Christian charity warns of child victims of domestic violence becoming ‘Brexit collateral damage’

An analysis by Action for Children revealed that up to 690 kids are at risk of abuse every day in the lead up to the general election.

Action for Children blames the figures on the current turmoil over Brexit which has prevented a law being approved that would have required councils in England and Wales to shelter families fleeing violence.

The Domestic Abuse Bill did not pass through Parliament because of the aborted prorogation followed by the call for a general election.

  

Action for Children’s chief executive, Julie Bentley, said: “Leave or Remain, our politicians must not allow children living in the terrifying shadow of domestic abuse to become part of the collateral damage of Brexit.”

Senior Policy Advisory Kate Johal told Premier the reports’ figures could be just the “tip of the iceberg.”

“Not all families experiencing these issues are even known to children social care. We see in our services every day the impact that domestic abuse can have on children and we also know the positive effects that specialist support services can have on children’s recovery from those experiences,” she said.

Research carried out with the University of Stirling, including interviews with staff from 30 local councils found two thirds of local authorities said children affected by domestic abuse faced barriers to specialist support and over 10 per cent of councils had no…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

More than 100,000 Sign Petitions Urging Chick-fil-A to ‘Reverse’ Charity Decision

More than 100,000 Sign Petitions Urging Chick-fil-A to ‘Reverse’ Charity Decision



More than 100,000 combined signatures have been gathered on two petitions urging Chick-fil-A to continue supporting ministries that affirm the biblical definition of marriage.


American Family Association’s petition had collected 87,000 signatures as of Thursday morning and at one point was tallying nearly 1,000 signatures an hour. A petition at LifePetitions.com, which is run by LifeSiteNews.com, had collected 35,000 signatures. All total, the petitions had collected more than 120,000 signatures. 


“I am extremely disappointed to know that Chick-fil-A has chosen to abandon great ministries like The Salvation Army, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Paul Anderson Youth Home in Georgia,” the American Family Association (AFA) petition reads. “By doing so, it looks like you are abandoning Christian values and agreeing with homosexual activists who say believing the Bible makes you a hater. 


“Please clarify that you still hold to biblical teachings regarding human sexuality, marriage, and family, and reinstate these Christian ministries,” the AFA petition concludes.


The Chick-fil-A Foundation on Monday announced a new donation strategy it says will “provide additional clarity and impact with the causes it supports.” Beginning in 2020, the Chick-fil-A Foundation will support Junior Achievement, Covenant House International and…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس

Jews for Jesus respond to Church of England’s repentance of anti-semitism and Chief Rabbi’s comments about evangelism

A document called ‘God’s Unfailing Word’ has been published by the Church of England, outlining the theological and practical implications of Christian-Jewish relations. 

In the Afterword by UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, he said: “I must, though, convey a substantial misgiving I have with this document, despite the progress it undeniably represents and articulates. Namely, that it does not reject the efforts of those Christians, however many they may number, who, as part of their faithful mission, dedicate themselves to the purposeful and specific targeting of Jews for conversion to Christianity.”

Speaking to Premier, Dr Richard Harvey from Jews for Jesus explained his response to the apology and the Chief Rabbi’s comments. 

What was your initial response to this repentance from the Church of England? Well, I was very pleased because I was asking for more repentance to be demonstrated in the document – that the Church of England realises that Christian anti-Judaism has led to anti-semitism and needs to be repented of. The Archbishop of Canterbury was absolutely right when he said there seems to be something in the DNA of Christianity that from its early years its anti-Jewish emphasis led to the virus of anti-semitism being nurtured by it.How has that manifested itself?Well, of course, there’s been a tradition of Christian anti-Judaism for thousands of years, perhaps culminating in Martin Luther’s work ‘On the Jews and Their Lies’ – 65,000 words of…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

Police, Extremists Use Clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir, India to Thwart Christians

Police, Extremists Use Clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir, India to Thwart Christians



HYDERABADIndia, Nov. 21, 2019 (Morning Star News) – Heavy-handed revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy and statehood by the government of India three months ago has led to measures used against Christians, sources said.


The government on Aug. 5 revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir state in 1949 that allowed it to have its own constitution. By thus abrogating Article 370 and Article 35A of India’s constitution, the government set back separatist movements within the Muslim-majority state while ushering in security measures that make it nearly impossible for Christian congregations to meet.


Besides cutting off all communications and Internet access and imposing a curfew to forestall an uprising against the measure, the government prevented assembly by issuing an order, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Effective on Aug. 5 in Srinigar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and in Jammu on Nov. 9, Section 144 prohibits assembling of four or more people, with those violating it subject to charges of rioting.


Besides thousands of security forces sent to the area, Hindu extremists have used the order to prevent Christians from meeting for worship, sources said. Based on Section 144, police took pastor Mohan Lal Kaith of the Ranbir Singh Pora (R.S. Pora) area in Jammu District into police custody on Nov. 10 as he led Sunday…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس

Patriarch of Jerusalem awarded Christian unity prize

The prize was given in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote Christian unity around the globe.

Patriarch Theophilos, who spoke to Premier in January about his strong desire to see greater unity between Christians across the nations, received the honour from the Patriarch of Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, in the Russian capital.

 

He used his acceptance speech to invite senior leaders from the Orthodox Church to his home in Jordan, so that they can address the need for greater unity between Orthodox Churches together.
Patriarch Theophilos has been tireless in his promotion of church unity during a time when there has been significant tensions between churches in Russia and Ukraine.

