BRIEFING
UN Committee condemns UK government failure on disability rights
A REPORT published by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Disabled People concludes that the UK Government has made “no significant progress” in addressing the grave and systematic violations of Deaf and Disabled people’s rights that it highlighted more than...
Poverty means vulnerable women miss medical appointments
NEW joint research from Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC) and the Women’s Budget Group (WBG) has revealed that women living in Oxfordshire with lived experience of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse are missing vital medical appointments due...
Jamaican government minister accepts URC’s apology for slavery role
A JAMAICAN government minister has accepted the United Reformed Church’s apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. The Hon Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, encouraged other UK churches, along with the UK...
EU Parliament approves supply chain law
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT voted on 24 April to approve the proposed European law requiring large companies to prevent and remedy human rights and environmental abuses in their global supply chains. This is a step forward for corporate accountability, says Human Rights...
Video series equips faith investors to invest for a sustainable future
OPERATION NOAH and FaithInvest have announced the launch of a new video series, 'Financing a Liveable Future: Church Investments in Climate Solutions'. The short films explore how faith-based investors can align their values with their investing practices to create a...
COMMENTARY
The traumatic identity of the Armenian Genocide
MANY decades ago, when my bones were less creaky and when I was a happy-go-lucky young lad with hardly any serious responsibilities, I used to sit next to my maternal grandfather and listen intently to his nostalgic stories. I was very fond of my granddad – médzbaba...
Threatened with resurrection
Luke 24. 36b – 58; Acts 3. 12-19; Psalm 4. “They were startled and terrified… Jesus said to them, why are you frightened and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” AT THE VERY core of Christian believing is the conviction that – despite persistent appearances to the...
The two child limit: a cruel and unfair false economy
EVERY CHILD born in the UK, whatever their circumstances, is a member of our society. Society has a choice – we can do our best to support and nurture those children, to help them grow into healthy, happy adults, or we can turn our backs on them, allow them to...
Scotland, gender reform and law: difference and common ground
ISSUES around gender identity, wider equality, law and policy have been much in the news recently. A Scottish government attempt to overturn the UK government veto of a bill to make it easier to change legal gender failed. But Scotland’s leaders are pressing ahead...
Can we dare to hope when it comes to Israel-Palestine?
I DECIDED several weeks ago that it was time to write another article for Ekklesia, following a long absence from its web pages. Ekklesia published my second book in 2019, and may hopefully be able to produce an edited and updated second edition in the near future. So...
MEDIA
UPDATES
Gaza news updates and truth-sourcing
IT HAS long been said that truth is the first casualty in war. In the age of digital technology, social media, AI and deepfakes, that awful reality has been turbo-charged. The continuing bombardment and assault on Gaza and the Russian invasion of Ukraine are prime...
Stations of the Cross for Gaza
WE ARE grateful to our friends at Christians for Palestine for producing a moving set of meditations and prayers for Gaza, using the traditional form of the Stations of the Cross, which depict Jesus's path to crucifixion. In commending these reflections we remember...
Confronting Christian Zionism and advocating for peace and justice
JOIN the Rev Dr Munther Isaac for a thought-provoking online conversation (6:30pm UK time, Sunday 4th February) on combatting Christians Zionism and empowering people of faith to advocate for Palestinian liberation. This will be an insightful discussion, shedding...