| Journey to Jerusalem |
This Lent join Christian Aid on a virtual pilgrimage through the Holy Land. From Bethlehem to Nazareth to Jerusalem, go beyond hearing about the people of the region and hear from them instead. From 25th Feb
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| 2009 Ecumenical World Development Consultation |
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 Partnership for development Working together with agencies, business, campaigning groups, governments and producers. High Leigh Conference Centre, 18-20 March 2009
Click here for more |
| Books from the Ekklesia bookshop |
Faith and Politics After Christendom by Jonathan Bartley here
Threatened with Resurrection
by Simon Barrow here
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| Our Partners
Ekklesia is an independent member of the Root and Branch Network which includes the following organisations |
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| Events |
Convention on Modern Liberty
28th February
'Faiths and Freedoms' seminar
Mohammed Aziz (Muslim commentator, Faithwise), Vaughan Jones (Praxis CEO, URC minister), Savi Hensman (equalities adviser, Christian commentator) and Keith Kahn-Harris (New Jewish Thought). Chair: Simon Barrow (Ekklesia). Institute of Education, London
'Body & Soul'
28 Feb -1 Mar (Bristol)
7-8 Mar (Birmingham)
Sponsored by Ekklesia and run by our patner Workshop Living by values explores Christian ethics and lifestyle from the perspective of spiritual freedom and responsibility, taking on the hard questions about sex, gender, orientation, marriage and relationships as practical case studies.
'Peace & Power'
14 -15 March (Leeds)
21-22 March (London)
Sponsored by Ekklesia and run by our partner Workshop this weekend looks at spirituality and activism: a biblical understanding of peace (shalom) and the challenge of political and social power engaging in the areas of ecology, church and state, peace and war, crime and justice.
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| Ekklesia Events |
Convention on Modern Liberty
28th February
'Faiths and Freedoms' seminar (London)
Mohammed Aziz (Muslim commentator, Faithwise), Vaughan Jones (Praxis CEO, URC minister), Savi Hensman (equalities adviser, Christian commentator) and Keith Kahn-Harris (New Jewish Thought). Chair: Simon Barrow (Ekklesia). Institute of Education, London
'Body & Soul'
28 Feb -1 Mar (Bristol)
7-8 Mar (Birmingham)
Sponsored by Ekklesia and run by our patner Workshop Living by values explores Christian ethics and lifestyle from the perspective of spiritual freedom and responsibility, taking on the hard questions about sex, gender, orientation, marriage and relationships as practical case studies.
'Peace & Power'
14 -15 March (Leeds)
21-22 March (London)
Sponsored by Ekklesia and run by our partner Workshop this weekend looks at spirituality and activism: a biblical understanding of peace (shalom) and the challenge of political and social power engaging in the areas of ecology, church and state, peace and war, crime and justice.
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| More Ekklesia Bulletins |
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Find out which bulletins you are subscribed to, and change the ones you receive by using the "Update Profile/Email address" link at the bottom of this email
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| Issue: # 32 |
20 February 2009 |
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Back in 2005, Ekklesia foresaw that as the primacy of historic Christian institutions declined in public life, a backlash would come from those who see a more level playing field as a threat. In 'Faith and Politics After Christendom' Jonathan Bartley described this negative response in terms of a growing narrative of victimhood and persecution. He made the point again last year. Over the past week or so there has been an intensification of these responses. Some campaigning groups and newspapers are going out of their way to look for examples of what they think of as discrimination against Christians - but which others see as about fair treatment in place of privilege.
In our feature articles, we explore one instance, the school "going to hell" case in Devon, and also look at some of the wider issues concerning the marginalisation of children in a world where adults often prefer playing political football to real engagement.
Since legislation to outlaw discrimination on grounds of religion or belief has been a feature of a number of laws passed in recent years, and will be consolidated in the upcoming Equality Bill, we have provided an overview of this in a briefing paper which forms this week's research focus. When examined carefully, the situation is rather different to the one portrayed by those who cry "persecution". Christians are being protected alongside others, but not given special treatment. Why should this be a problem?
The backdrop to the claim that it is a problem is explored in our book recommendation, Douglas John Hall's classic 'The End of Christendom and the Future of Christianity'. Here a major theologian shows that the Gospel message of freedom, justice and love comes alive again when Christians "stop trying to have the kind of future that sixteen centuries of official Christianity in the Western world has conditioned them to covet."
Likewise, our quotations this week illustrate the possibility of embracing rather than denouncing 'the other'. That too is the aim of Integrated Education in Northern Ireland, featured in 'Thinking in Action'. And life as a gift for all is the emphasis of Seven Weeks for Water, in preparation for Lent. |
| Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis, and deliberately maintains its independence from large institutions and their funding. If you value this bulletin please consider making a donation to keep it going and support Ekklesia's work. You can do it through PayPal here |
| Hearing what children are saying |
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By Jonathan Bartley
The whole point of the Children Society's latest project, leading to its 'A Good Childhood' report was to hear what children were saying and to give them a voice. But does the world of adult decision-making really want to know? Read the full article here |
| Scaring the hell out of kids |
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By Simon Barrow
Teachers have a tough job trying to balance the needs of pupils from diverse belief backgrounds. Seeking to do so this and to ensure fairness and civility for all is not 'political correctness gone mad'. It's humanly decent, educationally necessary - and Christianly desirable, too.
