Dan’s Strictly Prom Praise
Luke Randall
TV presenter Dan Walker was the star of the show at Prom Praise 2024, when he not only hosted the online livestream for the event, but also danced with professional Strictly Come Dancing dancer Nadiya Bychkova, to the theme from Chariots of Fire.
The 2024 edition of Prom Praise took place at the Royal Albert Hall and, in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the Paris Olympic Games in 1924, took its theme from the 1981 film, which charts the story of Scottish Olympic runner Eric Liddell, who famously refused to run the 100-metre race on a Sunday because of his Christian beliefs, even despite being put under pressure by the Prince of Wales. Instead, he ran the 400 metres, set a record time and won the gold medal.
‘Disastrously bad’ messaging, but Christians are protected
Luke Randall
Messaging from the Scottish Government and Police Scotland concerning the recently implemented Hate Crime and Public Order Act has been ‘disastrously bad,’ but Christian views are protected, according to Christian Institute Deputy Director Simon Calvert.
He stressed that while there are problems with the law, such as the inclusion of ‘stirring up hatred’ offences covering contested areas such as religion and sexuality, Christian views are protected.
Mark Pugh
Luke Randall
Mark Pugh has been appointed the new General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Church. He will replace Chris Cartwright.
Pugh has worked in church leadership for 25 years, which includes ten years as leader of Elim’s national youth ministry, before serving on their National Leadership Team from 2010 to 2018.
Eric Liddell 101 years on: missing the point
Cast your minds back to last year and you will remember the extensive coverage of the 100th anniversary of Christian Eric Liddell’s glorious victory at the Paris 1924 Olympic Games.
As I wrote last summer as the games returned to Paris, Liddell, a down-to-earth Scottish runner from Edinburgh, aimed to win gold medals in the 100 and 200 metre sprint races, only to discover that the 100m heats were due to be held on a Sunday.