USA: Chinese blocked religious freedom envoy
Chinese officials denied a visa to a top US State Department envoy and refused to meet with her to discuss issues of religious freedom days before this week’s high-profile visit to Washington by China’s vice president. The U. ambassador for international religious freedom (who previously was a New York Police Department chaplain) was scheduled to travel to China on Feb 8th but as the date drew near Chinese leaders refused to grant her meetings with government officials. The disclosure comes one day into the diplomatically sensitive visit by Xi Jinping (China’s presumptive next president) to the United States. During the visit the Obama administration hopes to ease tense in US-China relations.
Pray: for a new positive relationship between USA and China, allowing religious freedom issues to be positively discussed and implemented. (Pr.2:6-8)
Secularists lobby to remove NHS chaplains
Bishops in the Church of England are resisting calls from a secular campaign group to ban the use of NHS money to fund hospital chaplains. The National Secular Society (NSS) argue that the NHS is spending ‘millions of pounds a year’ on chaplains, and that public funds could be better spent on alternative health care services which were ‘non-discriminatory’. However, in a debate at the church’s General Synod this week, Rt Rev Mike Hill, the Bishop of Bristol, said that ‘every effort’ must be made to preserve the role of chaplains in the NHS to ensure that ill patients were offered full, comprehensive care.
‘As with much in life, the true value of our chaplains might only be appreciated if they were no longer present,’ he said. ‘Every effort ought to be made, and is being made, to resist secularist calls for chaplains to be excluded from the NHS.’
Pray: for our church leaders to stand up against the secular and humanist organisations who are attacking our Christian values. (Jude.1:3-4)
More: http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/secularists-lobby-to-remove-nhs-chaplains
Archbishop decries possible legalization of euthanasia
Archbishop Rowan Williams has spoken out against assisted suicide saying it is un-Christian and dangerous for society. To make his point heard, the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion drew comparisons between the legalization of abortion and the possible legalization of euthanasia. According to The Telegraph, Williams told the General Synod earlier this week, ‘The default position on abortion has shifted quite clearly over the past 40 years’ and he lamented the impact that has had. Directly after abortion was legalized in the United Kingdom, abortion rates rose significantly. Abortion rates have now risen to about 200,000 a year. Williams fears a similar rise will occur in assisted dying rates if euthanasia is legalized. He also believes a rise in euthanasia holds grave consequences, saying, ‘To seek a change in the default position on the sanctity of life would be a disaster.’
Pray: for God’s guidance for all those considering any change in legislation and that the voice of the Church will be heard. (Ecc.8:8a)
Bishop calls on Christian MPs to rebel over gay marriage
The Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, urged politicians to help protect the ‘God-given meaning of marriage for the sake of all generations to come’. He also criticised the idea that ‘progress’ should mean a ‘continuous shifting’ of society away from its Christian foundations – just days after a landmark legal ruling against prayers being said at council meetings. The Bishop’s intervention comes just weeks after reports that more than 100 Conservative MPs could vote against David Cameron’s proposals on same-sex unions.The Bishop said that the ‘timeless institution of marriage’ was recognised as a key building block of society, including by non-Christians. For politicians of Christian conscience this will be a moment to resist the leadership of their own political parties together with every parliamentarian who recognises the Judeo-Christian foundations on which our society rests. (See also Prayer Alert 06-2012 & 05-2012)
Pray: that the Government will listen and respect the views of the Church and others who recognise the importance of marriage. (Ps.85:8)
