Italy: protests and debates on same-sex unions
05 Feb 2016
Thousands of people rallied in Rome on Saturday against a proposed bill giving gay couples legal recognition and adoption rights. Organisers estimated that two million had attended from across Italy for the ‘Family Day’ rally, which featured conga-dancing Catholic priests. Last Thursday parliament began considering proposals to give heterosexual and homosexual partnerships rights, including being allowed to adopt each other’s children and to inherit their partner's pensions. Last week, Pope Francis entered the debate, defending traditional marriage as ‘the family God wants’. Hence this rally was named ‘Family Day’ as opposed to rallies across Italy last week demanding legal recognition for same-sex couples. Italy is the last major Western nation not to give legal recognition to same-sex couples. Many of those attending the rally held up banners saying ‘It is wrong even if it becomes law’. See also:
Official prayers for Queen's 90th birthday
05 Feb 2016
The Queen has a strong Christian faith and in recent years has displayed it more openly. In June she will become Britain's longest-reigning monarch, and her 90th birthday is on 21 April. The country is expecting to celebrate these events with special church services and street parties. Two prayers approved by the Queen herself have been published by the Church of England, to be used in services marking these national celebrations. The modern version of one says, ‘Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, receive our heartfelt thanks for all that You have given her in these 90 years and for all that she has given to her people. Continue, we pray, Your loving purposes in her, and as You gather us together in celebration, unite us also in love and service to one another; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Two graces have also been published for use at the start of more local celebrations such as street parties.
Gay cake appeal postponed
05 Feb 2016
There is a potential conflict between Northern Ireland and European law on discrimination as the attorney general has halted a gay cake appeal hearing. The appeal was made by Ashers Baking Company, a Christian-run bakery who refused to bake a cake embellished with a pro-gay marriage slogan. But it was adjourned on Wednesday, following an intervention by Northern Ireland’s attorney general, John Larkin QC, raising legal issues regarding discrimination and equality legislation. He made a last-minute request to make representations in the case about any potential conflict between Northern Ireland’s strict equality legislation and European human rights laws. The case has been rescheduled for 9 May and will involve arguments about whether or not the local attorney general can become involved in the case, and also about the compatibility of the regulations with European human rights law.
An EU referendum
05 Feb 2016
The EU referendum is likely to be four months away. Some say the Prime Minister is depriving the Out campaign of time to organise themselves into a credible opposition. Others say an early date is to limit the potential for unexpected events - an economic crisis, terrorist attack, Brussels scandal. Whatever the reason, there is now a draft agreement between the UK and the EU which will be presented to EU members, paving the way for an early vote. Less than a third of Conservative MPs and as few as five cabinet members will endorse withdrawal. Theresa May’s support for Cameron’s deal leaves Boris Johnson as the only front-rank Conservative who could yet oppose him. Tory MPs on both sides speak of their desire to avoid a rerun of the 1990s Maastricht debates when the prospect of election defeat encouraged rebellion.
Netflix introduces televangelist shows
05 Feb 2016
Alongside programmes like ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and ‘House of Cards’, Netflix now offers users another type of content - Christian sermons. The online video streaming service has added lectures by four popular Christian pastors. Many believe that some of the most powerful sermons only reach as far as the church door and do not touch the public. Preachers using Netflix to share the love of God hope to bring Christianity to the popular media in whatever forms technology provides, saying that Jesus was the most creative communicator in history and that we should take a page from his instruction-book and be the most creative entity in the universe.
Age UK faces probe over energy ‘deals’
05 Feb 2016
Age UK has warned that pensioners are struggling to heat their homes, but it appears that the charity earns £6million a year promoting expensive energy deals. Energy regulators will investigate claims that Age UK unfairly pushed pensioners into taking out more expensive energy tariffs with E-ON on a rate that was £245 a year more expensive than the cheapest available. Last year, more than 150,000 customers were on the higher rate. In return for promoting the rate E-ON gave Age UK a commission of £10 per customer. The charity ‘strongly rejects’ the interpretation of figures. While it is perfectly legal to accept commissions, the regulator takes a harsh line on any hint that customers have been misled.
‘Caring for the environment is not an optional extra’, the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams said at the launch of a scheme to encourage churches to prioritise green concerns. He said that looking after God’s creation was inextricably part of all Christians’ responsibility to their brothers and sisters worldwide, especially those living in poverty. The Eco Church initiative is backed by the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, Christian Aid, Tearfund and others who question whether we want to pass on a liveable world to our children and grandchildren. Some in the Church would argue that they could not afford the time or money to consider ecological concerns. Lord Williams’s response is that we cannot afford not to. The Eco Church website provides a survey to see how environmentally aware churches are in areas of worship, teaching, buildings, land, community and lifestyle. See also
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested in 2010 under a Swedish-issued European arrest warrant for the crime of rape. He claimed asylum inside the Ecuadorian embassy, after the UK Supreme Court ruled that he should be deported to Sweden on charges of sexual molestation. Today, a UN panel has stated that Assange is being arbitrarily detained; he should be allowed to go free and compensated. However, the Foreign Office say that the panel’s ruling is not binding, and it intends to contest it formally. Previous such rulings have gone against countries with some of the world's worst human rights records, such as Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and Egypt. So this decision against Sweden and Britain in favour of Mr Assange is controversial.