Dr Sentamu: gay marriage plans are for ‘emotional need’ not righting injustice; Society ’sanctioning violence’ against elderly warns Cardinal Cormac; UK parliamentarians hear plight of Christian women; Women bishops: do not amend the current draft legislation; Money becomes new church battleground; Bishop slams ‘usurious’ payday loans
Dr Sentamu: gay marriage plans are for ‘emotional need’ not righting injustice
Telegraph – Plans to introduce same-sex marriage have only been tabled to meet an “emotional need” not to right an injustice, the Archbishop of York argues .
Dr John Sentamu insists that changing the definition of marriage would diminish its meaning for the majority while achieving “little if anything” for homosexual rights.
It comes as he set out his views in detail for the first time following a storm of controversy over a Daily Telegraph interview in which he first voiced opposition to a change in the law.
He received a flood of correspondence including some racist abuse and even saw protests outside York Minster after the interview in January in which he argued that it was not for the state to redefine marriage.
He was the first senior cleric to comment publicly on the plans which are now the subject of a Government consultation.
In a detailed response paper, published yesterday, the Archbishop argues that civil partnerships, introduced in 2004, should be allowed to establish themselves before any further change in the law is considered.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9270941/Dr-John-Sentamu-gay-marriage-plans-are-for-emotional-need-not-righting-injustice.html
Society ’sanctioning violence’ against elderly warns Cardinal Cormac
Telegraph – The whole of society is guilty of “sanctioning violence” against the elderly by everyday prejudices, viewing them as an expensive burden, England’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric has warned.
In a rare public intervention, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said that there was a “subtle and silent” process of “dehumanising” older people at work through common attitudes.
He said a loss of “reverence” for humanity meant that some of the most vulnerable people in society are now routinely viewed as a “problem” or “threat”.
And he said that political decisions to cut back on vital care services amounted to denying older people’s fundamental right to life.
The Cardinal retired as Archbishop of Westminster, and leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, three years ago.
He remains the senior Cardinal in the British Isles and, alongside Cardinal Keith O’Brien in Scotland, he is a voting member of the body which will chose the next Pope – a position he will relinquish later this year when he turns 80.
In a wide-ranging lecture at Leicester’s Anglican Cathedral, he spoke of a “deep unease” in western society, the importance of the family unit, religious freedom and questions such as assisted suicide
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/9270539/Society-sanctioning-violence-against-elderly-warns-Cardinal-Cormac-Murphy-OConnor.html
UK parliamentarians hear plight of Christian women
Christian Today – Revelations about the scale of hate crimes against Christian women in Pakistan and Egypt are to be the subject of a meeting in parliament. At the briefing in the House of Commons, MPs and peers will hear how Christian women in countries marked by religious persecution experience kidnapping, violence, rape, and even have basics like water denied them. Evidence of widespread discrimination against Christian women is highlighted in a number of new reports. These include the Life on the Margins report by the Pakistani Catholic Church’s National Commission for Justice and Peace, and Catholic charity Aid to the Need (UK)’s new book, Christians and the Struggle for Religious Freedom, which will be launched at the event in parliament. According to research, women are more likely to experience sexual harassment or rape because of their lower social status – which is due to both their religion and their gender.
http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/uk.parliamentarians.hear.plight.of.christian.women/29869.htm
Women bishops: do not amend the current draft legislation
Thinking Anglicans – WATCH has published two documents which argue against making any changes whatsoever to the current draft legislation concerning women in the episcopate. The first is a letter sent by Rachel Weir on behalf of WATCH to all members of the C of E House of Bishops who will be meeting next week.
http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/005502.html
Money becomes new church battleground
The Guardian – Conservative evangelical churches threaten to withhold cash from pro-gay and liberal ‘heretics’. The Rev Paul Perkin seemed bewildered by the question: what was his take on the latest scheme for conservative evangelical churches to withhold money from the rest of the Church of England in order to keep it out of the hands of liberals, gay people or …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/16/filthy-lucre-church-of-england?newsfeed=true
Bishop slams ‘usurious’ payday loans
ifaonline.co.uk – A senior Church of England bishop has hit out as the interest rates being charged by short term lenders such as Wonga, describing them as “usurious”. The Rt Rev Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, pointed to the 4214% APR charged by Wonga and warned that …