On 26 January 2015, Rev. Libby Lane was ordained as the first female Bishop in the Church of England at a ceremony in York Minster.
Share your thoughts and ideas on this major change in policy here.
On 15 July 2014, the governing body of the Church of England voted to approve qualified women to become bishops. On 26 January 2015, Rev. Libby Lane was ordained as the first female Bishop in the Church of England at a ceremony in York Minster. Share your thoughts and ideas on this major change in policy here.
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The Berlin House of One - should different faiths and beliefs worship in the same building?23/6/2014 Read this article from BBC news about the Berlin, 'House of One' - a building which houses a Church, Mosque and a Synagogue. What are the advantages of a place of worship like this? What are the challenges of a place of worship like this? Could this encourage people to convert from one faith to another? Here Hartley Harris writes a review of the Young Atheist's Handbook This book is an account of one person's struggle to free himself from the shackles of the closed-mindedness of religion. It is the tale of how one comes to lose God. Alom Shaha describes his development from a child in a Muslim family to becoming an atheist adult. This book isn't about deep theology or philosophy, although there are references to such work, but it is more so a personal account of how he came to the point of being able to call himself an ex-Muslim. He addresses the contradictions of culture, faith and morality, and evokes the challenge of separating them in a world which often assumes they must go together. Shaha is open about the difficulties and freedoms that describing oneself as an atheist brings. The stories from the author's childhood held my interest, and gave an engaging framework on which to pin the explanatory content. He covers the main arguments for atheism while putting them into the context of his own Muslim upbringing. It is especially intresting that the author comes from a Muslim background but grew up in a Christian environment. This offers him some interesting vantage points. For example, the anti Muslim standpoint prevalent in the west since 9/11 is thoughtfully discussed. I didn't realise that the Koran, being written in Arabic, was indecipherable to the vast majority of those who hope to use it. Shaha explains how he came to the realisation that there is no place for God in a rational person's view of the world. He does not preach, but gently explains how he came to think and behave the way he now does. The book was intellectually engaging, but felt somewhat basic. While it doesn't really hold anything new for a non-believer, basic arguments are covered for someone considering their position on matters of personal faith. This is very much a humanist book, not an atheist one. You can find out more about Humanism by clicking here for 4 short animations narrated by Stephen Fry. While I didn't agree with all the views Shaha expressed, it did not detract from the book. Overall, I see it as a steppingstone to deeper works like that of Richard Dawkins. Watch a clip from the film 'The Last Prophet' about the Prophet Muhammed. Why do you think so many early Muslims were prepared to die rather than give up their faith in Allah? What other examples have there been in history of people either converting to another faith to live, or dying to maintain their faith? A six-month Guardian multimedia investigation has, for the first time, tracked how some of the world's big-supermakets, Tesco, Aldi, Walmart and Morrisons, are using suppliers relying on slave labour to put cheap prawns on their shelves. Slavery is back and here's the proof. Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch Click below to watch the film which includes interviews and animation which tells the story of these modern day slaves. Warning: some may find elements of this film distressing. • More on this story: trafficked into slavery on Thai trawlers To find out more about the issues surrounding modern day slavery, check out the charity Anti Slavery who havelots of actions you can do. Here are the resources we discussed in our recent lessons. You may wish to use them in preparation for your exam. These resources will be useful for Full Course Religion and Life Issues, as part of the topic on Equality and Prejudice. This is also part of the Year 9 Course on Humanity and Ethical Issues today.
