The service was attended by his friends and family and several hundred members of Thames Valley Police, with more lining the streets of Oxford as his coffin was given a 15 minute procession.

PC Harper was killed on 15th August while attending a burglary on the outskirts of a Berkshire village.

He died from multiple injuries after being dragged under a van.

The 28 year old lost his life four weeks after he got married to his partner Lissie, who read 1 Corinthians 13 at the service.

The Very Revd Prof. Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, gave the address, saying: “Andrew’s completely unexpected, sudden and tragic death reminds us of the routine risks that police officers take each day.

“No-one ever anticipates an ordinary call-out ending in such tragedy. To all of you here, gathered from Thames Valley Police, we extend not only our sympathy to you in the loss of such a valued colleague, but also our deepest thanks for your sacrificial service to our communities. Such a terrible loss brings us face to face with the risks you take on our behalf.”

Speaking about the famous chapter about love in the Bible, he said: “Down the ages we have come to see this love as the highest Christian virtue. As God stooped down in Christ to love humanity, so God’s call to his people was to exercise a love for others that was not about…

It comes as figures released by the NHS reveal a 2,500% increase in referrals to gender identity clinics over the past decade.

Peter Benjamin, who has since become a Christian, underwent surgery to remove his genitalia and ‘become a woman’ in September 2015 after losing his wife to cancer three years earlier.

This followed an on-going addiction to alcohol and cross-dressing, with him experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts in the past.

Benjamin began identifying as “Victoria” and purchasing unregulated hormones online before approaching his GP in 2012.

Following an NHS mental health referral, Benjamin was told, despite the evidence of suicidal thoughts and mental health issues on his medical records, that he had “no underlying medical condition” and was automatically put on a private waiting list for a gender identity clinic, where he began gender reassignment treatment.

In 2015, Benjamin was referred for full gender reassignment surgery on the NHS, which was fast-tracked at the government’s expense to a private clinic where he had the labiaplasty operation to remove his genitalia.

In a statement to Christian Concern, Benjamin said: “I never thought cross-dressing would lead me to having an operation to become a woman. I had addictions […] but at every appointment, whether with the NHS, privately, or at transgender support groups, I was…

There has been on-going speculation around the rapper’s faith after he began hosting ‘Sunday Services’ over a year ago, which have been described as a “musical ministry of a Christian nature.” 

The singer-songwriter also vowed to stop making non-religious music upon the announcement of his upcoming album release, ‘Jesus is King’.

Although others, including his wife Kim Kardashian-West and fellow-rapper Nicki Minaj have previously alluded to the star being “born-again”, Kanye has now officially confirmed his conversion to the Christian faith.

At a listening party for his new album, which took place at George Washington University on Saturday, Kanye told fans the surprise event had another agenda:

“I want to let you know that I am not here for your entertainment this afternoon,” he said. 

“We are here to spread the gospel. I am a recent convert. It means I recently got saved within this year”.

The news that Kanye has fully embraced his faith follows the baptism of his children and wife Kim, in Armenia last week.

Sharing pictures from the occasion, Kim posted on Instagram: ‘So blessed to have been baptized along with my babies at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia’s main cathedral which is sometimes referred to as the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church.”

 

Jesus Is King is expected to be released on 25th October, to coincide…

Over 1,000 posters and educational resources have been distributed in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of modern slavery among homeless people as part of the Clewer Initiative.

According to statistics from the National Crime Agency, the number of potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery reported to the authorities has risen by more than 80 per cent in two years, while a 2019 Modern Slavery Helpline report revealed 7% of the Helpline’s modern slavery cases since their launch in October 2016 were linked to homelessness.

The Let’s Talk initiative is encouraging night shelters and other outreach services such as soup kitchens to share concerns of potential human trafficking with the Modern Slavery Helpline or other local support services.

Volunteers are also being provided with guidance to safeguard their guests from danger.

The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, Chair of The Clewer Initiative, said: “Time and time again in our work around the country we meet volunteers and project leaders who have encountered modern slavery and have either not recognised it, or not known what to do about it.

“With rising numbers of homeless people on our streets, it is even more important that we are able to recognise the signs. With the Let’s Talk resources we will equip the Church to understand what modern slavery looks like, and how they can respond to…

The Bishop of Colchester, Roger Morris, joined Christian climate activists at Trafalgar Square on Sunday in a time of prayer and worship for the climate crisis before moving to Scotland Yard to join members of the XR Disabled Rebels to urge police to return equipment confiscated from the activists.

A number of people with disabilities were reportedly prevented from taking part in the demonstrations after crucial equipment including ramps and wheelchairs were impounded by the Met Police a week ago.

Bishop Roger lead environmental protesters in a service of Holy Communion at the site, in an act of “fellowship”, “worship” and “solidarity.”

In a statement released by Christian Climate Action, the Bishop of Colchester praised God for the rebel group, saying: “When our very existence is threatened by our insatiable exploitation of this precious earth, we have to speak up and we have to take action.

“This is a wake-up call to the world. It is prophetic. So I thank God for Extinction Rebellion and I pray that their voice may be heard – for all our sakes.”

Father Martin Newell, from the Passionist Order in Birmingham, who was also present on Sunday, was arrested by police when he attempted to glue himself to the floor in support of disabled protesters.

When asked why he was part of XR, Father Newell said: “I am here to help raise the alarm, to call for a profound ecological conversion. The…

The evangelical PM facilitated a peace agreement with neighbouring Eritrea three months after taking up office, to help resolve a 20-year border conflict in the region.

The 100th Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Ahmed for his “decisive initiative”, at an Olso ceremony in December.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee stated: “Abiy Ahmed has initiated important reforms that give many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future.”

Following the announcement, Ahmed said he was “humbled and thrilled”.

In a post on Twitter, he said: “My deepest gratitude to all committed and working for peace. This award is for Ethiopia and the African continent. We shall prosper in peace!” 

I am humbled by the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. My deepest gratitude to all committed and working for peace. This award is for Ethiopia and the African continent. We shall prosper in peace!

— Abiy Ahmed Ali (@AbiyAhmedAli) October 11, 2019

In addition to signing the peace deal, Ahmed who became Prime Minister in 2018, introduced liberalising reforms, addressed government corruption, and pledged to strengthen democracy.

This is not the first time Ahmed has been recognised for his peace efforts, in 2018 he was given a special “peace and reconciliation” award by the Ethiopian Church for helping to reconcile two branches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which split in…

A joint statement from Scottish faith communities, signed by representatives from Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Islamic faiths, declares a “moral responsibility” to address the problem.

Published at the end of Challenge Poverty Week, the show of unity and solidarity from leaders of different religions calls for more action to “tackle the rising tide of poverty.”

The message is directed to both the UK and Scottish governments, in addition to local authorities, and states: “It is not right that so many people are trapped in poverty.

“We have a moral responsibility to change this.

“Challenge Poverty Week is a chance to raise our voices and highlight what we can do as a society to loosen the grip of poverty.”

The 15 signatories of the statement include the Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Church Mario Conti, Glasgow Central Mosque Immam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman Moderator of the Church of Scotland Rev Colin Sinclair, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Revd Mark Strange, Chair of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society Shabir Beg; Interfaith representative for the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities Alan Kay and Hindu Priest Acharya Ji Mishra.

Rev Strange said: “I am very aware that across Scotland, many families and individuals are continually living lives of struggle and stress as they find it impossible to reconcile the needs of their children and loved one with…