Podcasts about General Synod

Over the course of Western history, how have religion and medicine worked together to tell women how their bodies work, and what they should do with them? How have Eve and Mary been used to convey these messages, and how has their role been challenged? Helen King explores the potential of both Christianity and medicine to work towards a healthier approach to the body. Helen King is Professor Emerita at The Open University, where she researched and taught the history of the body. She is an elected lay member of the Church of England's General Synod and a trustee of WATCH (Women and the Church). Her latest book is 'Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies'.

The names of most of those who will help to decide the next Archbishop of Canterbury were announced this week: five representatives of the global Anglican Communion, along with those selected from among the central members elected by the General Synod for a five-year term. Previously, the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) has had only one representative of the Anglican Communion, but this was increased to five after a Synod vote in 2022. On the podcast this week, the editor, Sarah Meyrick, and staff writer, Francis Martin, talk about the composition of the Canterbury CNC: who the members are and how their views might influence the kind of person who is appointed. Will church tradition be a consideration? How likely is it that CNC members will vote for a woman to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury? And how does this protracted process compare to the election of a new pope? Photo credit: Neil Turner/Lambeth Palace Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Helen King. Helen is a Professor Emerita of Classical Studies at The Open University, and an elected member of the General Synod of the Church of England, where she is vice chair of Together. They discuss her newest book: “Immaculate Forms: A History of the Female Body in Four Parts.” Follow Helen: @helenking

The three Church of England revs with a difference are back to talk about the biggest issues in church and state. This time:Trump's recent IVF orderProposed change to assisted suicide law extending eligibility to twelve months from sixDid anything interesting happen at General Synod? Our next pick for Archbishop of CanterburyAnd the mysterious withdrawal of the anonymous appointee to the See of DurhamAll that and much much more as ever. Please enjoy!Please Support the Podcast!You make Irreverend possible. Please support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Notices:Thinking Slow at the Thinking Coalition: https://thinkingcoalition.orgPre-order Jamie's new book The Great ReturnDaniel French Substack: https://undergroundchurch.substack.com/Jamie Franklin Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Substack: https://irreverendpod.substack.comFollow us on Twitter: https://x.com/IrreverendPodFind me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comSupport the show

Michael Hayden and Ros Clarke discuss the February 2025 meeting of General Synod, what happened, what didn't, and the differences watching online and in person.

Staff writer Francis Martin spent all of last week in the press gallery of Church House, Westminster, reporting on the latest meeting of the General Synod. He reports back to the editor, Sarah Meyrick, about some of the most significant debates and votes, including on the future of safeguarding and proposed changes to the Crown Nominations Commission. Francis was also out and about talking to Synod members. Watch a video of some of the interviews here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/14-february/audio-video/video/watch-church-times-reports-from-the-general-synod-in-london Read coverage of the Synod on our website: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/topics/general-synod Synod digest will be published next week (28 February issue) Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

Jewish and Muslim leaders have signed an historic agreement which they hope will transform community relations in the UK. But does the Reconciliation Accord go far enough? Ludovic Mohamed Zahed is an Islamic scholar and cleric who is challenging conventional understandings of his faith and has written a new book about his journey as a gay imam.The acclaimed Manchester Rock Band Doves have reunited with their new album Constellations For The Lonely, which is due to be released in February 2025 - with the latest single taking some saintly inspiration. Saint Teresa draws on lead singer Jimi Goodwin's Irish catholic heritage and connection with Teresa's story. The Church of England's General Synod opened last Monday to headlines reporting that the church would be banning gluten-free communion wafers and non-alcoholic wine. But another question remains: why is actual alcohol and wheat required by some churches in the bread and wine of communion while not being important for others?PRESENTER: William Crawley PRODUCERS: Katy Davis and Linda Walker EDITOR: TIM PEMBERTON STUDIO MANAGERS: Simon Highfield and Jonathan Esp

Former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell talks to Edward Stourton about the move to dismantle USAID after Vice President JD Vance accused it of 'spreading atheism'.We hear from author Christopher Gasson and his poll of Gen Z and their views on religion which suggests a majority describe themselves as 'fairly spiritual'.Independent safeguarding is the big topic at General Synod this week. Madeleine Davies of the Church Times tells us about the debates already underway about the best way to keep people safe in the C of E.And the public are being asked to give their views on the qualities needed in the next Archbishop of Canterbury. If you have any thoughts let us know - sunday@bbc.co.uk, @BBCR4SUNDAY on social media.

