Search results for .sue
Scottish Independence: How did we get here?
What did the UK supreme court decide? Dorothy Bain KC, the Lord Advocate for the Scottish government, referred the question as to whether Holyrood has the legal powers to hold an independence referendum within its devolved powers to the UK supreme court. This is because there has been no agreement…
Chris Ringland
Scotland: Government told commercial sexual exploitation must stop
Scotland currently legalises violence against women. This injustice must be challenged. As Christians, we reflect the nature of our Creator in seeking to end injustices against those who are exploited and vulnerable, especially and including gendered injustices. The open letter urges the Scottish…
Chris Ringland
Hope is the antidote
What struck me was that this trajectory starts in suffering but instead of ending in sorrow or sadness or despair, it ends in hope. In the mysterious ways of God, suffering doesn’t strip away hope, but ultimately produces it. Surely that cannot be right? It is when I suffer that I often feel most…
Natalie Williams
NI: Miscarriage and the church – is it still a taboo?
Miscarriage or early pregnancy loss (EPL) is the loss of a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy. A woman who has a miscarriage may not have realised she was pregnant and often she will not have told anyone about the pregnancy until after the ‘safe’ 12 weeks stage. So, talking about miscarriage can be…
Danielle McElhinney
Westminster: our work is not done – what does this mean for 2023?
The honest answer is “no-one knows” and anyone who is 100% convinced that there will or will not be an election have not learnt from the unpredictable year we have just had as a nation. In the conversations I have had with policy advisers and MPs there is now a settled thought that the political…
Alicia Edmund
Interview: Scotland public policy highlights, and what’s new in Holyrood for 2023
Of all the nations, I would say Scotland and the Scottish parliament has been the most active in introducing and consulting on new legislation. What are some of the different policy areas you have worked on this past year? Yes, it has been a very busy year in Scotland. We are part of the Scottish…
Alicia Edmund
The Difference
The Difference is a small group discipleship course for young Christians (aged 11-18) tackling the big issues of our time and wanting to make a difference in the world. Each session includes a video clip, a passage of Scripture to reflect on and a mixture of discussion starters, quizzes, creative…
Gender recognition & Scottish devolution: How can we respond?
In December 2022, after around 140 proposed amendments to the Bill were debated and voted on, the Scottish parliament voted to pass the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill into law by 86 votes to 39. In short, the Bill would make it easier for someone to successfully apply for a gender…
Chris Ringland
Holocaust Memorial Day: How can we reconcile faith and suffering?
At one point, a Polish man halted just an arm’s length in front of me. “You’re a Jew,” he said. “And you’ve come to this city to tell me about your Jesus.” He shook his head, bewildered and deeply pained. “If there’s anyone who should understand that God doesn’t exist, it’s you.” I answered softly.…
Avi Snyder
Bishops' proposals depart from orthodox teaching. The Church of England needs our prayers for courage and conviction
To my evangelical brothers and sisters, I wanted to write to you, as a wider family of evangelicals, in this incredibly important moment that we find ourselves in. Like many of us, the Church of England has had a tremendous influence on my discipleship. It has the potential to shape and model to…
Gavin Calver
Why we need the best of friends
Why friendship, why now? I am convinced God is speaking to His church about this issue. In so many ways, friendship is timeless – we will always reflect the relational nature and design of our Creator. We were made for it. But at the same time, friendship is timely – it is the need of the hour.…
Phil Knox
Both Lives Matter: Church leaders gather in Washington
How it all began About 6 years ago, a number of us from different Christian charities in Northern Ireland were growing increasingly frustrated and grieved about the debate around abortion. Talking publicly (and privately) about abortion has always been difficult. And it should be, because we’re…
David Smyth
Respond to the consultation to create an apprenticeships framework for Christian ministry in Wales
Are you a potential apprentice? Or a church leader who may become an employer? We want to make it easier for young people to explore ministry, and we need your help with a consultation that is being prepared for the Welsh government. For the past 18 months, we have been exploring what it would look…
Ukraine, one year on: how the UK church can keep doing its part
"Everything has changed for us... It was a nightmare we couldn’t wake up from.” That’s how the Orlov family, from Kherson Oblast, remember the early months of the invasion when they were forced to leave. When they returned, they found their home and village destroyed - but they’re determined to…
Helen Locke
Living for Jesus at work
Jesus calls us to follow Him, and this involves commitment in all aspects of our lives. He calls us to live for Him in the workplace, which for many of us is where we interact most with those who do not yet know Him. We are to live as salt and light, talking with our colleagues about Jesus,…
