Anglican Mainstream

From the NSS

Children & Families Minister Tim Loughton MP has said that he is not convinced there is any need to regulate Britain's madrassas, despite clear evidence of abuse.

The Minister was responding to concerns expressed by the National Secular Society about child protection in Islamic schools. This followed a BBC investigation which revealed that over 400 allegations of physical abuse (and 30 of sexual abuse) were made at Britain's madrassas in the last three years. Only 10 cases went to court, and of these only two apparently led to convictions.

A senior prosecutor has suggested that these figures were likely to represent only the 'tip of an iceberg'. Nazir Afzal, the chief crown prosecutor for the North West of England, has commented that the figures represent "a significant underestimate".

UK madrassas are attended by more than 250,000 children from Muslim backgrounds every day for lessons on the Quran and Islamic culture.

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By Peter Saunders, CMF

Many people think that homosexuality is a biological characteristic like race or sex – biologically fixed and genetically determined.

They think this because this is the view that has been successfully propagated by the gay rights lobby for decades in order to provide a justification for arguing that ‘homophobia’ is a form of discrimination akin to racism or sexism.

This belief has also been behind moves to treat discrimination against 'practising' homosexuals as a human rights issue by pretending that homosexuals are a biological category like 'women' or 'asians' whose distinctive features are genetically determined rather than just a group who have simply made a certain life-style choice.

But in fact the strength and direction of erotic attraction, although relatively stable in some people, can be quite changeable in others – it is often not fixed at all.

Similarly identical twins often have different sexual orientations proving that, although sexual orientation may have some genetic influences, it is not genetically determined. There is, in other words, no such thing as the gay gene.

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Julian Mann

Church of England Newspaper 27 January

The agreed biblical agenda in the diocese of Jos, Nigeria, was the most inspiring and humbling feature for a visiting English Anglican.That is not to say that Jos Diocese does not face internal problems in addition to the constant threat to its churches from Islamist terrorism. During my visit to the diocese over the New Year, I would suggest that clergy overwork is an issue.

The ‘wholistic’ approach to mission – evangelism and church growth combined with development and community projects – is necessary but it would seem that the clergy are having to do it all.  The task of developing and employing godly and effective administrators is a significant challenge for the diocese.

But, despite this particular problem, I would contend that the agreed orthodox Anglican agenda for biblical evangelism, particularly amongst young people, is under God an essential engine of growth across the diocese.

On the final day on my visit, I asked the Bishop of Jos, Dr Ben Kwashi, also Archbishop of Jos Province, about the opportunities and challenges the diocese faces. ‘The opportunities far outweigh our capacity to cope,’ he said. ‘More and more young people are looking for answers to make life meaningful. The opportunities for community service are excellent and even more than that the opportunities for development. Politicians don't have the capacity for development. They never have – they develop themselves. But a sincere God-fearing heart will seek to develop other people.” Read the rest of this entry »

On Sunday the pastor, who has links to a controversial body called the Core Issues Trust, is due to be a guest preacher at St John's Church. The trust has enraged the gay community with its approach to homosexuality within society, including recommending therapy to change sexual orientation. Gay churchgoer Patrick Gillan, 56, from Knights Close in Pembury, objected to the planned appearance, saying: "Dr Reynolds is obviously involved with Core Issues, which is already a controversial organisation. "My main concern with Core Issues is that they are involved with therapy of some sorts and there is no explanation as to what this is."My fear is that the church will buy into this programme."

Dr Reynolds has insisted he just wants to improve relations between the church and the gay community. But Mr Gillan was sceptical, saying: "You don't come all the way from America to a church in Tunbridge Wells to tell Christians how to love a homosexual."

Vicar of St John's Church Giles Walter said: "Dr Reynolds had a free slot in his programme and we were asked whether we would like him to be our preacher this Sunday morning, and we said that we would be. "We are certainly aware of his link with the Core Issues Trust and we will listen carefully to what he has to say."

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By John-Henry Westen, LifeSite News

Yesterday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a non-binding resolution stating: “Euthanasia, in the sense of the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit, must always be prohibited.”

The purpose of the resolution, entitled “Protecting human rights and dignity by taking into account previously expressed wishes of patients”, defines the principles that should govern the practice of “living wills” or “advance directives” in the 47 States of the Council of Europe.

The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) welcomed the adoption of the PACE resolution. “This Resolution is a major victory for the protection of life and dignity,” said ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck.

Puppinck noted that because “living wills” or “advance directives” are open to abuses, and are a “backdoor” for introducing euthanasia or assisted suicide into legislation, PACE’s resolution was necessary.

