The President of Liberty University, a private evangelical university in Viginia, has been accused of taking advantage of his position and acting in his own interests by current and former top staff at the institution.

Jerry Falwell Jr. is a friend of Donald Trump’s, a lawyer and became head of the university when his father died in 2007.

Articles in US media this week claimed to have spoken to several anonymous souces and uncovered a culture of fear and nepotism and claim that Falwell directed business decisions to favour his family and friends. 

Falwell criticised the articles and called it a ‘criminal conspiracy’ against him, saying he will get the FBI involved. 

In response, many who attend the university have wanted to highlight the distinction between the university, the student body and President Falwell. 

Around twenty students prayed to start their demonstration and held signs with Bible verses on. 

The student protest at Liberty has begun with prayer. About 20 people are participating as dozens of other students look on. pic.twitter.com/XfYC2WUV63

— Richard Chumney (@RichChumney) September 13, 2019

Students stood on campus discussing it with each other and talking to the press. 

Loved being able to discuss positive, bold change with the LU Student Body today#StudentsforChange

A 2006 housing ruling – the Joint Ministerial Decree on Religious Building Permits – states that religious groups must get approval from their local community, by way of signatures, to build a ‘house of worship’.

It says there must be 60 signatures from households of a different faith and a list of 90 potential members, as well approval from higher district authorities.

However, Christians say they cannot get enough signatures from Muslims in their communities, who make up 79 per cent of the nation, and that churches are therefore not getting built.

According to religious freedom charity Open Doors, a Baptist church on the island of Java had building work stopped in August because their building permit – granted in 1998 – had expired.

Government offices also broke up a church service in August in Riau, on the island of Sumatra where a Pentecostal congregation was worshipping in the yard of their church because the building had been sealed off by the authorities citing the lack of a building permit.

The church’s pastor, Ganda Damianus Sinaga, has applied for a permit but is finding it difficult to get one issued.

A Pentecostal church in Yogyakarta, also on Java, had applied for and obtained a permit but local authorities revoked it because the church failed to meet the requirement of using its building ‘frequently’.

Before the decision, threats had been made to…

Mugabe, who had been receiving treatment in Singapore for poor health, died on 6th September at the age of 95.

The controversial figure, who many saw as a tyrant but others admired for liberating the country, was ousted in a military coup in 2017.

His funeral on Saturday took place at a national sports stadium in Harare, the capital, and was attended by current president Emmerson Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

A letter signed this week by seven Catholic Bishops of Zimbabwe read: “Some dwelt on his broad education and others on his achievements from the liberation struggle to State House as a principled person, liberator, his empowerment of the black majority, pan-Africanist, etc.

“We, the Bishops of the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, agree with most of these attributes but they also raise a key question, ‘What went wrong?’ The intentions and the objectives were good but the manner of achieving them raised a number of ethical questions. This is where we, as a country, went wrong and continue to go wrong to this day.”

They specifically detail where they feel Mugabe’s leadership strayed into dangerous territory: “We are deeply concerned about the reported nocturnal visits by unknown masked men, beatings, torture, sexual assaults, abductions, harassment of dissenting voices and violent repression of demonstrations by Police.

“Such acts…

Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald has been the Vatican’s expert on Islam, the papal nuncio – the Pope’s diplomat – in Egypt and headed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue from 2002 to 2006.

The 82 year old was born in Walsall in the West Midlands and is now based at the Church of St Vincent de Paul in Liverpool.

Archbishop Michael told Premier: “It was a surprise, particularly the timing, I thought this would not happen now. I could have been made a Cardinal a long time before because I headed an office in the Vatican, but then I was not appointed and so I thought that this was over.”

He described the moment he was told he would be made Cardinal: “I was in Liverpool in my community, I had been preaching in the morning in an Anglican Church and returned home slightly after one o’clock and the other members of my community embraced me and I didn’t know why and then they told me that I had been appointed a Cardinal.

Cardinals over 80 cannot vote in the conclave, the group that elects the next Pope, something he said he wasn’t disappointed about: “I think that’s a very good thing and of course it would be a privilege to be able to vote for the next Pope, whenever that is, but as one of the Cardinals you can also influence without being in the conclave, you can have some influence by talking to other people before the conclave starts and giving your…

Rev Cartledge, who met his wife while an undergraduate at LST will take up the position on 1st January 2020, replacing Rev Dr Calvin Samuel who resigned in February following an ‘internal investigation’, with Prof Graham Twelftree having been acting principal since.

Cartledge is an ordained minister in the Church of England and is currently a Professor of practical theology at Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach in America.

He’s worked in parish ministry, theological education in an Anglican seminary in Nigeria and as a university chaplain at Liverpool and Durham.

He has taught in secular University departments at Lampeter and Birmingham, remaining active in ordained ministry at parish level and regularly leading worship and preaching.

The Professor holds an MPhil from Oakhill Theological College and a PhD from the University of Wales, with his research focusing on practical theology and Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity.

Prof Graham Twelftree, Acting Principal, said of his appointment: “I am so pleased that Mark has accepted the position of Principal, not least because I have known him for a number of years, and we have worked together as colleagues. Mark is a highly regarded academic and will be a great asset to the School and its future.

Mark Cartledge said of his new role: “London School of Theology changed my life as a young theology…

The OneLIFE Mission event, which bishops have spent a year praying for includes over 400 activities from school visits to fashion shows and the chance to grill a bishop.

The northern mission kicked off with a bishop’s penalty shoot-out at Mansfield Town football club.

Rt Reverend Paul Williams, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham spoke to Premier before he took to the pitch: “I have my boots on, I’m in my Mansfield shirt and I am ready to go!”

He told Premier he hopes the event will build new relationships with a broad spectrum of people across Nottinghamshire: “This weekend is about inviting people to connect with something or some occasion, but then from that to be able to invite them to come and explore faith, to explore some of the big questions of life with us.”

Two weeks after the event, the Church of England will be launching 70 ‘nurture courses’ across the county to serve those seeking to learn more about the Christian faith.

The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu told Premier the central vision for these events is to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ.

“As bishops I don’t think we are called to anything else, other than making Jesus Christ known – you are sent out to proclaim the gospel. And then to make sure that to those who are outside of the love of Christ you show them love. And then you can be caring for the…

Cardinal Newman, who died in 1890, will be the first English saint since the Forty Martyrs were canonised in 1970.

Following the service, on Sunday October 13, Charles will attend a reception at the Pontifical Urban College, where Cardinal Newman studied while preparing to become a Catholic priest.

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said Newman’s “personal courage, intellectual clarity and cultural sensitivity” make him “a deeply admired follower of Christ.”

He added: “As one who has been a lifelong champion of the spiritual in everyday life, to promote understanding between faiths, and who has sought to alleviate poverty and disadvantage through his charitable work, The Prince of Wales is particularly qualified to mark the canonisation, which will be such a significant and joyful moment for this country.”

Charles last visited the Vatican with the Duchess of Cornwall in April 2017.

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