NI Assembly rejects gay marriage for the fourth time
The Northern Ireland Assembly has rejected same-sex marriage legislation by an outright majority for the fourth time. (See last week’s Prayer Alert) Today MLAs voted 49 to 47 against a motion calling for the redefinition of marriage. There were three abstentions. Traditional marriage supporters had warned that the motion sought to limit the free speech of Christians. Callum Webster, spokesman for The Christian Institute, said: ‘This is now the fourth time in three years this motion has been defeated. We’re thankful to those MLAs who have resisted this constant and co-ordinated pressure from activists to redefine marriage.’ He had previously highlighted that a sentence supporting ‘freedom of religion’ in last year’s motion was deleted from this year’s version. Mr Webster said this indicated that supporters of gay marriage only want to allow free speech within church services.
Hundreds of children caught with drugs in school
Police figures have revealed that hundreds of children have been caught with drugs at school, including cannabis, cocaine and even heroin. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal that there have been more than 2,000 drug incidents on school premises over the last four years. Four incidents involved children under the age of eleven, and one included an eight-year-old child. The figures were obtained from information provided by 34 police forces across England and Wales. Cannabis was involved in 625 incidents, while 27 cases were of children being caught with cocaine. Other types of drugs listed included LSD, amphetamines and ecstasy and seven instances of heroin possession on school premises. The incidents involving children under the age of eleven included an eight-year-old and a nine-year-old who were each caught with cannabis. Chris Keates, the General Secretary of teacher’s union NASUWT, described the evidence as ‘worrying’.
Archbishop of York calls for more minority ethnic vocations
More minority ethnic Anglicans are needed for ordained ministry in the Church of England, the Archbishop of York said last week. In a foreword to a new booklet on minority ethnic vocations, Dr John Sentamu said there has never been a better time for Christians from minority ethnic backgrounds to respond to God's call to ordained ministry in the Church of England. ‘There is a greater need than ever for minority ethnic Anglicans to respond to God's call to ministry and servant leadership - we need people who are equipped for cross-ultural ministry in our increasingly diverse society,’ Dr Sentamu said. ‘We need more minority ethnic clergy as deacons, priests and bishops. We need ethnic diversity at all levels in the Church's ministry. This booklet shows how crucial it is for our ongoing vocations work in the Church of England.
Migrants are 'helpless victims', says bishop
Britain needs leaders who will look on asylum seekers from Africa with 'compassion', the Bishop of Manchester has said. Rt Revd David Walker said there was a ‘political rhetoric that characterises them as wilful criminals rather than helpless victims’. Writing for the Observer newspaper the bishop said migrants are attempting to come to Europe through desperation and not want. ‘They are pushed, not pulled, towards the EU, forced out of their homelands by war, terrorism and the persecution of minorities,’ he wrote. Bishop David said: ‘Twenty-first-century Britain still aspires to be an international player. The moral cost of our continual overseas interventions has to include accepting a fair share of the victims of the wars to which we have contributed as legitimate refugees in our own land,’ he urged. Just days away from the General Election Bishop David said he wanted a government that looked upon refugees with compassion.