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From The Christian Institute

A senior Roman Catholic has challenged the Home Secretary about the Government’s plans to redefine marriage.

Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark noted that civil partnerships already offer same-sex couples virtually all the rights of marriage.

He pointed out that when he met with Home Secretary Theresa May earlier this week she seemed unable to say why marriage should be redefined in light of that.
 
He said: “I suspect the Government hasn’t really thought out why the definition of marriage should be changed.”

The Government will launch a consultation about redefining marriage in the spring.

Archbishop Smith met Mrs May alongside William Fittal, secretary general of the Church of England.

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By John Smeaton, SPUC

The government should use its powers to stop TV advertising by commercial abortion centres. The question-and-answer briefing below will give you the information you need to help make this happen.

Q: What has happened?
A: This week the two bodies which draft the advertising code of practice made changes to allow “commercial post-conception advice services” – in reality, abortion clinics which earn income from performing abortions – to advertise on television and radio, in print and elsewhere. Pro-abortion organisations have welcomed the change; pro-life groups, some columnists and many ordinary people (some not pro-life) have objected to it. The change will come into effect on 30 April.

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From Catholic Culture

In an interview with Catholic News Service, Father Jeffrey Steenson discussed the challenges he faces as the leader of the recently established Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. The ordinariate was established for Anglican communities in the United States that wished to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church while retaining elements of the Anglican patrimony.

Father Steenson, who revealed that 30 additional Anglican clergymen have contacted him recently about possible entrance into the ordinariate, said that “we have to create a set of norms to govern it–I'm not a canon lawyer, but the canon lawyers call it particular law. None of that exists yet so that's what we've been working overtime on for the last month, just to try and create that.”

Additional challenges, according to Father Steenson, are offering accelerated theological formation for the former Anglican clergy who will be ordained for the ordinariate, deepening a sense of communion among the far-flung parishes of the ordinariate, and building relationships with local dioceses. “I've felt only a great sense of welcome from the Catholic bishops,” he said.

Asked what he might say to Pope Benedict when he has the opportunity, Father Steenson replied:

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From Baptist Press

The effort to redefine marriage nationwide could take a critical turn either way this year, with as many as four more states potentially legalizing gay "marriage" or as many as six states possibly voting to protect the traditional definition of marriage.

Gay activists also could reach one of their biggest goals: a first-ever victory at the ballot box.

All of the states involve legislatures or voter initiatives in what is shaping up to be the busiest year yet in the political battle over marriage's definition — even more so than 2004. During that year, 13 of 13 states voted to amend their constitutions to define traditional marriage during a year that saw a social conservative wave. But no legislature in 2004 was threatening to pass a gay "marriage" bill, as is the case this year.

Washington is one of those states.

"Ultimately the people will decide on marriage [in Washington]," said Joseph Backholm, executive director of the conservative Family Policy Institute of Washington, the state currently in the spotlight. "And in 31 out of 31 states, they've voted not to redefine marriage, and we don't expect that Washington will be any different."

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By Andrew Hough, Telegraph

The courts are endangering religious freedom because the judiciary are giving it a lower priority than equality, a leading philosopher has claimed.

Prof Roger Trigg of Kellogg College, Oxford, said that judges increasingly “curtail” the religious views of people in favour of other “social priorities”.
 
After studying a series of judgments throughout Britain, Europe and North America, he concluded there was a “clear trend” of judges favouring equality and non-discrimination over religious freedom.
 
Prof Trigg, a member of the university’s faculties of theology and philosophy, argued this was proof of how religion was coming under threat from the judiciary as part of a “hierarchy of rights”.
 
Prof Trigg, the founding President of the British Society for the Philosophy of Religion, said that as a result the courts were “limiting human freedom itself”.
 
“Religious freedom and the right to manifest religious belief is a central part of every charter of human rights,” he said on the eve of the launch of his book on Wednesday.
 
“But in recent years there has been a clear trend for courts in Europe and North America to prioritise equality and non-discrimination above religion, placing the right to religious freedom in danger.

“There should not be a hierarchy of rights, but it should be possible to take account of all of them in some way.”

He added: "No State can be a functioning democracy unless it allows its citizens to manifest their beliefs about what is most important in life."

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From Ancient Briton

By George Weigel, First Things

The Hebrew Bible is not for the squeamish. And its harshest maledictions are called down upon those who practiced the abomination of child-sacrifice.

