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News on poverty, debt and the financial crisis
Briefing on proposed cap on benefits
The Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church have produced a guide explaining why they think the cap is wrong.
Guide to cap on benefits (PDF) 
December 2011
Homelessness kills and the world is walking on by
On average a homeless person dies 30-years before their neighbours and while that statistic is shocking it is no surprise, writes Rev Ian Galloway, Convener of the Kirk's Church and Society Council.
Church of Scotland
Methodist Church calls for more investment in young people
Methodist Church has welcomed the Government's ‘Positive for Youth' report, but has called for greater financial investment in youth services.
Methodist Church
Quaker Tax Justice petition
Quakers in Britain, as members of the ‘Close the Gap Campaign', have called for greater tax justice in a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Quakers in Britain
November 2011
Church called to seek just treatment for vunerable in hard economic times
The Occupy Movement has the potential to become a 'people movement' which challenges our society to debate and explore the values on which our future economic life will be built, says The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Scottish Episcopal Church
October 2011
Quakers oppose unfair Government cuts
Quakers in Britain have listened to people who fear being affected by the Government's proposed cuts in benefits, and to the leader of a London borough council committed to working through a Fairness Commission, and have decided to object to unfair Government cuts.
Quakers in Britain
Poorest and most vulnerable must be at forefront for Scottish Parliament
The new Scottish Parliament has an opportunity to show that deeply held principles of social justice are a mark of the character of the Scottish people in facing the difficult times we are in, says the Reverend Ian Galloway, Convenor of the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland.
Church of Scotland
FTSE 100 companies must adopt Living Wage, say Methodists
A campaign to lobby FTSE 100 companies to adopt the Living Wage has been backed by the Methodist Church and its Central Finance Board.
Methodist Church
Calls for cultural change in tackling Scotland's poverty
Scotland's Poverty Truth Commission has highlighted the need for a radical cultural change if poverty in Scotland is to be tackled effectively. Its report calls "on people living in poverty to be involved in shaping and delivering anti-poverty policy."
Church of Scotland
The Big Society should not be used as 'a cloak for spending cuts'
The Archbishop of Westminster has been one of the most prominent supporters of the Big Society, but he told The Sunday Telegraph that he feared communities hit by the economic downturn would suffer if they did not get support.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster
Methodist Council discusses the Big Society
Members heard that while the Government is speaking of the Big Society, the poorest in society are those who are losing out most from public spending cuts.
Methodist Church
Church of Scotland questions intent of government to tackle child poverty
Rev Ian Galloway, the Convener of the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland, accuses the coalition government of reticence.
Church of Scotland
Child poverty strategy should focus on income, says Church of England
The Church of England has expressed concern that the Government's child poverty strategy unveiled last week will not help the deprived children of today and has called for a renewed focus on household income.
Church of England
The Living Wage and the role of the Church - workshop London 24 May
Workshop organised by Church Action on Poverty and the Church Urban Fund aims to "gather, inspire and challenge church leaders and others to promote the Living Wage in their own churches and in the wider community."
Church Action on Poverty
URC general secretary speaks out for justice at March for the Alternative
Revd Roberta Rominger, general secretary of the United reformed Church, spoke at the March for the Alternative saying that there are alternatives to the government's chosen approach.
United Reformed Church
Budget ignores the plight of the poorest
The Budget announced on 23 March 2011 will do nothing to help the poor and vulnerable people who are about to suffer the worst effects of the Government's programme of cuts, says Church Action on Poverty.
Church Action on Poverty
Live on £1 a day for a week in May
The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) is challenging people throughout the UK to ‘live below the line' - and spend just £1 a day on food and drink for a working week.
The Methodist Church
Watch the video on Churches Together Connect
VCT Skills provides resource for action on homelessness
Scottish Churches Housing Action has launched a skills programme for volunteering, consultancy and training to build the capacity of communities, churches and other organisations to respond to Scotland's crisis of homelessness.
Scottish Churches Housing Action
Church appalled by 'absurd' plans to sideline homeless in Westminster
The Methodist Church has condemned plans by Westminster City Council to ban rough sleeping and soup runs for the homeless as 'disgusting' and 'absurd'.
Methodist Church
Welfare proposals fail to take account of the reality of poverty
The Government's welfare proposals are based on a lack of understanding of the poor and constructive reforms are at risk of being lost under a wave of punitive measures and cost-cutting, say the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and Baptist Union of Great Britain.
Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Big Society and public spending cuts - Archbishop expresses concerns
Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, commented on the Government's comprehensive spending review in the Yorkshire Post and The Sun newspapers.
Archbishop of York
Poorest and most vulnerable bear the brunt of the Spending Review
The churches must speak out against the Spending Review which made a nonsense of the Coalition's commitment to "protect those on low incomes from the effects of spending constraints", says Church Action on Poverty
Methodists will judge spending cuts on how they affect the most vulnerable
Addressing a rally organised by the Trade Union Congress, Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, raised concerns that spending cuts will hit the poor hardest.
