Your rapid overview – Short reports and links including – Dawkins v Canterbury; Education; Abortion investigation
High noon in Oxford: Dawkins vs the archbishop
Reuters UK – In the blue corner, the leader of the Church of England. In the red corner, the world’s most prominent critic of religion. It was the intellectual version of a world heavyweight title fight when Archbishop of Canterbury
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/23/uk-britain-religion-idUKTRE81M24P20120223
Abortion investigation: doctors filmed agreeing illegal abortions ‘no questions asked’
Daily Telegraph – Women are being granted illegal abortions by doctors based on the sex of their unborn baby, an undercover investigation by The Daily Telegraph reveals.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9099511/Abortion-investigation-doctors-filmed-agreeing-illegal-abortions-no-questions-asked.html
Also – http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/abortion-investigation-doctors-filmed-agreeing-illegal-abortions-in-britain-no-questions-asked-3029187.html
Also – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17136213
Anglican Covenant tastes defeat in diocesan voting
Church Times – Rejection by 22 dioceses would effectively derail approval of the Covenant by the Church of England.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=124842
St Paul’s protesters consider calling time on occupation
Independent – Protesters camped outside St Paul’s Cathedral will meet this evening to decide whether to call time on an occupation which has seen the resignation of three senior members of the church after judges rejected their application to appeal an order for their eviction. Many within the camp have privately expressed a desire to leave without provoking a fight with bailiffs. But they are worried that some are intent on staying.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/st-pauls-protesters-consider-calling-time-on-occupation-7293406.html
Also – Ekklesia – Christians are continuing plans for a ring of prayer at the eviction of Occupy London Stock Exchange, even if the bailiffs are sent in at night-time. The Court of Appeal (22 February) ruled in favour of the eviction of the camp, meaning it could now take place at any time. Occupy London Stock Exchange are meeting this evening to consider their response to the ruling. They will discuss the options of leaving voluntarily, or nonviolently resisting eviction.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16309
Foster home moves ‘lack warning’
BBC – Research suggests many children in care are given little or even no notice of being moved to a different placement.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17146293
Charity fears for child migrants
BBC – More must be done by government to help prevent young refugees and asylum seekers from falling into destitution, a children’s charity warns.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17148759
Why Michael Gove needs a religious education
Daily Mail – Rev George Pitcher writes – Professor James Conroy, of Glasgow University, yesterday warned us that Religious Education has all but disappeared from Britain’s schools and that, nationally, as little as £1 per pupil is spent on the subject. The blogosphere’s intolerant secularists will say that this is £1 too much, but that is precisely the totalitarian malaise against which Baroness Warsi rails. We cannot possibly expect our children to understand the history from which our nation was forged and the world in which they live today without a proper religious education. Meanwhile, the same Government’s education secretary, Michael Gove, doesn’t see any point in including RE in the core curriculum for our state schools (yes, the same state that has an established Church of England). Clearly, he believes that £1 per pupil is sufficient for children to understand their religious heritage. I’m wondering increasingly quite what the point is of Mr Gove.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2104780/Why-Michael-Gove-needs-religious-education.html#ixzz1nCT7LMMJ
Also – Religious education dying out in schools – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9096933/Religious-education-lessons-dying-out-in-schools.html
The tuition paradox: You pay more money, you get less choice
Independent – The past six years have seen a spectacular reduction in the number of courses taught by universities, as the impact of higher fees begins to be felt
Work begins on £3m offices for bishops and diocesan staff
This is Nottingham – The new building for staff and bishops from the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham has open plan offices, meeting rooms and conference facilities.
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Work-begins-pound-3m-offices-bishops-diocesan/story-15291662-detail/story.html
Dewsbury Minster’s bell ringing hope for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Dewsbury Reporter – Church bells will be ringing across the country in June to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee — and Dewsbury Minster hopes to have its own team of ringers in place to play its part. The number of ringers at the Minster has dwindled so low that ringers from outside the area have to be brought in for special occasions.
http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/local/dewsbury-news/dewsbury_minster_s_bell_ringing_hope_for_queen_s_diamond_jubilee_1_4260125
Vicar John Suddards and Betty Yates murders: Man charged
BBC – A man has been charged with murdering a vicar in South Gloucestershire and a retired teacher in Worcestershire.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17125316
Judgment by employment tribunal upholds clergy office-holder
Church Times – The diocese rejected his claims, and, at a five-day preliminary hearing at the Birmingham employment tribunal in November, argued that Mr Sharpe had no right to bring a claim to an employment tribunal
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=124801