Thus the Psalmist:

“They sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons/they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood./Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the harlot in their doings./Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage./… they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low because of their iniquity” (Psalm 106:38-40, 43).

And the prophet Ezekiel, delivering the word of the Lord:

“And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them?… Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you, and diminished your allotted portion, and delivered you to the greed of your enemies…” (Ezekiel 16:20-21, 27).

Thirty-nine years after Roe v. Wade created an unrestricted abortion license in the United States, and during the week when hundreds of thousands of Americans pray and march for life, all Americans ought to ponder these words—and the kind of country to which Roe v. Wade led.

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By Peter Saunders, CMF

[...]  This raises the question as to why some gay rights activists are seemingly unable to accept that marriage, as a special kind of relationship, is available for some people but not for others.

Introducing ‘same-sex marriage’ would confer almost no additional legal rights: same-sex couples have these already thanks to the Civil Partnership Act 2004. The President of the Family Division has even described civil partnerships as conferring ‘the benefits of marriage in all but name’.

There are differences in English law, between a marriage and a civil partnership, but these differences focus not on the rights they confer, but on the genders of the partners, the procedure and place where the partnership is formed, and the roles of consummation and adultery in making and breaking the relationship. This is because they are different types of relationship.

So when asked this week by Archbishop Peter Smith what additional rights marriage would give same sex couples that they did not have already under the Civil Partnership Act, Home Secretary Theresa May was not surprisingly unable to give an answer.

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By The Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, Telegraph

Though he ceased to be Archbishop of Canterbury nearly a decade ago, Lord Carey, as a life peer, is entitled to express his opinions on issues of national importance.
 
But the point of debate in Parliament is that we listen to each others views before making up our minds.
 
Many Peers last Monday were persuaded to support the Bishops’ amendment by the power of the arguments they heard.
 
This makes it all the more disappointing to me that Lord Carey was not present to hear them.
 
Yet much of what Lord Carey had to say this week accords with the views of the Bishops.

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By Steve Doughty, Mailonline

• Bishops will face a futher cut of a third in 2014
• Right Reverend John Packer, who led opposition to benefits cap, has home that was renovated at cost of £1m – and even has an outhouse for bats

Senior bishops have been ordered to cut the lavish costs of running their palaces and mansions by more than a quarter.

The spending cap, confirmed yesterday by Church of England officials, will be lowered by a further third from 2014.

The disclosure comes in a week that has seen five bishops lead a rebellion in the House of Lords against Coalition plans to cap the cost of benefits payments.

They are among the 44 diocesan bishops who are covered by the spending restrictions on accommodation, as are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The five bishops opposed a £26,000 cap on benefits, claiming it would disproportionately affect families with children and make them homeless.

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From Hampshire Chronicle

THE next Bishop of Winchester took a crucial step on the path to his enthronement.

Canon Tim Dakin was ordained as Bishop Tim Dakin at a service in St Paul’s Cathedral in London today.

In front of nearly 2,000 people he was ordained and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bishop Tim will be inaugurated and enthroned at a service in Winchester Cathedral on April 21.

Not sure how to translate English to American? Kevin and George offer their years of experience in interpreting MISC 1011. They also take a gander at the news of AMiA, PEAR, and Moving Forward. And then there is that HIstory thing.

By Thaddeus Baklinski, LifeSite News

Tens of thousands of pro-lifers gathered in front of San Francisco’s City Hall, and then filled the city’s main thoroughfare, walking about two miles down Market Street to the Embarcadero in the 8th Annual Walk for Life West Coast on January 21.

Estimates of how many walkers participated vary from 40,000 to 55,000. “The San Jose Mercury News says 50,000,” Gibbons Cooney, head of Walk For Life West Coast media relations told LifeSiteNews, “but I think more because our stationary video camera showed people passing solidly at the foot of Market Street for 1 hour & 10 minutes.”

Organizers said this year’s new route down Market Street made the event an even bigger success, providing more exposure for the Walk through the heart of San Francisco, with participants banging drums, playing guitars, chanting “We are pro-life,” and stopping all traffic for more than a mile.

Abortion rights protesters, who held their own rally called ‘West Coast Rally for Reproductive Justice,’ which was reportedly attended by about 80 people, briefly attempted to disrupt the Walk by pulling an orange plastic fence across Market Street, but police quickly removed the group of counter-protesters.

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Read also:  Censorship and the Mainstream Media by Bill Muehlenberg

and New York Times ignores March for Life for fifth year in a row: WaPo focuses on pro-aborts by John Jalsevac, LifeSite News