‘Affirming’ LGBTQ+ resources published
THE Student Christian Movement (SCM) and OneBodyOneFaith have published a new resource for church communities that wish to give more support to LGBTQ+ Christians. The three-session course, “How To Be A Good Christian Ally”, is the first in the Affirming Christianity series led by the SCM. It explores ideas of allyship in both the Bible and the Church, as well as stories from LGBTQ+ Christians. The chief executive of SCM, the Revd Naomi Nixon, said on Wednesday: “We believe that the future of the Church is affirming. Campaigning to get there is important, but we also need to prepare for that future.” The course is available to purchase as a booklet with downloadable videos from: movement.org.uk/affirmingchristianity
Spurgeon’s College awarded TEF Gold
SPURGEON’S COLLEGE, the Baptist Bible college in south London, has been awarded triple Gold — the highest accolade — in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), it announced on Tuesday. The college is one of only 26 universities and colleges in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge, to have been awarded the triple TEF Gold, and the only theological college to receive a Gold award. The TEF is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS), an independent regulator. Last year, Spurgeon’s secured Full Degree Awarding Powers from the OfS after an assessment by the Quality Assurance Agency (News, 27 May/3 June 2022). Professor Sir Leslie Ebdon, an Academic Governor of the College, said: “This is an extraordinary achievement.”
RC bishop sends Laudate Deum to Sunak
THE lead bishop for environmental issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Rt Revd John Arnold, has appealed to the Prime Minister to take action on the climate crisis and to champion existing efforts by the Roman Catholic Church and civil society. The Bishop enclosed with his letter, dated 24 October, a copy of Pope Francis’s recent Apostolic Exhortation on the crisis, Laudate Deum (News, 6 October). The letter asks the Government to assume a “real global leadership role” to ensure that commitments made at future COP meetings are kept — particularly at COP28 in Dubai, next month.