Against all Odds: the Game which gets you to think about what it means to be a refugee To go over the keywords and facts about Asylum, have a look at the website from the London based charity, the Refugee Council Year 7 Wednesday 4th June Period 1 - 45 minute exam
7M in HI2 7C in BS2 7S in RS2 Year 8 Tuesday 3rd June period 2 - 45 minute exam IT group 1 in HI3 IT Gp2 in GE1 Latin Gp1 in HI1 Latin Gp2 in RS1 Year 9 Monday 2nd June period 4 - 1 hour exam 9C in ML3 9J in ML1 9M in EN5 9S in ML2 9V in EN1 Year 10 Tuesday 3rd June period 4 - 1 hour exam Full Course and Short Course - All in Sports Hall Read the article 'Sudanese pregnant mother sentenced to death for ‘apostasy’' which was published on 14 May, 2014. What, if anything, should the international community do, if international laws regarding Freedom of Religion and The Right to Family Life, conflict with one community's interpretation of religious laws? Click here for some excellent revision resources including revision notes AND revision crosswords. If you have suggestions for other revision sites, click comment and leave a link to them. Check our @aldenhamRS on twitter for more resources and ideas to help you. Read this article
about the use of drones during combat operations. What do you think? should combat be 'hand to hand'? Or should we be able to fight 'remotely'? What implications does drone warfare have? Read the article about Cameron’s article in the Church Times and the Humanist letter in response, published in the Telegraph. Write a thoughtful paragraph in response to the article, letter and the comments which have been posted. Write in word first and then proof-read your comments. Use imaginative vocabulary and think carefully about what you write, before you copy and post your article for approval into the comments section. Have a read about this incident in Ohio here. In cases of Disablist Bullying (Bullying directed at Disabled people and their families), what is the appropriate punishment and why? For what reasons might the judge think humiliation is an appropriate punishment? Would humiliation encourage the bully to reform? In your comments, lots of you have written about the need to avoid 'Stooping to the Bully's level'. What does this mean? How can punishments be made more effective? In a debate about Immigration, with whom do you agree? Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, or Nigel Farage, Leader of the UK Independence Party? Click here for more details and to watch clips of the live debate, which aired on television on 26 March 2014.
What are your opinions about people coming to the UK? Should immigration be more tightly regulated? Why? What benefits do immigrants bring to the UK? Pope Francis: has his revolution even started? One year on, everyone agrees Pope Francis is a breath of fresh air for the Catholic church, but there is less clarity over who he really is. Is he liberal or conservative – or is he something altogether more unpredictable? Have a read of Paul Vallely's opinion piece in the Guardian about the Pope and his work so far. What do you think are the good things about the current Pope? What are his weaknesses? As always, we look forward to hearing your views. Forced Marriage: Warning to Schools and a Pakistani Refuge rescuing UK girls from forced marriage3/3/2014 Read these two articles about Forced Marriage and then give your own opinions about the issue. Why are forced marriages against the law? Should young people be free to marry whomever they choose? What are advantages of getting married as a young adult? Article One: Forced marriages: School holidays prompt warning Teachers, doctors and airport staff need to be alert to the problem of forced marriages over the school holidays, the government has warned. Article Two: The Pakistani refuge rescuing UK girls from forced marriageAlmost half of forced marriages involving Britons come from the Pakistani community. Amid calls from charities for the government to do more to keep track of how many children are forced into marriage during school holidays, a shelter in Pakistan is providing refuge for some of those who have managed to escape. BBC News' Alexis Akwagyiram eports on the question of whether or not removing kerbs, traffic lights and signs as part of psychological traffic calming measures really works? Enis Baty found this article, and says of it: 'I think this is really a really interesting idea, as it proves that focusing on one objective [not killing people] so that the human mind doesn't need to divert the brain's attention' What do you think? Do we need road markings to prove that we don't want to kill people? Or will be behave better, as this research suggests, and focus more carefully on saving lives than following the 'rules of the road'? Instead of relying on the street system for security, drivers are forced to use their reactions 14 January 2014 Read this article from the BBC about An Afghan citizen has been granted asylum in the UK for religious reasons - because he is an atheist. Should the UK let people seek refuge and safety in this country? Many people are concerned about why people come to the UK and the risks they will take to get here. Have a look at this video where the leader of the UKIP speaks in support of supporting Syrian Refugees Have a look at the Amnesty Campaign website entitled When you don't exist' When should the UK permit people to seek safety in the UK? Should there be restrictions on which countries let in refugees and