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| 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:
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| Take Action |
You can join Ekklesia and take action by asking your MP to sign the following Parliamentary motions:
EDM 1248 on Conflict Prevention
Ekklesia attends the All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues which is supporting this motion
Ekklesia is a founder member of Accord - mentioned in the motion - which seeks to make faith schools more inclusive
Ekklesia is working with the Still Human Still Here campaign which supports both these motions
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| More Ekklesia Bulletins |
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Sometimes the news and comment agenda gets so clogged up with anger and backbiting, it is difficult to know how to comment - especially on questions of controversy. This week, Jill Segger and Giles Fraser offer sage advice on, respectively, counter-cultural communication and the limits of a narrow conception of 'rationality'. Our quotations suggest a positive starting point, too: embrace and gratitude. Meanwhile, the arguments rumble on. Ekklesia continues to try to work with others in charting fresh approaches to issues around faith schools and equality (see Research), rooted in both a theological critique of discriminatory practice ( http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9674) and at the same time a desire to build bridges in quarrelsome territory. With the row about the Iraq war enquiry also continuing, we hope that our resources and alternative perspectives on Armed Forces Day (27 June - see event) will also offer constructive avenues. This is also a good time to issue a further reminder about Christian Peacemaker Teams recruitment ( http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9621) of 'unarmed forces' in the UK. Our book recommendation, Rowland H. Bainton's classic work on historic Christian attitudes to war and peace, newly re-published and available from our online bookstore, is a scholarly tie-in with these concerns. Last but not least, we are this week highlighting the Thinking in Action of the Christian-Muslim Forum, which is bringing together people of different convictions who want to learn how to share them ethically and constructively in a world of sometimes terrifying difference. This is something both religious and non-religious people can learn from. |
| 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 |
| Truthfulness, speech and wise silence |
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By Jill Segger
A simple integrity can rebuke our culture's debased and profligate way with words, says Ekklesia's editorial adviser - herself an experienced writer. Restraint in communication is counter-cultural. Humanity is wisest when it recognises the best words as those taking flesh rather than fury.
Read the whole article here
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| We need both the rational and the non-rational |
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By Giles Fraser
Try to imagine a world in which only things acceptable to what we think of as 'pure reason' are deemed legitimate, suggests the new Canon of St Paul's. It would be to imagine the most desperately impoverished cultural and emotional (let alone spiritual) desert. Human beings are rational agents, but narrow rationality does not fully describe the world humans live in and explore.
Read the whole article here
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| Quota |
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Sayings from the week and wisdom from the tradition
"People matter more than policies. Jesus touched lepers - so why are we [in the churches] so scared of Equality and Diversity?"
- Richard Jordan, Church & Society Officer, Derby Anglican Diocese
"In life we receive more than we give; therefore it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer |
| Research Focus |
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The Equality Bill and faith schools
The Accord coalition, which works for inclusive schooling and an end to discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in publicly-funded schooling, has submitted a memorandum to parliament on the Equality Bill 2008-9. Full details are here.
As a founding member of the coalition, Ekklesia has published its own briefing on responses to the Bill (http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9558) and continues to encourage a positive approach (http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9673) from the churches to equality and diversity issues.
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| Ekklesia has launched a new subscription service giving a detailed, inside track on the news agenda for the coming 6 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, Reuters and the BBC. Find out more here |
| Media and web debate |
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 Ekklesia in the news this week
The debate about faith schools policy has continued to rumble, with articles in Religious Intelligence and The Church Times following an exchange of letters ( http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9683) in The Times. The C of E education chief dismissed a letter from people from nine religious traditions calling for change, but was herself challenged to listen harder by the Rev Steve Dick. Ekklesia has also been in the news over Armed Forces Day, with new associate director Symon Hill appearing on Sky TV to advocate a fresh approach to conflict resolution and non-military interventions. Ekklesia's Jonathan Bartley was on BBC1's Big Questions last Sunday morning where he discussed the monarchy, the BNP and equality in the health service. Keep up-to-date with Ekklesia's Comments on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/ekklesiaComment
Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis. Please support Ekklesia's work with the press and other media by donating through PayPal here |
Christian Peacemaker Teams UK seeks people for training and equipping as nonviolence workers in areas of conflict. 1-30 October 2009. Also short-term delegation opportunities. Email Tim Nafziger: timn@cpt.org
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| Event: (Un)Armed Forces Day |
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Saturday 27 June 2009 is Britain's first 'Armed Forces Day', an event that the British government is proposing should become an annual official celebration. Ekklesia has suggested that the role of unarmed forces also needs highlighting, and has produced a compendium of resources to enable deeper reflection on armed intervention and action towards conflict transformation. We have also highlighted the link with the inquiry ( http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9662) into the Iraq war. The AFD resources are here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/resources/armed_forces_day
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| Thinking in Action |
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| Ethical sharing of convictions
Christians and Muslims are being encouraged to work together, using new guidelines and the building of positive relationships, to look at how their faith and self-understanding can be shared with each other in ways that are non-coercive and non-abusive. In a society where viewpoints and convictions, both religious and non-religious, are frequently at variance, the ability to differ and debate in ethical ways grows more and more important.
More on the Christian-Muslim Forum: http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9689
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Reading Allowed |
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 A Christian Attitudes to War and Peace by Rowland H. Bainton
A new edition of Bainton's classic work, first published in 1960, which offers a critical survey and evaluation of historic attitudes to war and peace in the Christian churches. This is an invaluable resource for current debate, deepening and widening understanding. first published in 1960. Bainton argues that the Christian community started out pacifistic, then moved towards the just war doctrine in Christendom, and finally adopted holy war ideals. He traces this trajectory through to the conflicts of the 20th century. To be read alongside more recent scholarship.
ISBN: 9781556357886 (Wipf & Stock, 2008) 299pp. £35.75
For more information and to buy through Ekklesia click here
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