Kiwi Vicar to become Presbyterian minister
THE Revd Glynn Cardy, Vicar of St Matthew-in-the City, Auckland,
in New Zealand - which once displayed on a billboard an image of
Mary looking at a pregnancy test (News,
23 December 2011) (above) - is to leave in
October to become minister of the Community of St Luke's
Presbyterian Church in Remuera, a suburb of Auckland. The news was
announced to his congregation on Sunday.
Archbishop Okoh defends capital punishment
THE State should not bow to critics of capital punishment, the
Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Revd Nicholas Okoh, said on Tuesday
of last week. He told a press conference: "The law on capital
punishment for those who rightly deserve it should be enforced. . .
The government cannot abdicate from punishing crime in the name of
Amnesty International, or whatever." He was speaking after the
execution of four prisoners by the Edo State government, the first
known executions in the country since 2006.
Aasia Bibi in jail transfer in Pakistan
THE Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan
has been transferred to Central Jail, Multan. Aasia Bibi, a mother
of two, was sentenced in 2010 for allegedly insulting the Prophet
Muhammad (
News, 19 November 2010). The city of Multan is hundreds of
miles away from her home town, making family visits
difficult.
Canadians defer Covenant decision
THE General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has delayed
until 2016 a final decision on whether to accept the Anglican
Covenant. The approved motion asked the Anglican Communion Working
Group to monitor developments around the Covenant, which was
accepted by the Anglican Church in Hong Kong last month (News, 5
July).
Welby becomes Children's Society president
THE Archbishop of Canterbury - like his predecessors - has
become a president of the Children's Society, alongside the
Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu. Archbishop Welby's presidency would
"help to continue the already close and historic relationship
between the Church of England and the Children's Society", the
charity said.
Christian B&B owner to take case to Supreme Court
A CHRISTIAN B&B owner who was ordered to pay £3600 damages
for refusing to allow a gay couple access to a double room lost her
appeal on Tuesday (News, 7
December). A judge ruled in October that the hotelier, Suzanne
Wilkinson, had breached equality legislation by refusing to let a
double room to Michael Black and John Morgan (
News, 19 October). Mrs Wilkinson was granted permission to take
her case to the Supreme Court, however, where it will be heard on 9
October.