Canterbury on hate crimes; York on Jubilee debt; Research finds Christians not offended by jokes about Jesus
Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement to mark the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Week
The Archbishop has spoken about how hate crime ‘should have no possible place in a society that respects the dignity of all’ in a statement to mark the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Week he said:
“Hate crime is a fundamental challenge to an individual’s dignity and identity. As such it should have no possible place in a society that respects the dignity of all; and it should find no possible justification in any kind of religious belief.
“Christian faith has at its core the conviction that God values each of us infinitely; and it should spur us on to combat hatred and prejudice wherever we encounter them. My prayers are with you as you gather to remember all those who have been affected in any way by hate crimes. I share your hope that with vigilance and solidarity we may work together for a society free from such outrages.”
An act of remembrance for the victims of hate crime will be held in St Paul’s Cathedral, this Saturday, 13 October at 6.30pm. The service is being supported by 17-24-30, an organisation founded to support the victims of the London nail bomb attacks in 1999.
Archbishop of York: “A Jubilee must tackle injustice everywhere”
Guardian – The Archbishop of York writes that “only far-reaching changes to the global economy will stop the burden of debt falling on the poorest in our societies”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/09/unjust-debt-heart-inequality-jubilee?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Research on Jokes about Jesus
Telegraph – Research has been published finding that the majority of British Christians would not be offended by jokes about Jesus, and agree that freedom of speech should not be restricted even if it offended against deeply held religious convictions. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9597207/Christians-not-offended-by-Jesus-jokes-poll.html