Skip to content

Archive site notice

You are viewing an archived copy of Christian Concern's website. Some features are disabled and pages may not display properly.

To view our current site, please visit christianconcern.com

In the News

  • James Cary: Why I forgot to be surprised at BBC religion appointment
    February 27th, 2017

    If you search hard enough for reaction to the news that Fatima Salaria, a muslim woman, has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Ethics and Religion, you will find some. The usual suspects have duly provided sufficient righteous indignation to prove that they're still paying attention.

    The Express headline reads: "BBC puts Muslim in charge of religious television shows". This ignores the fact the previous person "in charge of religious television shows" was also a Muslim, so this is the least interesting aspect of this story and an odd choice for a headline.

    Read more.

  • Magistrates to decide if Bristol street preachers 'crossed the line' when angry crowd formed
    February 27th, 2017

    Magistrates are deciding whether two Christian preachers 'crossed the line' when they were arrested in front of an angry crowd in Bristol city centre.

    Evangelicals Michael Overd, and Michael Stockwell are both accused of making religiously-aggravated public disorder after the controversial preachers took to Broadmead on July 6, last year.

    Overd, a 52-year-old from Creech St Michael, near Taunton in Somerset alongside American national Michael Stockwell, 50, from Selden, New York, both deny the offence.

    Read more.

  • Telegraph: Parents must prepare to have uncomfortable conversations about sexting, Culture Secretary says
    February 27th, 2017

    Parents must "face up to the dangers" of the internet and be prepared to have uncomfortable conversations with their children about sexting, the Culture Secretary has said.

    Karen Bradley has announced plans for a new 'Internet Safety Strategy' to make Britain the safest place in the World for children to access the internet.

    She said that it is "increasingly clear" that behaviours that are unacceptable in schools are being "tolerated or even encouraged online - sometimes with devastating consequences".

    Read more. 

  • Telegraph: Archbishop's QC friend 'allowed to commit abuse after evangelicals failed to report him'
    February 26th, 2017

    A barrister at the centre of a child abuse scandal committed a series of sickening assaults against young men after leading evangelical groups failed to report him to the police, it is claimed.

    John Smyth QC, a friend of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is accused of carrying out sadomasochistic attacks on boys he met at Christian camps in Britain and Zimbabwe.

    The assaults first came to light in 1982, when a victim attempted suicide after being summoned to a beating in the shed of Mr Smyth’s Winchester home.

    Read more. 

  • Telegraph: Cathedrals 'not too big to fail', Archbishop of Canterbury warns cash-strapped Guildford
    February 26th, 2017

    They have dominated Britain’s cities and dioceses for centuries and represent some of the country’s most impressive landmarks.

    However, the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned Britain’s cathedrals are not "too big to fail" as he confirmed the Church of England will not rescue Guildford Cathedral from financial collapse.

    Read more. 

  • Mail: Second Oldham headteacherclaims 'Trojan Horse' bullying
    February 26th, 2017

    A second headteacher from Oldham has spoken of alleged 'Trojan Horse' style bullying at a free school in the town.

    Fears over attempts to impose an Islamist ethos into British schools re-emerged in Greater Manchester last week when headteacher Trish O'Donnell claimed she was forced out of her job by 'intimidation'.

    Now Rick Hodge, who was due to be principal the Phoenix Free School in Oldham, has said he also suffered a 'campaign of harassment' by the school's Muslim co-founder.

    Read more. 

  • BBC: Dying Essex bishop backs gay marriage
    February 26th, 2017

    A terminally ill bishop has called on the Church of England to "immediately affirm" same sex marriages.

    The Right Reverand John Wraw, Bishop of Bradwell in Essex said the Church had got "the debate wrong" about sexuality.

    He said the Anglican Church had become hung up about same sex marriage when it should celebrate all stable relationships of fidelity.

    Read more.

  • Telegraph: Censorship concerns as European Parliament introduces 'kill switch' to cut racist speeches
    February 26th, 2017

    Press freedom organizations have raised concerns about censorship after Members of the European Parliament approved extraordinary measures to combat hate speech.

    MEPs granted the parliament's president authority to pull the plug on live broadcasts of parliamentary debate in cases of racist speech or acts and to purge offending video or audio material from the online system.

    Critics say the rules are vaguely worded and could be manipulated or used as a tool of censorship.

    Read more.  

  • Evening Standard: National Trust revives Soho's illicit 1920s gay clubs with new 'Queer City' tours
    February 26th, 2017

    The National Trust is set to showcase London's illegal gay venues from the 1920s and '30s with a new daily tour around Soho.

    More commonly associated with stately homes and gardens, the organisation is running the historic LGBTQ culture tours from Thursday until the end of March.

    The 90-minute trip takes in some of the buildings that once housed illicit gay clubs - including Shim Sham, Billie's and 25 Fitzroy Square – during a time when being openly gay frequently led to imprisonment.

    Read more. 

  • LBC: Are Muslims Doing Enough To Integrate In The United Kingdom?
    February 26th, 2017

    The Times has reported that plans are being drawn up to open Christian and other free schools in Muslim-dominated areas such as Oldham, Birmingham and Derby.

    Here LBC Presenter Maajid Nawaz gives his take on whether British Muslims are doing enough to integrate themselves. 

    He said: "Now the question of integration is something that I, you would assume, have a lot to say about. I do, I have some views."

    Read more.