Category - humanist

First Hindu school stokes debate on faith and education

staff writers — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:39:39 +0100

Accord, a new coalition promoting inclusive education and seeking the reform of faith schools policy, has expressed reservations over the opening of the Krishna-Avanti School in Edgware, the first publicly-funded Hindu school in Britain.

Moral practice and non-belief

Giles Fraser — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:59:17 +0100

Atheists are often criticising the ethics of religious belief, says Giles Fraser. But do they base their own moral practice too much on what they are against?

Does religion have to be the enemy?

staff writers — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:11:54 +0000

Start: 23/01/2008 - 19:30

End: 23/01/2008 - 21:00

A discussion meeting of the Oxford Secular Society, open to people of all persuasions, with Simon Barrow, co-director of the think-tank Ekklesia.

Against the gods, religious and otherwise

Mark Vernon — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 09:21:33 +0000

The non-religious as well as the religious fight amongst themselves, Mark Vernon observes. But in questioning, they are all the better for it, provided that plural thoughtfulness can overcome intolerant rationalism.

Newspaper calls for non-religious voices on radio faith slot

staff writers — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 08:04:24 +0000

The Guardian newspaper has joined a growing list of people calling on the BBC to open its Radio 4 Thought for the Day slot to non-religious as well as religious voices. TFTD is broadcast on the flagship Today programme at 07.50 each day.

Teachers' guidelines on science and religion teaching

Press Office — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:54:17 +0100

Simon Barrow, co-director of the UK Christian think-tank Ekklesia, has welcomed the government's new guidelines which prohibit teaching creationism and 'Intelligent Design' in science classrooms, b

Gordon Brown and the language of faith

Simon Barrow — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:38:41 +0100

One of the more intriguing aspects of Gordon Brown's first Labour party conference speech as serving prime minister was his decision to use consciously biblical language as part of his argument against those employing religious rhetoric to oppose his family policy.

Gordon Brown and religious rhetoric

Simon Barrow — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:21:11 +0100

One of the more intriguing aspects of Gordon Brown's first Labour party conference speech as serving prime minister was his decision to use consciously biblical language

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.

BBC launches major new TV show on belief and ethics today

staff writers — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 01:54:41 +0100

The BBC is launching a new major TV programme called The Big Questions this weekend. Its aim is to move the discussion of diverse beliefs and ethics out of a narrow 'religion' bracket, and to respond creatively to the debates taking place in modern Britain.