why? Look at this video which really challenges many perceptions about what it means to be a refugee. What makes it so challenging? What makes it so powerful? Listen to this report from BBC's David Botti, who reports that Incidents of religious hostility are on the rise in all parts of the world except for the Americas, according to an international study by the Pew Research Center. The proportion of countries with a high or very high level of social hostility involving religion in 2012 was the largest in six years. The BBC's David Botti looks at the report to find out which areas are worst affected and what form the hostility takes in different parts of the world. What do you think accounts for hostility towards religion? Why do you think there hasn't been the same religious hostility in the Americas? As always we look forward to hearing your ideas and comments. UK set for first Scientology Church wedding after Supreme Court rules it a ‘place of worship’ have a read of this Independent article about the Church of Scientology and the UK's Supreme Court, which ruled this week that their chapel's could be deemed as places of worship for the purpose of weddings for followers of Scientology. Do you think that the UK should impose stricter limits on where people get married? Or do you think people should be able to get married anywhere? Is the Church of Scientology a religion, or a cult? Who do you think decides what religion is? Why do many people drink alcohol? What if you could drink something which gave you the sensation of being drunk, without any of the side effects? Listen to this short interview here with Professor David Nutt, Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology, at Imperial College London. In it, he talks about his research into creating a new drug which might, one day, replace alcohol use. What would be the benefits of this kind of research? What do you think would be the opposition to replacing alcohol with other drugs? What if other synthetic drugs might be able to offer the kinds of benefits shown in the film 'Limitless'? We look forward to hearing your views. Mrs R and Dr V Have a read of this article by James Kirkup entitled 'Make young vote to counter pensioners' power'
A report by the think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research said this week said they think that 'Young people should be legally forced to vote in their first general election'. Do you think young people should be forced to vote? Why do you think so many people choose not to vote? What are the advantages and disadvantages of making voting in your first election compulsory? We look forward to reading your comments. Mrs Richards Have a look at this article from the BBC MAGAZINE and let us know what you think! 4 February 2013 Last updated at 15:58 What happens at an atheist church? By Brian Wheeler BBC News Magazine An "atheist church" in North London is proving a big hit with non-believers. Does it feel a bit like a new religion? Not many sermons include the message that we are all going to die and there is no afterlife. But the Sunday Assembly is no ordinary church service. Launched last month, as a gathering for non-believers, it is, in the words of master of ceremonies Sanderson Jones, "part foot-stomping show, part atheist church, all celebration of life". A congregation of more than 300 crowded into the shell of a deconsecrated church to join the celebration on Sunday morning. Instead of hymns, the non-faithful get to their feet to sing along to Stevie Wonder and Queen songs. There is a reading from Alice in Wonderland and a power-point presentation from a particle physicist, Dr Harry Cliff, who explains the origins of dark matter theory. It feels like a stand-up comedy show. Jones and co-founder Pippa Evans trade banter and whip the crowd up like the veterans of the stand-up circuit that they are. But there are more serious moments. The theme of the morning is "wonder" - a reaction, explains Jones, to criticism that atheists lack a sense of it. So we bow our heads for two minutes of contemplation about the miracle of life and, in his closing sermon, Jones speaks about how the death of his mother influenced his own spiritual journey and determination to get the most out of every second, aware that life is all too brief and nothing comes after it. The audience - overwhelmingly young, white and middle class - appear excited to be part of something new and speak of the void they felt on a Sunday morning when they decided to abandon their Christian faith. Few actively identify themselves as atheists. "It's a nice excuse to get together and have a bit of a community spirit but without the religion aspect," says Jess Bonham, a photographer. "It's not a church, it's a congregation of unreligious people." Another attendee, Gintare Karalyte, says: "I think people need that sense of connectedness because everyone is so singular right now, and to be part of something, and to feel like you are part of something. That's what people are craving in the world." The number of people declaring themselves to be of "no religion" in England and Wales has increased by more than six million since 2001 to 14.1 million, according to the latest census. That makes England and Wales two of the most secular nations in the Western world. Figures such as writer Richard Dawkins and comedian Ricky Gervais have made it fashionable to be more assertive about having a lack of religious faith and to think about what it means to be an