Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

church and society

current issues

The churches undertake work relating to a broad range of political, social and ethical issues. Here are some of the current topical issues, with details below:

Abortion

22 May 2008
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor comments on result of House of Commons vote on changes to the abortion law

Comment by Rt Rev Arthur Roche, Bishop of Leeds, on the result of the HFE vote on abortion

October 2007 marked the 40^th anniversary of the 1967 Act which legalised abortion
Open letter from the Cardinals of England and Wales and Scotland.

22 October 2007
Briefing paper (PDF) prepared by the Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.

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Child protection

Catholic Church

Catholic leaders to make safeguarding central to Church life and ministry

Press release welcoming the Cumberlege Commission review July 2007

Cumberlege Commission site with links to the report

Church of England

Protocol for review of past child protection cases

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Embryo Research and the
Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill

News

20 May 2008
On Friday 16 May, the Wellcome Trust hosted Science, Ethics and Faith - a conversation about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. This discussion about the Bill between religious leaders of various faiths, scientists and clinicians, ethicists, philosophers and representatives of medical charities is now available to view online .

19 May 2008
Catholic leaders of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales back adult stem cell research with grant

9 April 2008
Rt Rev Robert Gillies, Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, in favour of embryo research

4 April 2008
Cardinal Keith O'Brien welcomes embryo poll results

31 March 2008
Cardinal calls for "Faith and Science" forum

27 March 2008
Catholic Church in England and Wales welcomes free vote on three key areas of the HFE Bill
Comment from Parliamentary Officer of the Catholic Church in Scotland

24 March 2008
Welsh Union of Independent Churches want a free vote in embryo debate

29 February 2008
Bishop of Paisley urges "Free vote" on Embryology Bill

28 January 2008
The Rt Revd Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St Albans, on 28 January spoke in support of an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (3rd day of Report Stage) tabled by Baroness Williams to create a National Human Bioethics Commission. The amendment was debated but not pressed to a vote:
Hansard report

21 January 2008
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has called for the setting up of a regulated bio-ethics commission as the House of Lords debates the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill:
Diocese of Westminster web site

Briefings

Briefings from the Catholic Church on the Bill, for parishes (PDFs):
Catholic Church briefing on HFE Bill - 1 page
Catholic Church briefing on HFE Bill - full

Briefing from the Scottish Bishops for parishes:
Bishops warn of "scientific opportunism" behind embryo legislation

Briefing from CARE

The Passion for Life campaign draws together many 'pro-life' groups and aims to raise awareness of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill. On the website is useful information about the bill and its timetable through Parliament.

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Equality

Equality Bill

This bill will be introduced in the UK Parliament in the next session. For more details see:
Government Equalities Office

Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which began operating in October 2007, is undertaking an initial consultation on their equality scheme, which is about how they will promote equality in everything they do. The consultation ends on 18 February and the scheme is due to be published on 1 April 2008. For more details or to respond to the consultation see the
EHRC website .

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Gambling

Church of England

Church encourages Government warning to gambling industry

Methodist Church

Methodist delight at decision to drop the supercasino

A quarter of a million problem gamblers is too many (Word)

Against the Odds (PDF) - a joint Methodist Church/Salvation Army publication

Salvation Army

Response to Government decision against the introduction of a supercasino

Response to the Prevalence of Gambling Survey - 19 September 2007

Salvation Army position statement on gambling.

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Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery

CHASTE

Churches are encouraged to mark 18 May as Not for Sale Sunday 2008 , organised by Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking across Europe (CHASTE).

Salvation Army

What the Salvation Army is doing globally.

A feature on human trafficking and what can be done about it, with further links.

United Reformed Church

Article on trafficking.

Methodist Church

Social Action project on the trafficking of women and girls in Europe.

Church of Scotland

Human trafficking resource pack .

Churches Regional Commission for Yorkshire and Humberside

"Look and see our disgrace!" A briefing paper on Human Trafficking, Nov 2007 (PDF)

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Law and Order

Religious Hatred and Religious Offence
29 January 2008
James Callaghan Memorial lecture by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Incitement to hatred on grounds of sexual orientation
Responses:
Catholic Church in England and Wales
Church of England

Church of England responses to Government proposal to extend the detention of terrorist suspects without charge to more than 28 days
MPs briefed on Church of England's position on 42 day detention and the Counter Terrorism Bill
Government needs better case to extend detention of terrorist suspects
General Synod motion on Detention without Charge, passed in February 2008

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Mental Capacity Act, Living Wills and Assisted Dying

The Mental Capacity Act came into force on 1^st October 2007.

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has a booklet The Mental Capacity Act and ‘Living Wills': A Practical Guide for Catholics . There are also some study days relating to the Act.

United Reformed Church report and study guide on Assisted Dying (PDF)

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Nuclear Weapons and the Arms Trade

Nuclear weapons

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland produced a briefing in 2006 to add to the public debate on the future of the UK nuclear weapons programme. It does not promote a particular position or seek to represent the views of all member churches.
Trident: UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads (PDF)

Position of the Methodist Church on nuclear non-proliferation

Campaign Against the Arms Trade

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade has a Christian Network formed in 1989 to bring to the attention of national churches and Christian organisations, the immorality of the arms trade. CAAT holds regular events and meetings .

29 May 2008
World Council of Churches:
Churches applaud cluster munitions agreement, expect more states to join

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