Read the full article here |
| Quota |
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Sayings from the week and wisdom from the tradition
'You are no more entitled to get what you want than anyone else is. ... If you maintain this understanding, arbitrary value judgments about inconvenient people start to fall away... The assertion that another person is bad, wrong, weak, lazy, ugly, or stupid is just a disguised assertion that you are more entitled to get what you want than s/he is. - Timothy Ray Miller
"Your deepest self is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel." - Proverbs 11.17
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| The week that was |
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 Your sixty second roundup
This week Gordon Brown went off to meet the Pope and invited him to Britain. Catholic aid agency CAFOD said that the UK Prime Minister should use the time to reflect on his part in the global economic crisis.
It came just after packed audiences in Edinburgh, York, Nottingham and London heard Fr Dean Brackley SJ, Professor of Theology and Ethics at the Catholic University in El Salvador say in his 2009 Archbishop Romero Lecture, that the Church was also 'well positioned' to globalise solidarity with the poor. A brand new coalition of over 60 aid agencies, church groups and others was also launched to "Put People First" in the economic crisis.
At home, church campaigners Church Action on Poverty were saying that Brown needed to have a big think about how he would end child poverty in the UK too. A Rowntree report showed that the Government needed to do a lot more if it is to achieve its goals of eradicating child poverty by 2020. In contrast religious leaders in the US were celebrating President Obama's signing of legislation to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Programme (SCHIP) which will lift thousands of children out of poverty.
Elsewhere in the world Southern African church leaders have yet to endorse the new power-sharing government in Zimbabwe where citizens are hoping for a revival of the country's economy, just law and good governance. Representatives of churches in Iraq confirmed their commitment to work together with all Iraqi citizens for reconciliation and rebuilding peace in the country in the wake of the recent elections. And as the bloody fighting in Sri Lanka reached a climax this month, the Methodist Church in Britain urged Christians to offer prayer and support for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians. For more on all these and other stories our News Briefing (http://ekklesia.co.uk/content/news/news.shtml) contains the full archive of daily UK and international news, including all those above, plus features and columns. The page also tells you how you can get Ekklesia's running news on your web site in seconds.
If you value this service please support Ekklesia's news production through PayPal here |
| The week ahead |
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Next week's agenda
Monday
50th anniversary of European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg
Fairtrade Fortnight begins
Christian 'Hope for Planet Earth 2009' tour begins
Change the World - On Your Knees: Global Poverty Prayer Week begins (Tearfund)
House of Lords: 'Persecution of religious believers', short debate, Baroness Cox (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)
Shrove Tuesday
Artivism: A week of anti-war creativity with art, workshops, music and poetry in Brighton
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, Lent Begins
People Power Day (Philippines)
Christian Aid's 'Journey to Jerusalem' begins
Tearfund Carbon Fast begins
Liturgy of Repentance and Resistance to Nuclear War Preparations at Ministry of Defence, London (Pax Christi)
Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, Brussels (till 27th)
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, delivers speech at Westminster Cathedral
Friday
House of Commons: Autism Bill (Cheryl Gillan MP) Saturday
Convention on Modern Liberty
Sunday
First Sunday in Lent
Wales - Saint David's Day
Want a more detailed news agenda for the next four weeks? You can get one here |
| Ekklesia has launched a new subscription service giving a detailed, inside track on the news agenda for the coming 4 weeks. Suitable for church leaders, campaign groups, local government and anyone working in or with the media, it is already taken by the Times newspaper and the BBC. Find out more here |
| Research Focus |
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Religion, belief and non-discrimination law
Over the past eleven years, the British government has passed a number of laws that specifically tackle, or include directly in their provisions, protection of the freedom of 'religion or belief' - based on the right to hold or not to hold religious or other philosophical beliefs. This paper looks specifically at how 'religion or belief' is defined, particularly in relation to the Equality Act 2006 / 2007, and locates this within the wider policy-led and academic attempts to define 'religion'. Looking at some of the implications of the definitions applied, it goes on to summarise key elements of current law on non-discrimination, drawing on public sources and examples from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Read the whole document here |
 Sign up to Amnesty International's Stop Torture campaign here |
| Media and web debate |
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 Ekklesia in the news this week
Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis. Please support Ekklesia's work with the press and other media by donating to support its work, through PayPal here |
| Event: Seven Weeks for Water |
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As we approach Lent, the Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) is inviting people to mark the occasion with reflection and action on some urgent water justice concerns. During the 'Seven Weeks for Water' initiative, theologians and church activists from Africa, Europe, North and South America will share short biblical meditations along with some campaigning ideas and resources. The first set of materials will be available on the EWN website water.oikoumene.org from 25 February - Ash Wednesday according to Western Christian tradition. EWN also provides an RSS stream for the seven weeks, which allows groups and individuals to give visibility to their participation on their own websites. More information here |
| Thinking in Action |
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The Integrated Education Fund
Educationists from different belief backgrounds, religious and non-religious have been working together in Northern Ireland to develop schools and educational policies that build bridges rather than barriers in communities where sectarianism has often been rife, and where an emphasis on denominational schooling has been part of the problem. The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) is a financial foundation for the development and growth of integrated school across the province. Since 1998, over £13 million has been raised, with over £11 million already disbursed to integrated projects. The remainder has strengthened the capital base of the Fund to allow it to provide financial guarantees to new integrated schools in advance of securing government support. For more information click here
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Reading Allowed |
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The End of Christendom and the Future of Christianity by Douglas John Hall
The thesis of this book by a leading Canadian theologian is that the Christian community can indeed have a significant future - one that will be faithful to the original vision of the movement and of immense service to our beleaguered world. But to have that future, Christians will have to stop trying to have the kind of future that sixteen centuries of official Christianity in the Western world has conditioned them to covet: power, privilege and prestige.
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