Category - religious

Leading nun says nonviolence must be restored to the core of faith

staff writers — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:55:41 +0100

Women of faith have a special calling to restore religion’s principles of nonviolence in a conflicted world, Sister Joan Chittister has told more than 2,000 women at a gathering in the USA.

Scouts' honour questioned over its exclusion of the non-religious

staff writers — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:26:35 +0000

Two leading organisations speaking for the concerns of non-religious people in the UK have challenged a major youth organisation over its exclusion of non-believers, in spite of its repeated claims to be open and inclusive.

Sikhs continue to press French President and Indian PM on turban issue

staff writers — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:50:01 +0000

United Sikhs, a UN affiliated international advocacy NGO, joined other civil rights organizations over the weekend in asking Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to discuss the Sikh turban issue in France with President Sarkozy.

New church report argues the case for chaplains in higher education

staff writers — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:27:41 +0000

A new report commissioned by the Church of England says that university and college chaplains are making an important contribution to educational life and calls on Higher Education Institutions and the government to back them.

Religious public service providers questioned by new report

staff writers — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:33:37 +0000

Proposed public service reforms by the UK government risk discrimination against employees and service users, together with negative effects on social cohesion, says a new report today - focussing on the role of faith-based providers.

We need fully inclusive chaplaincies

Andrew Copson — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:51:11 +0100

Chaplains in the public sphere can play an important role in offering spiritual and pastoral support, says Andrew Copson. But they must be open to all, including the non-religious, who are unfairly marginalised in current arrangements.

Critics concerned about government elevation of faith schools

staff writers — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:34:42 +0100

Protests from secular and teaching groups have met an announcement by the government that many more faith-based schools are to be brought into the state-funded sector with a pledge to remove "unnecessary barriers" to religious groups.

Losing our (radio) religion?

Simon Barrow — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:39:59 +0100

Simon Barrow suggests that how the churches see their engagement with culture, including spaces like the BBC's Thought for The Day, is shaped by the question about how God has been turned into an artefact under Christendom.

Why we need to rid ourselves of the 'god of the slots'

Simon Barrow — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:15:44 +0100

The church looking for ‘God slots’ in relation to culture is like religion seeking a ‘God of the gaps’ in relation to science: a huge mistake. The Gospel points us elsewhere.

Spotting true religion

Simon Barrow — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 09:57:22 +0000

God-gabbling is easy. A holy disposition towards life isn't.