Ofsted - 'not in my youth camp'
David Burrowes
Date posted: 1 Feb 2016
In a letter published in the Telegraph in January, Christian MP David Burrowes responds to the apparent intention of Ofsted to insist on the registration of Church youth groups.
'Last week Open Doors published their World Watch List of the persecution of Christians by country. Christians are all too aware of the increasing threats to religious freedom from militant Islam. So the Government's plan to tackle radicalisation is welcome. However, it is both ironic and wrong to catch Christian groups in a blanket requirement for registration and inspection of "out of school" education of more than 6 to 8 hours a week.
Sunday is saved once again
EN
Date posted: 1 Apr 2016
David Burrowes MP described the 9 March Commons vote on the Sunday Trading Bill as ‘a relief ’. The result of 317 to 286 saw the plans to open up shops for longer on Sundays defeated as he led a cross-party ‘unholy alliance’ who united around a concern to keep Sunday special.
David Burrowes said to en: ‘One of the key concerns in the debate was the way the Government tried to introduce the law change. It was tacked onto the Enterprise Bill at a late stage of the Commons proceedings. The impact assessment and significantly the family impact (which was largely negative) was only published hours before the debate. The Government tried to broker a late concession by proposing a pilot scheme but their amendment was not allowed.
LONDON’S QUESTIONS OF LIFE
Naresh Mistry
Date posted: 1 Mar 2016
With 140,000 people working and 40,000 living in London’s Canary Wharf, how are they going to hear the gospel?
It was this challenge that occupied the thoughts and prayers of working Christians and members of St Peter’s Barge as they met to hear Rico Tice explain the vision for ‘Questions of Life’ (www.questionsoflife.org.uk). This outreach aims to give everyone in the Wharf a chance to engage with the gospel – specifically through a week of talks arranged for 14-20 March.
news in brief
Bite-sized Bible
Paul Minter, from Bexhill, has produced a mock-up of a Bible (currently unpublished), divided into five easy-to-read sections to help people access it more easily, it was reported in May. ‘I got the idea of producing the Bible in five paperback natural sections: the Law with 187 chapters, the History 249 chapters, Poetry 243 chapters, the Prophets 250 chapters, and New Testament with 260 chapters’. Paul, a carer for disabled and autistic children, added he was ‘passionate’ about getting people reading the Bible daily for the rest of their lives.
Bible Society’s Newswatch (Bexhill Observer)
Not aggressive?
Atheist scientist Richard Dawkins denied in May that he is too aggressive in his views, and instead called on atheists to ‘take on some of the gentle decency of the Church of England’. He critiqued the problem of being labelled racist when one criticises Islam, condemning the persecution faced by many who choose to renounce Islam. ‘In the case of immigrants from Syria and Iraq I would like to see special preference given to apostates, people who have given up Islam. They are in particular danger’, said Dawkins.
Refugee commitment
EN
Date posted: 1 Mar 2016
The International Development Committee report at the end of January found that 90% of Syrian refugees are not in camps, including some of the most vulnerable people such as religious minorities.
David Burrowes MP called on the Government to respond concerning unaccompanied minors. ‘Many people, particularly Christians, will not go to the camps, because they fear double persecution there. They seek refuge through churches and other communities and are dispersed. They are not being registered and we need to recognise that they are among the most vulnerable groups. We need to ensure that the relocation programme involves Christians as well as others.’