atheist. And writer Alain De Botton has unveiled a Manifesto for Atheists, listing 10 virtues - or as the press has already dubbed them "commandments" - for the faithless. De Botton says he wants to promote overlooked virtues such as resilience and humour. He came up with the idea in response to a growing sense that being virtuous had become "a strange and depressing notion", which seems to chime with the Sunday Assembly's own mantra "live better, help often, wonder more". He argues for a new breed of secular therapists to take the place of the priesthood and believes atheism should have its own churches, but adds: "It should never be called that, because 'atheism' isn't an ideology around which anyone could gather. Far better to call it something like cultural humanism." There is a concern among some non-believers that atheism is developing into a religion in its own right, with its own code of ethics and self-appointed high priests. Jones insists he is not trying to found a new religion, but some members of his congregation disagree. "It will become an organised religion. It's inevitable. A belief system will set in. There will be a structure, an ethical outlook on life," says architect Robbie Harris. He believes Evans and Jones have "a great responsibility" if the Sunday Assembly "continues to be as successful as it is now". "There is a difficulty that it might become cultish and it might become about one person. You could set yourself up as a charismatic preacher, that's the danger." Fellow congregation member Sarah Aspinall says: "I think Sanderson should step back and see himself as a mediator and an enabler, which I think he is obviously good at, and just bring people up to speak or read." Jones says it is very early days and future assemblies will be less about him and more about the experiences of congregation members. He bridles at the suggestion he is starting a cult. "I don't think I'm a charismatic preacher. I just get very excited about things and want to share that with people." He says he has been overwhelmed by the public reaction to the Sunday Assembly and is exploring the possibility of setting up similar gatherings around the country. "I wanted to do this because I thought it would be a wonderful thing," he explains. The Sunday Assembly certainly did better business than at the evangelical St Jude and St Paul's Church next door, where about 30 believers gathered to sing gospel songs and listen to Bible readings. But Bishop Harrison, a Christian preacher for 30 years, says he does not see his new neighbours as a threat, confidently predicting that their spiritual journey will eventually lead them to God. "They have got to start from somewhere," he says. You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook Can global conflicts be solved by online friendships? Read the article below and then click in the comments box to have your say! Read this article by David Shear which is copied below: Technology has helped build connections that weren’t possible decades ago, and Facebook has been the catalyst to build many of these cross-border relationships. Regardless of where people live today, their options to stay in constant communication with each other is endless through email, Skype, social media, and other innovative ways. But how do people find each other, and who do people connect with? Those are questions that Facebook Stories is trying to answer – a website dedicated to sharing thought-provoking stories and ideas from Facebook’s community. Stamen Design, a design and technology studio in San Francisco, has launched a new feature on Facebook Stories called “Mapping the World’s Friendships,” an initiative that visualizes the degree of relationships between Facebook’s hundreds of millions of members. Countries are sorted by a combination of how many Facebook friendships there are between themselves and others, and the total number of Facebook friendships there are in that country. One of the stories shown by the interactive map is the relationships built by Israeli Facebook users. Surprisingly, Israel’s strongest friendships are with Facebook users in the Palestinian Territories, followed by Jordan, Egypt, France and Russia. Other extraordinary connections discovered through this map are that more people commute across the border each day to work in Liechtenstein than Liechtensteiner locals going to work in their own country; that the Democratic Republic of Congo has one of its strongest links with Ecuador; that Portugal is Angola’s strongest friend, and that Iraq is Sweden’s fourth strongest connection. The results are surprising, but can also be explained through immigration, economic links, and nations and with long standing histories, whose cultural and economic ties are still felt today. Iraq and Sweden have a close connection due to recent geopolitical events which saw Sweden immigrate more Iraqi refugees than the United States. Angola and Portugal’s connection can be traced to the wave of immigration that saw 23,000 Portuguese immigrate to Angola in 2009 due to their growing economic relationship. Even with the daily media bombardment obsessed with the negative relationships and turmoil that exists in the the Middle East, it’s exciting and heartening to see how the younger generation, given the tools needed, is willing to build relationships with each other. Now, if only somebody could convince the respective governments to do the same! |
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