can’t we do better?’, asks peer behind Assisted Dying Bill
The death of a family member left "an indelible mark" on the life peer behind the new assisted dying legislation proposed in the House of Lords, she has revealed.
ITV
'No change on same-sex issues’ - priest's view on next five years at C of E General Synod
The Church of England is unlikely to be able to make significant changes to its stance on sexuality as a result of the latest elections to its General Synod, according to a priest in the Diocese of Canterbury.
Premier Christian News
‘They survived Paris terror attack to face agony, doubt’
Dozens of survivors from the Bataclan concert hall in Paris have testified in a specially designed courtroom for more than two weeks about the Islamic State group's attacks on Nov. 13, 2015.
The Independent
Disclaimer: Links are provided to external websites for information and in the interests of free exchange. We do not accept any responsibility for the content of those sites, nor does a link indicate approval or imply endorsement of those sites.