As the leader of the Orthodox Christian community in the Holy Land, Patriarch Theophilos reminded a packed cathedral of Christ’s prayer for the Church in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father…I ask…that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Patriarch Theophilos called on Christians everywhere to practice unity, not only for the sake of the Church but also for our all too broken and divided world.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem has recently risen to international prominence, both because of the Patriarch’s increasing role in church unity, and because of the pressures…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

Church of England repents of past anti-Semitism that led to Holocaust

The tool for teaching on Christian-Jewish relations, which has been three years in the making acknowledges the substantial role Christian theology has played in the stereotyping and persecution of Jewish people which ultimately led to the Holocaust.

The document, “God’s Unfailing Word” is the first authoritative statement on the subject from the Anglican Church and speaks of historic attitudes towards Judaism which have provided a “fertile seed-bed for murderous antisemitism”.

The Church’s Faith and Order Commission urges Christians to repent not only for the “sins of the past” but also to challenge active attitudes and stereotypes towards their Jewish neighbours.

 

“The attribution of collective guilt to the Jewish people for the death of Christ and the consequent interpretation of their suffering as collective punishment sent by God is one very clear example of that,” the report states.

“Within living memory, such ideas contributed to fostering the passive acquiescence if not positive support of many Christians in actions that led to the Holocaust.

“Christians have been guilty of promoting and fostering negative stereotypes of Jewish people that have contributed to grave suffering and injustice.”

The document encourages Anglicans to savour and respect the “unique” connection between the two faiths in their worship of one God, referring to the Christian-Jewish…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

New York State prevents churches from making employment decisions based on pro-life commitments: Answering God’s call to courage

Imagine a day when your church cannot refuse to hire a person to lead your congregation’s ministry for expectant mothers on the basis of that person’s pro-choice agenda. 

Or a day when a staff member at your church cannot be disciplined for encouraging others to have an abortion.

If your church is in New York State, that day has come. 

Why Senate Bill 660 is so important 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Senate Bill 660 recently. It specifies that an employer shall not “discriminate nor take any retaliatory personnel action” against employees with respect to their beliefs and choices regarding abortion. The bill makes no exceptions for religious organizations. 

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) states that the bill “requires all employers—including churches, religious schools, faith-based pregnancy care centers, and religious nonprofits—to disavow their beliefs about abortion, contraception, and sexual morality by forcing them to hire and employ those who refuse to abide by the organizations’ statements of faith.” 

As a result, faith-based hospitals in New York State cannot require future or existing employees to abide by their pro-life commitments. Nor can faith-based schools or businesses. Nor can churches. 

Two versions of “discrimination” 

What do we do when two versions of “discrimination” collide? 

Pro-choice advocates believe that pro-life employers discriminate against them by refusing to hire pro-choice employees. They ask you to imagine being told by a pro-life CEO that you cannot work at his engineering firm because you believe abortion should be the decision of the mother rather than the government. 

By contrast, pro-life advocates believe that the State of New York discriminates against pro-life employers by forcing them to consider candidates who reject the employer’s commitment to life. They ask you to imagine being the CEO of a Baptist hospital who must hire…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Denison Forum.

قالب وردپرس

Ed Sheeran gets green light for prayer retreat

The 28-year-old singer has already bought a number of properties close to Framlingham in Suffolk where he grew up.

A planning application for the construction of an outbuilding near Wynneys Hall was granted by East Suffolk Council on Tuesday.

 

 

The plans say the structure would “address an important need for a private place of retreat for contemplation and prayer, for celebration of key life and family milestones, family and social gatherings, marriages, christenings and so forth”.

“It would also allow the applicant’s family, friends and colleagues to be able enjoy these things and join them in their observance,” it adds.

Sheeran lives on the estate with his wife Cherry Seaborn, a childhood friend who he attended school with in Suffolk.

The new building is described in the application as “novel and modern”, but designed not to conflict with the parish church of St Mary.

“The applicant has as his guests and visiting colleagues at Wynneys Hall people from around the world,” the application says.

“Many of these people are from many countries, faiths and customs, including for example the USA, Ireland, Ghana, Nigeria, Asia and Australia.

“Thus, the applicant seeks to provide a space in which he, his family and these different people can retreat for contemplation, prayer and relaxation, to meet, celebrate and meditate in peace and safety from disturbance when they visit…

… Read More



Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

Why a Revitalizing Church Should Consider a Partnership with a Healthier Church

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.

… Read More



Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

قالب وردپرس

Coptic Christian Family Attacked in Upper Egypt; Adult Son in Intensive Care

Coptic Christian Family Attacked in Upper Egypt; Adult Son in Intensive Care



CAIROEgypt, November 20, 2019 (Morning Star News) – A Coptic Christian is in critical condition after he, his mother and brother were stabbed in Egypt on Sunday night (Nov. 17), according to media reports.


The Muslim assailant in a village in Upper Egypt’s Minya Governorate told them that Christians must not sit outside before attacking them, leaving the adult son in critical condition at a hospital’s Intensive Care Unit with several wounds to the stomach, according to media reports


Area residents told Egyptian news media that a non-Christian with a criminal reputation assaulted the family members with a dagger at about 10:30 p.m. after arguing with them as they sat in front of their house in Nassiriya village, near Beni Mazar. Beni Mazar is 219 kilometers (136 miles) south of Cairo on the west bank of the Nile River.


The residents said the argument started when the assailant, identified only as Ali M., walked by the family members as they sat in front of their house and began shouting for them to go back in, saying no Christians were allowed outside. A Facebook post identified the assailant as a Muslim named Ali Eid Morsi; the post has since been removed.


When the adult son, identified as Shinoda Aziz, objected and stood up to the assailant, the suspect retrieved a dagger from his home, returned and attacked him, according to the area residents….

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس