Theresa May gives backing to hate-crime awareness
THE Prime Minister has given her support to Hate Crime Awareness Week, saying that Britain must stamp out “sickening and shameful hate crime”. In a statement released last week, Theresa May said that everyone must be free to follow whatever faith they wished. She highlighted recent reforms such as a £2.4-million fund to keep places of worship safe, and changes that meant that the police were recording more details on religious hate crimes. “But we must go further. As long as hate crime exists, we must challenge ourselves to do more,” she said.
New business network to tackle poverty together
BRITISH firms are being urged to join Christian Aid’s new SALT business network of companies committed to reducing poverty around the world. The network seeks to encourage businesses to become more sustainable, and to support entrepreneurs in developing countries through a special Christian Aid fund. The initiative was launched on Tuesday in London as one means by which the charity hopes to contribute to meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (News, 2 October 2015).
CARE sounds alarm on teenage girls’ body worries
THE Christian advocacy group CARE has declared that access to pornography should be curbed to protect teenagers, especially girls. The group has highlighted an Australian study that suggested that 35 per cent of doctors had seen girls under 18 requesting labiaplasty — genital cosmetic surgery. The doctor who led the study said that pornography was a key factor behind the attitudes that led to the request. The chief executive of CARE, Nola Leach, insisted that age-verification checks be legally required for all pornography websites.
Methodist minister to be college Principal
THE London School of Theology has announced that its next Principal will be the Revd Dr Calvin Samuel, Academic Dean of St John’s College, Durham. Dr Samuel, a Methodist minister who was born in Barbados, has also taught at Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, and the London Business School.
Durham Cathedral on the lookout for First World War photos
RELATIVES of men who fought in the Battle of the Somme or the Battle of Jutland — both of which took place in 1916 — have been asked to come forward with photos of the men for an art installation at Durham Cathedral. For this year’s Festival of Remembrance concert, an annual event in the cathedral, it is hoped to include a roll-call with photos. Those with photos to offer are asked to email catherine.hodgson@durhamcathedral.co.uk by 4 November.
Library’s future secure at re-launched theological college
THE Magnet Library in Hastings is to be moved to become part of the new St Augustine’s College of Theology at Malling Abbey, in Kent. The Library was originally founded by Mother Agnes Mason and the Community of the Holy Family in St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings. But from January it will be available at St Augustine’s, the new name and location for the South Eastern Institute of Theological Education. It will be available for not only students there, but also clergy and laity of the dioceses of Chichester, Rochester, Canterbury, and Southwark.
Canadian Anglican to be Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge
THE University of Cambridge has nominated Dr Stephen Toope, who has served on a number of bodies in the Anglican Church of Canada, as its Vice-Chancellor. If the university’s governing body approves, he will begin his new post in a year’s time. He is currently director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs, and has chaired the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund Committee.
Corrections: the George Bell petition will be presented to Lambeth next Wednesday, 19 October, and not as we stated last week. Also, the relaxed attitude to blasphemy on television was a finding from commissioned research, and not the view of Ofcom. We apologise for these errors.