Zehmat Akhtar and his parents received asylum in the EU last week after having gone through an “unspeakable ordeal”.
Continue readingEscaped from death row into Europe: Son of imprisoned Pakistani couple speaks out on ordeal
Street preachers keep being arrested. More must be done to protect free
Christians are finding themselves in trouble with the law for using allegedly “threatening or abusive” language. The police are too quick to penalise the speech complained of, rather than consider what rights the accused has to speak freely in public.
Continue readingMore most be done to defend free speech – by Lois McLatchie writing for Premier Christianity
“Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”
It’s a quote popularly attributed to St Francis of Assisi and typically used to signify that speech is a less preferable communicative tool to the Christian than acting out one’s beliefs through deeds.
Except the quote is, in fact, misquoted.
In reality, St Francis encouraged friars not to preach anything contrary to the teachings of the Church and also to “preach by their deeds” – to make sure that their actions matched their speech. The instruction was not to remain silent; not to build a needless dichotomy between the two outward expressions of faith.
Of course, if Christians don’t live by their own words, hypocrisy sorely undermines the truth of their message. But the call to speak, and speak out, is central to Christian living. From cover to cover of the Bible, the direction is inescapable. The command “proclaim” is featured over thirty times in the gospels alone. The audience? “Every nation and tribe and language and people.” To practice the Christian faith is to be a Christian in public. No lights hidden under bushels.
Continue reading “Street preachers keep being arrested. More must be done to protect free speech” by Lois McLatchie (Premier Christianity).
Glasgow Priest who overturned Scottish worship ban supports similar challenge in Uganda
Faith representatives from Christian and Muslim communities in Kampala take legal action against government-imposed closure of places of worship
Continue readingFollow the money: We need to reset the overseas development aid discussion
What do you think is the better deal: three meals out with cockroaches scurrying round your feet and burnt food on the menu, or one meal out with a pool-side view, Michelin starred food, and great company?
Continue readingAbandoned Indian mother exposes the harmful practice of sex-selective abortion
A young single mother in Dhanbad seeks justice in court after being abandoned by her husband for having given birth to a girl.
Continue readingFive areas of concern for street evangelists in the PCSC Bill
Read ADF UK analysis of the PCSC Bill and what impact this could have on street preachers should the Bill pass in its current state.
Continue readingCancelling Christians – by Elizabeth Francis writing for The Critic
Lizzie Troughton writes in The Critic about the recent Destiny Ministries case.
Continue readingEdinburgh Council apologises for discriminating against Christian ministry
City of Edinburgh Council has offered an apology and £25,000 in damages to Destiny Ministries after cancelling their three-day conference due to the Christian beliefs of a guest speaker.
Continue readingFamily Lives Matter – by Elizabeth Francis writing for Conservative Woman UK
Today is the ‘Global Day of Parents’. The United Nations has affirmed that, in celebrating this day, nations around the world should recognise that the family has the primary responsibility for nurturing and protecting children. This day appreciates parents for their ‘selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship’.
The UK has been keen to pay lip service to numerous resolutions and reports which honour the role of parents. Mothers and fathers have clear parental duties, responsibilities and rights under English law. Yet, as concepts of child welfare and rights have come more to the foreground, parental primacy in core areas of a child’s best interests has gradually, but conspicuously, been eroded in practice. After a series of legal challenges and policy shifts by government in recent years, the guardianship of parents is now almost obliterated in some key policy areas.
Continue reading “Family Lives Matter” by Elizabeth Francis here (Conservative Woman UK).