| 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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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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| Issue: # 60 |
26 November 2009 |
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A whole variety of concerned organisations and individuals have been seeking to "speak truth to power" over the past week, many of them reflected in this weekly bulletin. In the USA, Sojourners' Jim Wallis has galvanised a group of church leaders into writing an Open Letter to President Barack Obama suggesting new humanitarian, diplomatic and peacemaking initiatives in Afghanistan. A network of development NGOs and hundreds of individuals have come in behind this. There is also much activity going on at the moment around the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, which has horrified faith and human rights groups by its disregard for dignity, fair treatment and social justice (see Thinking in Action). Meanwhile, Saturday 21 November 2009 was Universal Children's Day and yesterday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, as designated by the United Nations (see Event). Our quotations this week include a plea from the Charter for Compassion (which we highlighted in the last issue) and an affirmative conservative response to the issue of women's episcopal ministry in the Church of England. In terms of research, we draw attention to the report by Theos and the Stapleford Centre on church schools specifically, as well as the growing Accord databank of independent research on schools of a religious character more generally. Another of our feature articles looks at the condition of liberation theology (which expresses a Christian preferential option for the poor and marginalised) in a post Berlin Wall world. Our book choice this time is another thoughtful and imaginative volume from scripture scholar Walter Brueggeman, also a persuasive Christian advocate for justice and peace, looking at the portrayal of God in the Hebrew Bible. Our online bookshop partner Metanoia has a sale on from now until Christmas. http://books.ekklesia.co.uk/ Last but not least, Ekklesia was among the first to report the return to Iraq on a human rights delegation of Harmeet Singh Sooden, one of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) hostages in Baghdad in 2005-6. http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/10648 |
| 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 |
| An open letter to Barack Obama on Afghanistan |
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By Jim Wallis and others
America can either tolerate constant and crippling conflict, or recognize that the yearning for peace is universal, and strengthen to resolve to end conflicts around the world, say US Christian leaders, echoing President Obama's words back to him. They are calling for a new approach to Afghanistan based on "a humanitarian and development surge", active peacemaking, and a fresh diplomatic initiative.
Read the full article here |
| Liberation theology is still alive and well |
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By Walter Altmann
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago, many critics have been quick to sign liberation theology's death certificate, says a leading Argentinian theologian. But its biblical concern with justice for all still continues to resonate in the neo-liberal, bi-polar era. To associate it with repressive communism is wrong.
Read the full article here
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| Quota |
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Sayings from the week and wisdom from the tradition
"We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarised world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries." - Charter for Compassion
"Most Anglicans who go to church want to see women ordained as bishops. Most Christians believe that God is above gender. Jesus surrounded himself with both women and men as his disciples." - Robert Key, Conservative MP and C of E General Synod member |
| Research Focus |
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More research on church schools
The think-tank Theos and the Stapleford Centre have made an interesting addition to research on faith schools (in this case specifically Christian ones). Even though it comes from a specifically supportive source, the report concludes that there is presently little evidence that the ethos church schools create has much educational benefit.
A summary and links to the report can be found here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/10621 See also the Accord databank on recent independent research about faith schools. Ekklesia is one of the co-founders of Accord, which brings together a wide range of religious and non-religious voices calling for the appropriate reform of faith schools and arguing the case for inclusive, community education.
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| Media and web debate |
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 Ekklesia in the news this week
Ekklesia's co-director Jonathan Bartley took part in a debate last week with BBC Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer on the BBC's PM Programme, concerning Thought for the Day. The Church Times also covered the story.
Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis. Please support Ekklesia's work with the press and other media by donating through PayPal here |
| Event: Advocating for children and against gender violence |
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Saturday 21 November 2009 was Universal Children's Day and yesterday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, as designated by the United Nations.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child and information about the important ongoing work of UNICEF can be found here: http://www.unicef.org/crc/
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| Thinking in Action |
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Christian opposition to Uganda's anti-gay bill
A growing number of people from human rights and church groups are expressing forthright opposition to the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" recently proposed in Uganda, which would introduce the death penalty, imprisonment and other draconian measures. Some of the latest responses are detailed here.
Thinking Anglicans is maintaining a close eye on developments (http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk) as is Changing Attitude (http://www.changingattitude.org.uk/).
An online petition has been launched by Ekklesia and others calling on Archbishop Rowan Williams "to end his silence on the matter, to condemn the bill in public and to urge Ugandan Christians to oppose it". 1,000 people from around the world have already signed it. The petition can be found at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Uganda_Christians/, and has been backed by a range of groups and individuals, including evangelicals. It is also being suggested that people write courteously and respectfully Hellen Grace Wangusa of Uganda, who is the Anglican Communion's UN Observer on Human Rights at: unoffice@episcopalchurch.org
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Reading Allowed |
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 An Unsettled God: The heart of the Hebrew Bible by Walter Brueggemann
Millions of people across the world live in communities shaped by ancient scriptures. Such commitments are puzzling to many of a secular mindset, and these texts, including the Hebrew Scriptures (which Christians call the Old Testament) have been widely abused by modern religious fundamentalism.
In this insightful and inspiring volume, scholar Walter Brueggemann, known for his scripturally inspired commitment to justice and peace, as well as for his intellectual and interpretative rigour, distils a career's worth of insights into the core message of the Hebrew Bible. God is described there, Brueggemann observes, as engaging four "partners" - Israel, the nations, creation itself, and the human being - in the divine purpose.
ISBN: 9780800663636 (Fortress Press, 2009) 192pp. Special discount price: £12.74 (normally £14.99).
For more information or to purchase this title through Ekklesia, click here
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