UK & Ireland in Brief

Church leaders who use AI to help with sermon preparation and Bible studies have been warned that AI often misquotes the Bible.

Bobby Gruenewald, CEO of leading Bible app YouVersion, said “The best [AI] model with the best performance, with the most popular versions of the Bible that are most indexed, misquotes Scripture at least 15% of the time. Some of them as much as 60% of the time.” He said YouVersion would only introduce AI features if it had the confidence it could do so “safely” and “with a level of accuracy and integrity”.

Christian Institute / Nicola Laver

A new free app, Ethos, has been launched by the Evangelical Alliance’s Being Human team to reach the “spiritually curious”. The EA says it is a way to “explore faith through giving it a go!”

Being Human co-lead Katherine Brown said: “As I speak to young adults around the country, I’m struck by how many young adults are spiritually open. They’re searching for the transcendent, looking for things with ancient roots to help ground them and asking questions about meaning and purpose. We created Ethos with them in mind.”

EA / Nicola Laver

Evangelical umbrella group Affinity’s next Theological Study Conference will have Michael Haykin (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), Tony Watkins (Tyndale House), Collin Hansen (The Gospel Coalition), Phil Swann (Evangelical Movement of Wales) and Kenneth Harrod (Release International) as speakers.

It takes place in March 2027, and will be on the theme “Kingdom: Church in a fractured world”.

Affinity

The 2026 Anglican Mission in England conference brought together church leaders, ministry workers and partners for a time of fellowship, vision and renewal. Hosted at Eastwood Hall, this new venue was an ideal setting for focused ministry and genuine rest.

Under the theme “Gospel on the Move”, Christopher Ash led a series of Bible talks in 2 Thessalonians. AMiE is not part of the Church of England, but is linked to global Anglican movement GAFCON.

AMiE

Westminster Seminary UK will open its new Oxford building this August.

New student housing will accommodate up to 15 men in training. Seminary President Revd Dr Donald John Maclean said: “We are humbled by what the Lord has already done.” Trustee Jon Payne added that the project will “honour Oxford’s Reformation legacy by equipping future preachers to take the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world.”

Mel Duncan, Executive Council Member for the Gospel Reformation Network, commented: “This might be the most significant Christian event in England for Reformed people in this generation.”

Currently located in Newcastle upon Tyne, the new Presbyterian premises see it move to Union House, St Michael’s Street, Oxford.

Westminster Seminary

Construction work to build a state-of-the-art facility at Tyndale House in Cambridge has reached a milestone stage. Sitting beside the existing faculty at the Christian charity and research institute, the new building will house a library containing the most significant collection of Biblical studies material in the United Kingdom.

A major part of the build, the excavation of the basement, is nearly complete and the ground beams are in. The drainage and ducting works are underway and the tower crane is fully erected and operational.

Construction work started in the 80th year of Tyndale House being founded at Selwyn Gardens in Cambridge. When completed in Spring 2027, the new faculty will enhance its library and research offering to scholars and academic staff.

Tyndale House

Christian singer Moya Brennan, who most famously sang with Irish folk group Clannad, has died aged 73.

In 2022, she credited her Christian faith with helping her endure her long-term pulmonary fibrosis.

en staff

Evangelicals in the Church in Wales are reacting with dismay after “same-sex blessings” were made permanent after a five-year trial.

Some are expected to leave, or seek alternative episcopal oversight. Individual ministers may refuse to take such services, but must pass on those requesting them to other clergy, and cannot refuse the use of their buildings.

en staff

Christian nurse Jennifer Melle has claimed victory in the ten-month-long legal battle against her employer, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, which labelled her a “potential risk to the public” for declining to use the preferred pronouns of a convicted paedophile who wanted to identify as a woman.

The Trust has now agreed to settle her claims on terms legally required to remain confidential. Melle said: “I am glad that my employer has finally decided to extend an olive branch to me. I look forward to being able to focus on the job I love.”

Christian Concern