The Methodist Church
Initial response to the Comprehensive Spending Review by The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army says, that as a community based church organisation and a provider of services to socially marginalised people, it has concerns for already vulnerable groups and individuals who may be affected by changes included in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
The Salvation Army
Conference: 'Poverty of ambition? Churches and a politics of hope'
One day conference held by The Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, featuring a keynote address from Will Hutton - author of The State We're In and the recently published Them and Us. Workshop topics include what churches and politicians believe about poverty, practical suggestions for churches to act on debt, and climate change.
Saturday 22 January 2011, Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham.
Please contact James North by email or phone 020 7467 5101 for more inflormation.
Register
The Wholly Living report - what constitutes human flourishing?
CAFOD has produced a report with Tearfund and the Theos theological thinktank aiming to create public debate about traditional development indicators and to explore a new framework for UK policy.
CAFOD
Positive Impact Investment: Too Good to Be True?
Open debate by the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR). Can positive impact investment help meet the social and environmental challenges that humanity faces while still generating sound financial returns?
Thursday 18 November 2010, 4.30-6.15 pm
Methodist Church House, London NW1 5JR
ECCR
Churches and charity urge government to make tax fairer
Leaders from the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches, together with the Christian charity Church Action on Poverty (CAP), called upon the chancellor to make a thorough revision of the taxation system a central part of the budget.
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Making money work for good
An ecumenical conference held in Edinburgh focused on the importance of ethical and socially responsible banking and investment for the churches and the wider community.
Church of Scotland
Download resources for Poverty & Homelessness Action Week 2010
Download free resources to help reflect on the theme of Enough for all, run a church service or event to mark the week.
Poverty & Homelessness Action Week 2010
St Andrew's Day campaign to cross out child poverty
A Church of Scotland minister is spearheading a St Andrew's Day campaign to give Scottish children affected by poverty the chance of a better future.
Church of Scotland
Leadership in the financial sector: a moral and spiritual challenge?
A private seminar, organised by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, was held at Schroders Bank to explore the relevance of the Pope's encyclical on social teaching, Caritas in Veritate, for the financial sector.
Catholic Church in England and Wales
Christians and Muslims urged to work together to combat poverty
As we approach the end of the Islamic feast of Ramadan, Christians and Muslims are being encouraged by the Vatican's Interreligious Dialogue office to unite to combat poverty.
Catholic Church in England and Wales
The Future of Banking: Ethical and Sustainable?
19 November 2009, London
Open debate organised by Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility, with a panel chaired by Lord Harries of Pentregarth (former Bishop of Oxford) and speakers from Platform/BankTrack, Triodos Bank, the Church Investors Group (invited) and a high-street bank (invited).
ECCR
July 2009
Climate change and tax justice training day
Christian Aid event explaining how to prevent catastrophic climate change and ways to change the international tax system that takes money from poor countries. 10am - 4pm, 12 September 2009, Augustine United Church, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL.
Christian Aid, Glasgow 
ECCR's quarterly bulletin reports on Dublin conference
The latest quarterly bulletin from the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) includes a report from its conference in Dublin - Companies, Communities and Religious Investors - which explored theological and moral aspects of the impact of business on human communities and the natural world, and the contribution of religious investors to corporate responsibility.
ECCR Bulletin
Pope Benedict XVI calls for a profoundly new way of understanding business enterprise
Economic development and globalisation are addressed in Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical Letter, Caritas in Veritate, released by the Vatican.
Catholic Church in England and Wales
Archbishop Vincent Nichols response to Caritas in Veritate (PDF) 
June 2009
Churches speak together on International Development
The economic crisis may well reverse some of the development progress achieved in the past few years, say the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, Quaker Peace & Social Witness and the United Reformed Church.
Response to the Department of International Development (DFID) consultation document (PDF)
May 2009
Churches' key role in assisting recovery
"It is vital that the European institutions understand that the Churches have a key role to play in assisting recovery from the economic and financial collapse and in relieving suffering caused by it," the Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, Bishop for Urban Life and Faith, told the three EU presidents.
Church of England
April 2009
The Credit Crunch: Making moral sense of the financial crisis
In this new booklet from the Catholic Truth Society (CTS), Catholic author and financial journalist, Edward Hadas, looks at questions relating to morality and the markets.
Catholic Truth Society
Methodist Church welcomes budget measures to help recession victims
The Methodist Church has welcomed the Chancellor's commitment to provide work or training for under 25s who have been jobless for more than a year.
Methodist Church
Online Bible verses give hope to hopeless in current financial situation
Words of hope and specially selected Bible verses have been added to the Church of England's Matter of Life and Debt online initiative
Church of England
March 2009
G20 leaders must not forget promises to the poor
Religious leaders in Britain urged the G20 leaders not to forget their commitments to the world's poorest people in the current economic crisis.
