Gove welcomes Church School of Future report in Commons; Gove urges church to extend role in education; Consultation on charity tax plan; Dean of Newcastle adds voice of concert over government VAT plans; Archbishop of Wales petitions against “heritage tax”; Dominic Lawson: It’s a myth that the rich profit from donating to charity; British Library buys £9m gospel; When religion and spirituality collide
Gove welcomes Church School of Future report in Commons
C of E media – Education Secretary Michael Gove replied to Tony Baldry, Second Church Estates Commissioner, about the Church School of Future report, during Commons Question time
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/04/michael-gove-welcomes-church-school-of-future-report.aspx
Gove urges church to extend role in education
Telegraph.co.uk – The Church of England has been urged to establish a new generation of academies after Michael Gove said he wanted to ‘extend’ its role in educating children. The Education Secretary backed an increased role after a review by the Bishop of Oxford which …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/9207916/Gove-urges-church-to-extend-role-in-education.html
Consultation on charity tax plan
BBC – Downing Street says there are “various options on table” to limit the tax relief on charitable donation and ministers want to “get the balance right”.
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17724415 >
Dean of Newcastle adds voice of concert over government VAT plans
ACNS – The Very Reverend Chris Dalliston, Dean of Newcastle has added his voice to an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing huge concerns over his announcement in the recent budget to remove VAT exemptions for alteration to listed buildings. The letter published in the Sunday Times on 15/4/12 and signed by 23 Deans from around the UK expressed deep concern about the proposal and its impact on the future of our Cathedrals an our heritage generally. Commenting on the reason for the open letter Chris Dalliston said: “For Newcastle’s St Nicholas Cathedral in the midst of a £3million project to make the Cathedral fit for purpose for the 21st century this represents a huge blow. We have raised the funds via our own efforts and through a recent Heritage Lottery Fund award to rewire the Cathedral and renew our lighting. An additional 20% added to our expenditure requirements could derail plans to install decent heating, improve access and reorder the nave of the Cathedral not only for worship but for concerts , exhibitions and other cultural activities.
http://www.aco.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2012/4/17/Dean-of-Newcastle-adds-voice-of-concert-over-government-VAT-plans
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cathedrals.3m.renovation.threatened.by.vat.charge/29692.htm
Archbishop of Wales petitions against “heritage tax”
ACNS – The Archbishop of Wales is urging the Government to reconsider a tax change to property warning it could threaten the future of some of Wales’ most important buildings.
In a letter to the Chancellor, George Osborne, Dr Barry Morgan says that plans to axe the zero rate of VAT on alternations to listed buildings will jeopardise many church projects and have a significant impact on local communities.The Church in Wales estimates the change could cost its parishioners an extra £800,000 a year – 20% of the cost of work carried out. It owns nearly 1,000 listed churches including 29% of the Grade 1 buildings of Wales. It is urging people to sign an e-petition calling on the Chancellor to bring back zero rate VAT and to raise the matter with their local MP.
http://www.aco.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2012/4/17/Archbishop-of-Wales-petitions-against-heritage-tax
Dominic Lawson: It’s a myth that the rich profit from donating to charity
The Independent – When the Church of England accuses the Government of “carpet-bombing” England’s historic places of worship, there are only two possibilities. Either our warplanes have been misdirected, in which case heads must definitely roll at the Ministry of …
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-class-warfare-in-the-age-of-philanthropy-stop-bashing-rich-people-who-give-to-charity-7648269.html
British Library buys £9m gospel
BBC – The British Library raises £9m to buy the 7th Century St Cuthbert Gospel – the earliest surviving intact European book – for the nation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17732310
When religion and spirituality collide
Washington Post (blog) – Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the leader of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, recently announced that he would step down by year’s end. A few days later, the Church of England rejected a Williams-backed unity plan …
onpost.com/national/on-faith/when-religion-and-spirituality-collide/2012/04/16/gIQABv56LT_story.html