In 2023, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York asked Professor Alexis Jay to develop proposals for a fully independent structure to provide scrutiny of safeguarding in the Church of England. Her report, published the following year, concluded that not only scrutiny, but operational safeguarding, should be independent, necessitating the creation of two separate charities. But while there is widespread demand for action to prevent further failings, opinion on taking up Professor Jay's recommendations remains divided. Next week, members of the General Synod will gather again to discuss the way forward. The task before them is a weighty one, with the debate taking place against a backdrop of widespread horror at the Church's record to date. On Wednesday (5 February), the Church Times hosted a webinar to discuss the right way forward, in response to Professor Jay's recommendations. This podcast features contributions from the panel below. A video of the full webinar, including the panel's discussion and responses to questions, will be available soon. Panel Jane Chevous, co-founder, Survivors Voices Colin Perkins, diocesan safeguarding adviser, diocese of Chichester David Greenwood, Switalskis Solicitors Jim Gamble, INEQE Safeguarding Group Chaired by Madeleine Davies of the Church Times New to us? We are currently offering a £5 digital subscription, giving you full access to our website and archive, for 2 months. This best-ever value subscription offer is available until 14 February, so subscribe now to avoid missing out. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/subscribe

Ros Clarke and Chris Moore discuss the General Synod agenda for the coming week and encourage listeners to get involved in a variety of ways.

Follow Fr Alex on X @alexdjfrost Follow Clive on X @cliveatsynod Clive Billeness is a Specialist in Project / Programme / Risk / Business Continuity Management Practitioner Qualified in Prince2, MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) and M_o_R (Management of Risk) as well as Financial Management and Audit within the context of European FP7 and Horizon 2020 projects. also Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) also Retired Lay Minister in the Anglican Diocese of Europe Elected Member of House of Laity of Synod of the Diocese of Europe Hon. Secretary of ECO - the Ecumenical Church of the Occitanie (an online mission initiative) Specialties: EC FP7/H2020 Project Financial Regulations, IT Projects and Programmes, Risk Management, Business Continuity Management, Digital Preservation, GDPR Governance and Compliance. Recently: Researching bullying in worship communities Member of the Save The Parish Financial Scrutiny Board at General Synod of Church of England Member of the House of Laity of the General Synod of the Church of England. Supporting an inclusive church which is free of bullying. Member of Audit Committee.

Dr Peter Stuart The Diocesan Bishop Dr Peter Stuart became the Bishop of Newcastle on 2 February 2018 after having served as Assistant Bishop from 2 February 2009. He has administered the Diocese on two occasions—2013 and 2017. Bishop Peter has considerable experience in not-for-profit governance, risk management, policy development, communication and financial administration. He has previously served on the Board of Anglicare Tasmania Inc, Glenview Nursing Home Inc (Tas), Julia Farr Services (SA), the Julia Farr Association (SA), and St Peters College (SA). Bishop Peter has been a member of the Diocesan Council in the Diocese of Tasmania and Adelaide and a member of the Long Service Leave Board of General Synod.

We hear once more from Fiona MacMillan, who shares with us her role within the Church of England's General Synod, and what it's doing to help churches become more disability aware.