Catholic Communications Network
Church demands justice for redundant workers
A Church of Scotland council has demanded an increase in the level of redundancy pay for workers losing their jobs because of the credit crunch.
Church of Scotland
Transform old churches into affordable homes
Housing Justice has launched a project, Faith in Affordable Housing, to enable churches to create affordable homes from redundant church land and property across England.
Housing Justice
Faith Matters Lectures: Catholicism and Capitalism
At a time when the premises of economic liberalism are being questioned due to the financial and economic crisis, this lecture asks whether Catholics should feel comfortable with capitalism. The speaker, Philip Booth, is Editorial and Programme Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Professor of Insurance and Risk Management at Cass Business School, City University. 18 March 2009, 7pm, Westminster Cathedral Hall, London SW1.
Diocese of Westminster
Faith Matters: Catholicism and Public Life
John Battle MP looks at issues of building basic caring communities and the moral responsibility to get involved practically in our own neighbourhood. 1 April 2009, 7.30pm, Westminster Cathedral Hall, London SW1.
Diocese of Westminster
Christian Muslim Forum - Faith in Finance seminar
Muslims and Christians met to discuss the global credit crisis at St Ethelburga's centre for Reconciliation and Peace.
Christian-Muslim Forum
Archbishop of canterbury's response
Archbishop of Canterbury lectures on Ethics, Economics, and Global Justice
The Archbishop of Canterbury called for patience and trust to be re-established in economic processes, and for governments to resist the lure of protectionism which prejudices the growth of developing economies, during a lecture in cardiff.
Archbishop of Canterbury
Scotland's first Poverty Truth Commission
Aims to bring together those who know and understand the struggle against poverty in their lives and those who have the power and influence to change Scotland for the better. Sponsored by the Church of Scotland Priority Areas and Faith in Community Scotland. 21 March 2009, 2-5pm at Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow G1 1RX.
Information leaflet
Email 
or tel: 0141 248 2905.
February 2009
Credit unions can beat doorstep lending
Advancing the case for credit unions, a community worker for the United Reformed Church, has highlighted the dangers of so-called ‘doorstep lending' where borrowers may be charged exorbitant interest rates.
The United Reformed Church
Recession may be the jolt that Britain needs
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor gives an interview to The Times about the economic downturn.
Diocese of Westminster
CofE recognises implications of the financial crisis
The Synod of the Church of England has voted to take note of a report into the implications of the financial crisis and the recession.
Church of England
January 2009
New prayers for those affected by redundancy on CofE website
The Church of England has published two new prayers to comfort people made redundant, and those remaining in the workplace following a round of redundancies.
Church of England
December 2008
Recession puts St Vincent de Paul under pressure
The St. Vincent de Paul Society has said it will need an extra €10m this year if it is to meet rising demands for help from embattled families.
ciNews
Drama - Voices from the Edge
Sunday 8 February, 6pm
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED
Drama written for Poverty & Homelessness Action Week, performed by the Actors for Human Rights theatre company.
Email for booking.
November 2008
Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster reflects on the credit crunch
Our common bond is a fragile global financial system writes Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in L'Osservatore Romano.
Press release
The financial crisis is a test for the values of European society
The financial crisis has exposed a deeper spiritual crisis and a misguided set of values, according to the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community.
Press release
Welsh Economic Summit: Church in Wales response
The Welsh Assembly Government called an emergency Economic Summit in Cardiff in October to address the implications of the global financial crisis for Wales.
Church in Wales response (PDF)
Helping the Homeless - Killing with Kindness?
18 November, 2 December 6-7pm
Acting out a biblical duty or killing with kindness? Homelessness has always been a central concern for Christians - but do our efforts just make the problem worse? A series of public discussions at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church to explore questions relating to homelessness and the best way to overcome it. For more information call 020 7240 0544 or email.
October 2008
Thousands turn to online prayer and advice as financial situation worsens
Web users looking for support during the current financial situation have boosted traffic to a Church of England website section focusing on debt advice by over 70 per cent.
Church of England press release
CEC Central Committee expresses concern for economic crisis
The Central Committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) urges "governments to be most concerned about protecting the most vulnerable of citizens and that a sense of justice will prevail".
CEC press release
Bishop John attends end child poverty rally
Bishop John Hine, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, joined more than 10,000 people from around the country for the largest ever rally to end child poverty in the UK.
Catholic Communications Network press release
Welsh projects shown at United Nations
Welsh projects highlighting world poverty and environmental issues were part of an international Anglican Church video shown to United Nations leaders meeting to discuss the Millennium Development Goals.
Church in Wales press release
Prayers for the current financial situation from the Church of England
Church of England press release
July 2008
Archbishop of Canterbury Welcomes Government Announcement on Credit Unions
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