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 and embryo research
- Child protection
- Equality
- Faith communities and community cohesion
- Gambling
- Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery
- Law and order
- Life issues
- Mental Capacity Act, Living Wills and Assisted Dying
- Nuclear Weapons and the Arms Trade
- Politics
- Prostitution
- Welfare
Abortion and embryo research
News
12 December 2008
The Vatican has released a document which addresses a range of issues including stem cell therapies, embryo experimentation and infertility treatments.
Catholic Church in England and Wales 
28 October 2008
Archbishop Peter Smith urges the House of Lords to reject Commons Amendment 92 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Press release from Catholic Church in England and Wales
28 October 2008
Speaking at the SPUC Scotland Conference in Glasgow, Cardinal Keith O'Brien spoke about the "barbaric indifference to the rights of the unborn" as the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approaches.
Press release from Scottish Catholic Media Office
16 October 2008
Reverend Ian Galloway, convener of the Kirk's Church and Society Council, has warned that experiments on human embryos would violate the sanctity of life.
Church of Scotland press release
9 October 2008
Archbishop Peter Smith, Chair of the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has written to parish priests highlighting the key issues surrounding the forthcoming third reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Letter, briefings and podcast
Methodist Conference votes to review position on abortion
This decision followed the report to the conference of Created in God's Image (PDF)
. Comment by Rt Rev Arthur Roche, Bishop of Leeds, on the result of the HFE vote on abortion
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
October 2007 marked the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Act which legalised abortion
Open letter from the Cardinals of England and Wales and Scotland.
Briefings
Dignitas Personae - Vatican document on bioethics:
Catholic Church in England and Wales
Briefings from the Catholic Church on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, for parishes (PDFs):
Briefings and podcast
Briefing on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill from the Scottish Bishops for parishes:
Bishops warn of "scientific opportunism" behind embryo legislation
Briefing on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill 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.
22 October 2007
Briefing paper on Abortion (PDF) prepared by the Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.
Child protection
News
The vulnerable should be world Anglican priority, says international safeguarding group
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
Equality
Equality Bill
This bill was published on 27 April 2009. 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, undertook a consultation on its equality scheme, which is about how it will promote equality in everything it does. The results are now available:
EHRC website .
Faith communities and community cohesion
12 September 2008
Archbishop of York urges Government to recognise contribution of faith groups to community cohesion
Gambling
Fruitless campaign
The Methodist Church, The Church of England, The Salvation Army, The Church of Scotland, The Baptist Union of Great Britain, The United Reformed Church, Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs, the Evangelical Alliance and Care have joined together in the Fruitless campaign
Church of England
Church encourages Government warning to gambling industry
Methodist Church
Methodists call for the gambling industry to support problem gamblers
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.
Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery
CHASTE
Churches are encouraged to mark 17 May as Not for Sale Sunday 2009 , 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)
Law and Order
5 December 2008The Church in Wales has launched a joint campaign with the Police to curb binge drinking, called Alcohol Pledge Wales
Knife crime
Church response to social disorder linked to gangs, drugs, guns and knives published by Churches Together in England "Who is My Neighbour"
9 June 2009
The Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ascension Trust are organising a Bite the Bullet event , for 4 July 2009, exploring the cause of knife and gun crime.
5 July 2008
Archbishop Calls For Church To Reach Out on Knife Crime
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
Life issues
20 November 2009
Response to the Director of Public Prosecutions' Consultation on the interim policy for prosecutors on assisted suicide
14 July 2009
Catholic Church calls for compassion for suicide victims and their families
30 June 2009
Bishops' Conference response to GMC consultation on end of life care
Mental Capacity Act, Living Wills and Assisted Dying
The Mental Capacity Act came into force on 1st 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)
Comment by Archbishop Peter Smith on assisted suicide amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill
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 Sep 2009
Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and Baptist Union of Great Britain:
Brown's Trident plans 'feeble and ineffective'
24 July 2009
Scottish Episcopal Church:
Government urged to reconsider its decision to proceed with a Trident replacement
29 June 2009
Bishops' Conference of Scotland:
Cardinal calls Trident "immoral"
18 March 2009
Methodist Church welcomes Prime Minister's commitment to nuclear disarmament
29 May 2008
World Council of Churches:
Churches applaud cluster munitions agreement, expect more states to join
Politics
News
29 October 2009
Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and Baptist Union of Great Britain:
Backing for Christians who get a ‘rough ride' in politics
Prostitution
National Christian Alliance on Prostitution (NCAP)
(NCAP) has launched a Good Practice Guide for local community projects and organisations supporting individuals involved in prostitution.
Welfare
Methodist Church
Church calls for welfare with dignity
Methodists have expressed concern for lone parents and people receiving incapacity benefits following the publication of the Welfare Reform White Paper.
Methodist news
Church of England
Press release:
Von Hügel Institute: Government ‘moral without a compass' says report into Church and Welfare
Read what the churches are saying and doing about the current financial crisis and global recession