Religious education in schools 'under threat'
Changes to GCSE league tables combined with moves to limit the role of local councils risks undermining the subject's place in the English education system, it is claimed. In a letter to The Daily Telegraph today, leading Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs call for urgent reforms to stop RE effectively disappearing from the classroom. The comments come just weeks after a major study revealed thousands of secondary schools were already axing lessons for older pupils – flouting legislation that demands all children should be taught RE until at least aged 16. A quarter of schools fail to provide the subject for 14 to 16-year-olds, it emerged, with around a third planning to drop it next year. In Monday’s letter, religious groups blamed the trend on the Coalition’s new ‘English Baccalaureate’ – a school-leaving certificate that rewards progress in traditional academic subjects. (See also Prayer Alert Issue 26-2011)
Pray: for the Government to recognise the importance of retaining RE in the schools' curriculum. (Dt.4:9)
Religious Christmas cards disappear from shops
Nativity scenes or references to the Bible story feature on fewer than one in 25 cards, according to a survey by The Sunday Telegraph. Christian groups said the findings were ‘disappointing’ and blamed the situation on 'political correctness'. The survey of more than 2,100 card designs in four stores – WHSmith, Marks & Spencer, Clinton Cards and Paperchase – found only 82 featured any religious reference. Most instead depicted Christmas trees, Father Christmas or non-religious messages such as 'Season's Greetings'. The baby Jesus was shown on only 13 cards – less than one per cent of the total. Other cards reflected changes in modern family relationships. One said: ‘For a special son and partner sending you love and happy wishes at Christmas time.’ Stephen Green, national director of the evangelical organisation Christian Voice, said: ‘This is another sign of the impact of political correctness and how Christ is being split from Christmas’.
Pray: that God would use His people to speak up for our faith in the marketplace. (2Cor.1:21-22)
Religion told to halt weddings over gay rights
The future of traditional Indian weddings in Britain is in doubt because of the fallout from gay marriage passing into law, it has emerged. Sikh temples have been advised to halt all civil marriage ceremonies on their premises to protect them from possible legal challenges for refusing to conduct same-sex weddings. It is the first example of a religious group altering its marriage practices to avoid potential litigation based on equalities or human rights law. Other groups, including the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church and the orthodox Jewish organisation United Synagogue, also resisted the legislation, but they have not indicated that they will go as far as to surrender their marriage licences. Lord Singh, the director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, told the House of Lords that he feared opponents of same-sex marriage would be “coerced” into accepting the new legal definition of marriage. The network also advised members that it believes faith groups could end up being “bullied” into conducting same-sex marriages.
Pray: for all faiths groups to be able to be free to conduct marriages according to their beliefs and not feel pressured to abandon marriage services.. (Ps.25:21)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10192578/Religion-told-to-halt-weddings-over-gay-rights.html
Religion needs a new image
Former Met chief Lord Ian Blair speaking at the annual lecture of theology think tank Theos warned that violence, infighting and abuse are obscuring much of the good that people of faith are doing today. The former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police warned that people were not always aware of the achievements brought about by religion because of some of the crimes committed by people of faith as well as internal conflicts, for example within his own Anglican Church. Lord Blair, a practising Anglican, went on to say that Islam had been ‘demonised’ by the acts committed by extremists and that to most people, faith appeared ‘irrelevant, clannish, prejudiced, old-fashioned and violent’. He believed religion was still principally a force for good and the acts of charity and love by people of faith should be and remain the glue that permits modern society to exist. Pray: for Lord Blair and other ‘high profile’ Christians to continue to speak out for truth humility and justice in our society. (Ps.45:4) More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/religion.needs.a.new.image.says.former.met.chief/27093.htm
Religion more important in poor countries
Surveys conducted by Gallup in 2009 revealed that religion plays a greater role in the daily lives of people in poor countries than those in wealthy countries. The number of adults worldwide who say religion is an important part of their day remains high, at 84 per cent. The surveys, which looked at 114 countries, found a strong link between religiosity and a country’s socioeconomic status, with each of the most religious countries having a per-capita GDP of less than $5,000. In the UK, just 27% agreed that religion was important to their daily life, placing it in the bottom 10 alongside Russia (34%), France (30%), Hong Kong and Japan at 24%, Denmark (19%) and Sweden at (17%). There were 10 countries and regions where at least 98% of people said religion was important to their daily life, including Bangladesh, Niger, Yemen, Indonesia, Malawi and Sri Lanka where the figure was 99%. Pray: for the richer nations - that their peoples’ poverty of spirit may be filled with your presence. (Job 3:20)
Religion 'no longer fits in with modern day life'
A Church of England study found church attendance in the UK has fallen by 50% over the past 40 years, and Reverend Canon Dr Jeni Parsons, from Gloucester thought congregations were falling because of huge pressure, ‘Pressure to get money to pay the mortgage or rent, pressure to get their children to football, or simply to work on Sundays.' she said, ‘People's lives are so different that we have to make our church available when they're ready, not when we're ready.’ She added Sunday morning service attendance is low, but ‘very big’ for baptisms, weddings and funerals.
Pray: for God to equip and enable His church to relevantly meet the spiritual and emotional needs of 2011 in the British Isles. (Mt.5:16)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-14395228