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

  • The Gospel Coalition: What It’s Really Like for China’s Urban Christians by Matt Tyler
    November 2nd, 2016

    By the end of the 1970s, many predicted Christianity in China was over. Mao Zedong’s decade-long Cultural Revolution, they insisted, had effectively wiped out Chinese Christianity.

    They were wrong.

    Today, the most conservative estimates place the number of Christians in China around 70 million, with other estimates claiming tens of millions more. And, as Brent Fulton notes in his book China’s Urban Christians: A Light that Cannot Be Hidden, the 500 million who have flocked to China’s cities over the last three decades is partly responsible for the astounding growth of Christianity in the country’s cultural and political centers. 

    Read more. 

     

  • PinkNews: Director of Public Prosecutions: We are determined to take anti-LGBT hate crimes seriously
    November 1st, 2016

    Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales, writes for PinkNews as the Crown Prosecution Service undertakes a public consultation on its approach to homophobic and transphobic hate crime.

    Without question, laws which relate to the rights of gay and transgender people have undergone profound change in recent decades. Campaigners have rightly celebrated the huge strides made towards greater equality.

    Read more.

  • BBC: St Davids bishop vote considers women for first time
    November 1st, 2016

    St David's Cathedral could become the first Church in Wales site to elect a woman bishop as voting for a new incumbent begins.

    An electoral college of 47 people from across Wales will spend up to three days locked in the cathedral from Tuesday while they make their decision.

    The decision follows the retirement of Wyn Evans.

    Read more. 

  • Anglican Mainstream: Gospel, church and nation by Andrew Symes
    November 1st, 2016

    Recent articles give a variety of perspectives on evangelism and the Church’s relationship with contemporary culture.

    The C of E recently released the annual Statistics for Mission for 2015. The figures show continued decline in overall regular attendance at parish churches, although numbers for Christmas show a slight increase. In the view of the media, this serves as yet another reminder of the Church’s continued struggle to retain members and attract new ones.

    Read more. 

  • CMF Blogs: There are powerful financial vested interests rolling out NIPT for Down's Syndrome by Peter Saunders
    November 1st, 2016

    The government yesterday approved a new test for pregnant women that will make it much easier to detect and search out any babies with Down’s Syndrome (DS) (see previous CMF blog posts here, here, here and here).

    According to the BBC, the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) will be rolled out by the NHS from 2018.

    NIPT involves taking a sample of blood from the pregnant woman which is then examined for abnormal fetal DNA. It is called ‘non-invasive’ because it doesn’t involve ‘invading’ the mother’s womb. It therefore carries no risk of miscarrying a ‘normal’ pregnancy.

    Read more.

  • Guardian: Teach children about pornography before puberty, says Labour
    November 1st, 2016

    Children should be taught about the realities of pornography and online grooming before they reach puberty, when they will start accessing sexually explicit materials for themselves, the shadow women and equalities minister has said.

    Pupils as young as five need to start new age-appropriate relationship education to keep them safe from abusive relationships, according to a report by Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham, whose constituency was at the centre of a child sexual exploitation scandal.

    Read more.

  • Mail: Down's blood test approved despite doctors' backlash: Campaigners fear it could lead to more terminations
    November 1st, 2016

    Ministers have given the go-ahead for a new Down's syndrome test despite ethical concerns from almost 300 medics.

    The Government said yesterday that the non-invasive test is safer than those currently available and will help women 'make informed choices about their pregnancies'.

    But campaigners fear it could lead to more terminations – causing a generation with Down's syndrome to be 'wiped out'.

    Read more.

  • Christian Today: Evangelical Anglicans urged to 'stand up and be counted' over gay blessings
    November 1st, 2016

    A rallying cry for clergy opposed to same-sex relationships to "stand up and be counted" has been issued by the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC).

    Guarding the deposit argues all gay relationships are a "disorder" and will "attract the eternal judgement of God". The 19-page discussion document was sent to all CofE bishops and evangelical leaders earlier in October and published last week.

    The forthright statement comes as CofE bishops meet to discuss whether to offer some form of welcome or acceptance to gay couples in official liturgy.

    Read more.

  • Life Site: Airbnb tells customers they must pledge to respect 'gender identity,' sexual orientation
    November 1st, 2016

    Starting Tuesday, Airbnb users must sign a non-discrimination commitment affirming that they will treat guests and hosts "without judgment or bias" regardless of "sex, gender identity," and "sexual orientation." The peer-to-peer residence rental site released this new policy after facing accusations of racist users.

    Airbnb, which allows customers to rent out their homes short-term, told users, "If you decline the commitment, you won’t be able to host or book using Airbnb, and you have the option to cancel your account."

    Read more.

  • BHA: Legal appeal to overturn restrictions on Northern Irish access to NHS abortions
    November 1st, 2016

    The British Humanist Association (BHA) has submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court this week (Wednesday 2 November)  trying to overturn restrictions on access to NHS abortion services in England by Northern Irish women.

    The BHA has long campaigned for full legalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland and presented the court with evidence of the impact on women who face the limited choices of either unlawful and/or unsafe abortions or the financial stress and trauma involved in travelling to England for a legal abortion.

    Read more.