Newsline 15 July 2016

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Join the National Secular Society in celebrating 150 years of challenging religious privilege with a very special anniversary conference on Saturday 3 September.

A great line-up of speakers will discuss the role of secularism in diverse societies and debate some of the challenges facing secularism in modern Britain.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to hear some of today's finest advocates for secularism examine a broad range of topical issues, including the tensions between Islam and secular democracy, the role of religion in schools and religious threats to universal human rights.

Tickets for an evening gala dinner are available separately, priced £80.

If you would like to join the National Secular Society or if you need to renew your membership you can do so here – and there is a discounted conference ticket price available to our members!

	NSS criticise Church plan to open 125 new free schools News \| Mon, 11 Jul 2016 The Church of England is planning to bid for control of more than one quarter of the new free schools announced by the Government.
	Cruelty was normalised at Church of England children’s home, says report News \| Thu, 14 Jul 2016 An independent review into Kendall house, a children's home run by the Church of England, has reported "harrowing" findings where girls were sedated and abused.
	Defend Free Speech coalition challenge government failure over extremism orders News \| Wed, 13 Jul 2016 Security minister Karen Bradley MP has faced strong criticism in a letter from the Defend Free Speech coalition, following her appearance before the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
	NSS: New Government must act to outlaw caste discrimination News \| Tue, 12 Jul 2016 The National Secular Society is calling on the new government to legislate to outlaw caste discrimination, as directed by Parliament and the United Nations.

NSS Speaks Out

This week we were quoted in the Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Independent and in specialist and some international news outlets about the Church's bid to take control of 125 new free schools, and our executive director Keith Porteous Wood was quoted by the Express and Telegraph on the Church's report on historic abuse in a Church-run children's home.

Essays of the Week

Nice is a very different city to Paris or Lyon – and a clever choice for igniting race war
John Lichfield, Independent.

The challenges posed by polygamy in the West
Yasmin Rehman, Open Democracy.

If the Conservative party's doing God again, what sort of God is it?
Andrew Brown, Guardian.

Secularism in a democratic society: Republic Convention

Sat, 16 Jul 2016

Maryam Namazie: Apostasy, Blasphemy and Resistance to Islamism

Sun, 17 Jul 2016

Robbie Travers: Islam and Islamism

Sun, 24 Jul 2016

NSS 150th anniversary conference - Secularism 2016: living better together

Sat, 03 Sep 2016

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