UK & Ireland in Brief

Downing Street is seeking to suspend Sunday trading laws in 2020.

The Times stated on 6 June that the government was drawing up measures in response to mass unemployment post-coronavirus lockdown, including ‘letting larger supermarkets open for more than six hours on Sundays’. It has since been reported that cafés and restaurants may also get the green light. Whilst evangelicals dispute whether the Sabbath is required (in light of passages such as Matt. 5:18, Mark 2:28, Col. 2:16-17, and Rom. 14:5), undoubtedly such plans will affect Christians as churches begin to reopen.

In a letter to the UK government in early June, a call was made by 25 church leaders to allow the reopening of churches in light of the many shops and schools that have started returning to a ‘new normal’.

Whilst recognising the urgency with which the government acted, Revd Dr David Hathaway, said: ‘The government has failed to recognise the centrality of faith to a Christian’s life. Sunday worship and access to church buildings has been treated like a mere hobby or pastime rather than foundational to national and Christian life.’ Meanwhile, the Isle of Man has indicated that churches can begin to meet together again for worship from mid June with 1 metre social distancing measures. With its own Government and strategy to deal with the virus, the island has had no new cases of Covid-19 for just over three weeks.

In May, Shropshire County Council joined an increasing list of boroughs and councils withdrawing controversial guidance on transgenderism for schools and colleges.

The document, ‘Guidance for schools and colleges on transgender and supporting transgender pupils’, said that pupils should have the ‘right’ to use the toilets which match their so-called gender identity, and should be allowed to access the changing rooms of the opposite sex.

In May, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) called for a guarantee that quoting the Bible would not be treated as ‘hate crime’ under new laws.

The Department of Justice commissioned a review of the current hate crime law in Northern Ireland last June, and a public consultation on the issue closed in the Spring. PCI said that freedom of speech must be protected in any new legislation.

A video was produced in May showing members of the public changing their minds over abortion.

The film shows members of the public voluntarily stopping in the street to watch footage of abortions being performed on babies of ten to 24 weeks gestation. A few completely changed their minds on abortion, and some said that an age reduction is needed, as they now realised that a ‘proper human’ is being disposed of. A link to the film of the people is below, but another link needs to be followed to view the abortions which are very graphic. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD5QMGtdrE8&feature=youtu.be