Survey suggests ’64 per cent of UK Christians are broad evangelicals’
A survey commissioned by the Evangelical Alliance suggests that almost two thirds of practising Christians in the UK identify as evangelicals. Understanding UK Evangelicals is based on a survey of 8,407 people and was conducted by Whitestone Insight. 45 per cent identified as Christian and 64 per cent of this number identified as evangelical. The survey maps the definition of evangelicals according to identity and belief, with five groups from those who identify with the label, to those who are most committed, sharing core beliefs in the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, the centrality of the cross and the importance of faith in action. Adults under 35 are most likely to identify as evangelical, a third of the most committed are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and an estimated 60 per cent of evangelicals are male. Gavin Calver CEO of the Evangelical Alliance says: “It gives us real confidence that evangelicals will continue to shape the future of the church, and that the Evangelical Alliance will keep standing strong and speaking up on behalf of this vibrant movement.” The Church Times quotes Dr David Voas, emeritus professor of social science at UCL, who said the claim that two-thirds of practising Christians were evangelical was “rather tendentious” due to the difficulty of defining terms.
Bishop warns of impact of war on the environment
Bishop John Arnold, lead Catholic bishop for environmental Issues, has called on the church to reflect on the devastating impact of war on both people and the natural world. In a statement issued as the church enters the second half of the “Season of Creation”, he said that each month, the cycle of violence in the world seems to become ever-more intense with deaths in armed conflicts at their highest levels for a generation. But he warned that warfare destroys ecosystems, biodiversity, forests and water supplies, while leaving people displaced and unable to cultivate their land sustainably. He also highlighted the environmental damage caused by organised crime and illegal logging, and urged Christians to consider how their own choices can contribute to these problems, while pressing politicians to strengthen international institutions and work for peace. “We must never assume that changing our own hearts and our own behaviour will have no impact,” he said.
Board of Deputies meets Archbishop over Kairos document
Representatives from the Board of Deputies of British Jews have met the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace, to discuss Christian-Jewish relations in the UK and the ties of the Jewish people with Israel. In a statement, the Board of Deputies said they conveyed the concerns of the Jewish community relating to Dame Sarah Mullally’s recent visit to the Holy Land, and disquiet over the recent motion passed at the general synod, to “hear” the voices of Christians in the Holy Land written in the Kairos document. They spoke of their “cry from the heart” in a “time of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement unfolding before the eyes of the world”. In their statement, the Board said it welcomed the Church’s commitment to hear a wide range of perspectives from Israelis and Palestinian. The Board and the Archbishop agreed to continue dialogue to address how their communities can work to better understand and support one another.
Government urged to appoint anti Muslim hostility tsar
Hyphen Online reports that a senior Labour MP has urged the government to appoint Britain’s first anti-Muslim hostility tsar, six months after the role was announced. Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Rusholme, said there was a “clear need” for the appointment and called on ministers to “get on with it”. The role was created to oversee implementation of the government’s new definition of anti-Muslim hostility and advise schools, universities and public services. A Hyphen investigation found that only three of 10 NHS trusts approached had adopted the definition, while none of the 24 Russell Group universities or police forces contacted had done so. The government said all central government departments had adopted the wording, while acknowledging that hate crimes targeting Muslims are at a record high.
LDS church leader to speak on religion and US democracy at Washington Cathedral
President Dallin H Oaks, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, will deliver a keynote address at Washington National Cathedral today, on the subject “Faith, Freedom and the Common Good”. The President is the senior leader of the worldwide church and a former justice of Utah Supreme Court. His address will explore the relationship between religious faith and American democracy and is particularly significant because it takes place on the eve of Constitution Day, when the US marks the signing of the Constitution on 17 September 1787. Washington Cathedral is the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and is often described as the “national house of prayer” for the United States. Press statement here.
Awards for contributions to the Church of England
Awards recognising contributions to the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and wider society, have been presented at Lambeth Palace. Among the recipients were Paul Handley, the former editor of the Church Times; Canon Bev Jullien, recently retired chief executive of the Mothers’ Union; and a posthumous award to the Rev Dr Richard J Sudworth, for his work on reconciliation and interfaith cooperation. In all, 27 awards were presented. The full list is here.
Methodist church attracts 26,000 visitors to annual LEGO exhibition
A Methodist church in Llandudno has raised £10,000 and attracted more than 26,000 visitors to its annual LEGO exhibition, displaying Wales’ largest privately owned LEGO collection. It was on the theme “Care for Creation”, and featured a two-metre-high LEGO fir tree and models including a giant panda, four-foot eagle, goat and Mickey Mouse. Entry was free, but visitors made donations towards the church’s restoration work, which is expected to cost more than £300,000.
Dean defends deal with nightclub as chance to ‘cross over the threshold’
The Dean of St Pauls Cathedral, Andrew Tremlett, has defended the decision to go into partnership with the nightclub Fabric and host the Cinematic Orchestra in the nave. He told The Telegraph that it would give people who had never set foot inside the cathedral before, “the excuse to cross over the threshold.” He continued: “I would say these performances are an extension of our mission, which is to open doors. After that, it’s up to the work of God, the grace of the Holy Spirit, to do its work in people’s lives”. He said that first and foremost, St Paul’s is a place of worship: “Worship is absolutely central to what we are.”
Canada’s lone religion reporter highlights value of Religion Media Centre bulletins
For years, Canada has had just one dedicated religion reporter in mainstream media – John Longhurst, who writes for the Winnipeg Free Press. And as he moves towards retirement, he has paid the Religion Media Centre a generous compliment, publishing an article on how he has subscribed to the RMC’s daily news bulletins for a number of years and has relied on us to help him stay abreast of news about religion around the world. His description of the challenges facing religion reporting in Canada mirrors this country. Most journalists, he says, know little about religion, while coverage has declined since the 1990s and financial pressures have led to cuts to specialist “soft” beats. Yet he argues that reporting Canada in the 21st century, entails understanding that spirituality and religion continue to be important, that religion is part of the newcomers’ experience, and that Christian motivation is often behind front line social action and political activism. Since the 7 October Hamas attack, amid growing tension between Muslim and Jewish communities, he says the need for reporting religion has never been greater. John is retiring but will continue as a freelance reporter. Meanwhile his role on the Winnipeg free press has been taken by Josiah Neufeld in a partnership scheme, partly paid for by donations. We’d love to hear from other Canadians, and journalists in other countries, about how you use our daily bulletins and how we can support each other.
