Council of Europe tells member states to respect conscience
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe this week passed a resolution calling on its 47 member states to accommodate religious beliefs in the public sphere. The resolution asks member states to guarantee freedom of thought in relation to health care, education and the civil service ‘provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed’. The resolution was passed on Wednesday by 148 votes to three. It also called on States to ‘ensure the right to well-defined conscientious objection in relation to morally sensitive matters’. The Christian Legal Centre, welcomed the outcome. The advocacy group recently asked the European Court of Human Rights to grant a hearing at the Grand Chamber on the cases of two British Christians who lost their discrimination claims earlier this year.
Praise: God for the resolution by the Council of Europe and pray for its outworking. (Jam.2:12)
Council of Europe tells member states to respect conscience
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe this week passed a resolution calling on its 47 member states to accommodate religious beliefs in the public sphere. The resolution asks member states to guarantee freedom of thought in relation to health care, education and the civil service ‘provided that the rights of others to be free from discrimination are respected and that the access to lawful services is guaranteed’. The resolution was passed on Wednesday by 148 votes to three. It also called on States to ‘ensure the right to well-defined conscientious objection in relation to morally sensitive matters’. The Christian Legal Centre, welcomed the outcome. The advocacy group recently asked the European Court of Human Rights to grant a hearing at the Grand Chamber on the cases of two British Christians who lost their discrimination claims earlier this year.
Praise: God for the resolution by the Council of Europe and pray for its outworking. (Jam.2:12)
'Be vigilant,' Ann Widdecombe tells UK Christians
Ann Widdecombe has called on Christians to put pressure on the UK government to take action against persecution of Christians overseas – and to stop it developing here. Speaking at an event held last week in south London, the former government minister and media personality warned that today's ‘small scale persecution’ of UK Christians could dramatically worsen unless people began to ‘fight back’. Her message calling on Christians to ‘be extremely vigilant’ was delivered at an event organised by Aid to the Church in Need, the Catholic charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians. The former MP, who was speaking on the 20th anniversary of her conversion to Catholicism, said: ‘It's very easy to look at extreme cases abroad, to say thank God we don't have that here and then to overlook what we do have here, which is an increasing intolerance and marginalisation towards, and of, Christians.’
Pray: that Christians everywhere will be vigilant and seek God’s wisdom. (Pr.4:6)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/be.vigilant.ann.widdecombe.tells.uk.christians/32240.htm
NI Archbishop praises hospice movement
The Archbishop of Armagh was at a special service on Sunday celebrating three decades of care by the Northern Ireland Hospice. The service was held on Sunday at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast, and was led by the Dean, the Very Reverend John Mann. The leaders of the four main Churches in Northern Ireland came together in a presentation of candles representing the 28 years of the life of the NI Hospice. The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Dr Richard Clarke, offered a personal reflection during the service. He gave thanks in particular for the ministry at St Brigid's Hospice on the Curragh of Kildare, which cared for his wife Linda during the final days of her life.
Pray: for the hospice movement and that the support given by the church and Christians will continue to be a blessing to those who are in need. (Ps.8:4)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.praises.hospice.movement/32270.htm
