Recently, a couple of websites have been created to cast doubt on last year’s investigation into the shamed evangelist Tony Anthony. I had carried out an extensive investigation into Tony Anthony’s “story”, supported by a group of concerned Christians who had been carrying out their own investigation. A subsequent investigation by an independent panel nominated […]
Category: Religious News
Ex-gay ad may prove embarrassing to London Mayor Boris Johnson
London Mayor Boris Johnson may yet come to regret getting involved in the decision to pull an advert for the “ex-gay” group the Core Issues Trust after the Court of Appeal today ruled that he should be ordered to give evidence about his role in the decision. The Trust had agreed a contract with Transport […]
Can magistrates do away with the oath?
The Magistrates Association will today debate a motion put forward by Bristol JPs Ian Abrahams and Kate Rowe to replace the oath and affirmation sworn by witnesses before they give evidence with a simple promise. The motion, to be debated this afternoon at the Association’s AGM in Cardiff, states a: This Annual General Meeting believes […]
“Embarrassing security failure” or embarrassing lack of religious literacy
A man was arrested yesterday morning (Sunday) after two people were assaulted at York Minster. You can read about it on most UK news websites (but if you’re particularly discerning you can read my report for the Church Times here). An unusually high number of journalists were inside the Minster when the assaults took place because […]
Comment: What’s your motive?
As a journalist, I’ve been asked many questions over the years as I worked on stories; and it is very rare that a question causes me to stop and think about what I’m doing. But that happened earlier this year as I researched the “Kung-Fu evangelist” Tony Anthony. His published autobiography and the testimony he […]
The Church of England is a tortoise compared to Rome’s hare
There are many ways of comparing denominations. There are so many differences of style, liturgy, customs and even doctrine. But such comparisons are always subjective. One man’s heresy is another man’s cornerstone. But recent events involving the leadership of the Church of England and the Church of Rome, overlapping as they have, provide us with […]
Police in Pakistan say Rimsha Masih is innocent
Police in Pakistan have submitted an interim charge sheet to the court in the case of Rimsha Masih, the young girl accused of desecrating the Qur’an, and have concluded that she is innocent of the charges. The charge sheet, lodged with the court on Saturday, suggests that Mohammed Khalid Chishti, the local imam, is guilty […]
More news from the Church in Wales Governing Body
University Chaplains Education chaplaincy was something “very worth while”, the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, told the GB, as he moved a motion that urged “ways of supporting, developing, and enhancing chaplaincy provision to institutions of tertiary, further, and higher education”. The GB heard presentations from a number of education chaplains. More: […]
Review urges Church to seize ‘great opportunity’
A review of the structure of the Church in Wales dominated a meeting of its Governing Body in Lampeter last week. It began with a presentation from the independent review panel that was helping the Church look to the future. It consisted of the former Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Lord Harries of Pentregarth; Professor […]
Pakistan urged to stop blasphemy law’s ‘massive human-rights violations’
Pakista is being urged to set up a commission to investigate the “tragic consequences” of its blasphemy law and “suggest a way out of this difficult and embarrassing situation”. The call came in a communiqué issued on 19 September by the World Council of Churches after a series of public hearings in Geneva. The laws […]