The Lib Dem manifesto states that they plan to: “Decriminalise abortion across the UK while retaining the existing 24-week limit and legislate for access to abortion facilities within Northern Ireland.”

The Labour party says: “We will uphold women’s reproductive rights and decriminalise abortions” and “Women in Northern Ireland should have access to abortions in Northern Ireland.”

Vicars, members of General Synod, youth workers and academics from the Church of England signed a letter expressing their concerns at this.

383 people signed in time for publication on Thursday, with around 40 more offering their support afterwards.

The letter states: “These changes would amount to a declaration that a foetus was no longer a human being, worthy of the same protections against deliberate harm and termination of life.”

The Anglican members call on the Church of England bishops to speak out against the policies, in the light of their own official teaching that says, “the foetus is a human life, with the potential to develop relationships, think, pray, choose and love.”

Some bishops have already expressed their concerns with the policy proposal, such as Rt Rev Philip North, the Bishop of Burnley and Rt Rev Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield.

The law states that abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, providing it is signed off by two doctors who think the woman’s physical or mental…

In 1920, the Church in Wales became an independent part of the Anglican Communion after centuries of being part of the Church of England. The process was known as ‘disestablishment’ as it broke the link between Welsh churches and the state with the historic Welsh Church Act.

The centenary year begins Advent Sunday, 1st December 2019, the start of the Christian year. Events being held to mark the anniversary include celebration services in all six of the Church’s cathedrals on 7th June 2020 and a visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury in April next year. A centenary appeal has also been launched which aims to raise £100,000 for two charities over the next five years.

The Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, said: “Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year and, for the Church in Wales, 2020 is a very important year as it’s our centenary as a province of the Anglican Communion. We will be celebrating this landmark birthday throughout the year in churches and communities across Wales, and I invite everyone to join in giving thanks and praise for the fellowship we have shared over the years and, at the same time committing to a future renewed with hope and confidence.”

Throughout the year, local churches will be organising centenary events and exhibitions for their communities while new print and film resources are being made to show the contribution the…

The Lib Dem manifesto states that they plan to: “Decriminalise abortion across the UK while retaining the existing 24-week limit and legislate for access to abortion facilities within Northern Ireland.”

The Labour party says: “We will uphold women’s reproductive rights and decriminalise abortions” and “Women in Northern Ireland should have access to abortions in Northern Ireland.”

Vicars, members of General Synod, youth workers and academics from the Church of England signed a letter expressing their concerns at this.

383 people signed in time for publication on Thursday, with around 40 more offering their support afterwards.

The letter states: “These changes would amount to a declaration that a foetus was no longer a human being, worthy of the same protections against deliberate harm and termination of life.”

The Anglican members call on the Church of England bishops to speak out against the policies, in the light of their own official teaching that says, “the foetus is a human life, with the potential to develop relationships, think, pray, choose and love.”

Some bishops have already expressed their concerns with the policy proposal, such as Rt Rev Philip North, the Bishop of Burnley and Rt Rev Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield.

The law states that abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, providing it is signed off by two doctors who think the woman’s physical or mental…

The US evangelist is due to host a mission event at the city’s FLYDSA arena as part of an eight day tour next June.

The Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox released a statement on Wednesday encouraging churches not to attend on the grounds that Graham’s views “represent a risk to the social cohesion of our city”.

The statement read: “I’m afraid I cannot support the Graham Tour mission event at the FlYDSA Arena on 6th June next year, at which Franklin Graham is due to speak, and so will not be encouraging parishes in the Diocese of Sheffield to support it either.

“Mr Graham’s rhetoric is repeatedly and unnecessarily inflammatory and in my opinion represents a risk to the social cohesion of our city.

“I gladly took part in Billy Graham’s Mission England in 1984 as a candidate for ordained ministry, and in his LiveLink Mission in 1989 as a curate. But to my sadness I detect a tailing off of humility and generosity in the Graham organisation since those days.”

The son of legendary Billy Graham held a rally in Blackpool last year in which thousands attended, his visit was met with objection though with a petition calling for him to be banned from entering the country due to past comments on Islam and homosexuality.

The preacher has previously described Islam as “an evil and very wicked religion” and spoken out against LGBT rights, saying Satan is behind same-sex marriage.

The Billy…

His final masterpiece will illuminate the external dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the artist and poet’s birthday.

Blake described Ancient Of Days 1827 as “the best I have ever finished”.

The artist wanted his work to adorn the walls of churches and public buildings but his dream was not realised during his lifetime.

Martin Myrone, senior curator of pre-1800 British art at Tate Britain, said: “He had a lifelong ambition to see his paintings painted on a large scale….

“It was never going to happen. It was a pipe dream.

“Ancient Of Days is the very last thing he was working on.

“It’s the thing he was colouring and painting in the very last days of his life.

“He is said to have stated it is the best thing he has ever done.

“It’s an extraordinary work of art.”

A projection of the work will be seen on the south side of the dome.

The actual work itself, an illustration for Blake’s book Europe A Prophecy, is only 17cm by 23cm.

It shows a long-haired, bearded figure crouching from the heavens.

“It represents an idea of a perhaps rather oppressive, law giving judgmental God,” the curator said.

“Blake was a very committed Christian but he had his own interpretation of religion….

“What you see is a realisation of a judging God looming from the heavens.”

Blake’s birthday is November 28, when he would have been 262 years old.

He died in 1827, aged 69.

His talent was not widely…

Raheel Arif is being inducted into Denny Old Parish Church linked with Haggs Parish Church and will become its first full-time spiritual leader for five and a half years.

The 47-year-old said he was very excited about taking up this “wonderful and priceless ministry” in the Falkirk Council district.

Mr Arif and his wife Humaira and their children, Rhea and Roshaan, fled to Scotland from Pakistan in September 2011 after extremists threatened their lives because of their faith.

At the time, he was the vice-principal of a secondary school in Peshawar, partly run by the state, and the only Christian out of a staff of 52.

Mr Arif said a plot was mounted against him and his conspirators tried to have him arrested for blasphemy.

They were unsuccessful but a complaint led to him being demoted to his previous role as a biology teacher and his enemies then turned their attention to his family.

Mr Arif took his wife and children to Grangemouth to visit his cousin Rev Aftab Gohar, minister of Abbotsgrange Parish Church, in the summer of 2011 to lie low until things got back to normal.

But when they returned to Peshawar two months later it quickly became clear that his enemies would never leave them in peace so they decided to return to Scotland and seek asylum.

Mr Arif, who grew up in a Christian family and was very active in his local church in Pakistan and involved in…