In the wake of the Archbishop of Canterbury's historic resignation, Nicky Campbell has been talking to people about their experiences of the Church. Su, a survivor of historic sexual abuse by a then-trainee minister, waived her automatic right to anonymity to tell her story publicly for the first time. She says before and during her abuser's trial - which concluded in an indecent assault conviction in March - the Church was "notable by its absence" in terms of support for her. "Nowhere was an offer to stand by me in court, to pray for me, to support me," she told Campbell, adding that after she contacted the safeguarding team she was asked to "call us" if she needed anything. Su also called on the Church to make it easier for abuse survivors to have a voice and be part of reviews into its processes around safeguarding.A member of the General Synod & the Archbishops' Council, who started the petition calling for Justin Welby to resign, said he'd meet Su to discuss the lack of support she got.If you've been affected by issues in this discussion, there is a range of organisations and websites that can offer you advice and support. You can find some of them listed on the BBC's Actionline website at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Daily Anglican Prayer – Friday Morning – 1st November 2024 Readings: Psalm 148; Wisdom 3. 1-9; Hebrews 12.18-24. Led by Felicity Scott, a Liturgical Assistant with the Anglican Church QLD, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Friday Morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia'. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ as our saviour and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray. 1 Through Christ let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.  Hebrews 13.15    Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.     2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace We have complete freedom:  to go into the most holy place by means of the death of Jesus.  He opened for us a new way, a living way:  through the curtain, through his own body.  Since we have a great high priest  set over the household of God:  let us draw near with a sincere heart and a sure faith,  With hearts that have been made clean  from a guilty conscience:  and bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10.19–22      3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed and the day lies open before us;  let us pray with one heart and mind.    Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,  so may the light of your presence, O God,  set our hearts on fire with love for you;  now and for ever.  Amen.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each. Psalm 5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow Holy God, through your beloved Son you reconciled all things to yourself, making peace by the blood of his cross: fill us and those for whom we pray with your peace and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed. 1st Reading Hear the word of the LORD Thanks be to GOD   2nd Reading Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.  7 The Canticle, Saviour of the World Jesus, Saviour of the world,  come to us in your mercy:  we look to you to save and help us.  By your cross and your life laid down,  you set your people free:  we look to you to save and help us.  When they were ready to perish,  you saved your disciples:  we look to you to come to our help.  In the greatness of your mercy,  loose us from our chains:  forgive the sins of all your people.  Make yourself known as our saviour  and mighty deliverer:  save and help us that we may praise you.  Come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus:  hear our prayer and be with us always.  And when you come in your glory:  make us to be one with you  and to share the life of your kingdom.       8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity.   9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.     10 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.    Prayer of the Week Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost Almighty and everlasting GOD, Give us the increase of faith, hope and love; And, that we may obtain what you promise, Make us to love what you command, Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen       10 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray   Loving God, we thank you God of all loveliness, For the beauty of earth and sky and sea; For the richness of mountains, deserts and rivers; For the songs of birds and the beauty of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we guard our heritage to honour and glory your name. In God we ask; Hear our prayer   Blessed God, we thank you for the everyday pleasures that warm our hearts and bring song to our voices. The smile of a friend, a warm comfy bed, sunlight on trees and walks in the park. How great your world is, we thank you. In God we ask; Hear our prayer.   Heavenly God, we thank you for your support in children's lives. We thank you for their education providers and for blessing teachers and students with intellect and reason. We are grateful for all your many blessings. In God we ask; Hear our prayer   Blessed God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer: The Diocese of Karnataka South – The Church of South India (United) The ongoing work of peace-making in Sudan & South Sudan The Anglican Church of Australia: The Primate; The General Secretary; The General Synod and the Standing Committee The Parish of Bulimba: Anglican Schools Office, Church House: State Chaplaincy Board All Parishes seeking clergy. All Anglican schools seeking chaplains. All Prison Chaplaincy Ministry Teams All people joining in this prayer offering. In God we ask; Hear our prayer   12 The Morning Collect Eternal God and Father,  by whose power we are created  and by whose love we are redeemed;  guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,  that we may give ourselves to your service,  and live this day in love  to one another and to you;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.   13 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    Peace be to us all, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen. Ephesians 6.23 Music by John Keys – Anglican Chant Canticle organ accompaniments. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSV bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.    

Church of England revs with a difference Daniel French, Jamie Franklin and Thomas Pelham sit down on the eve of the UK General Election to talk about the biggest issues in church and state. We round up the important last-minute stories and make our predictions for the big day.Also on the agenda, the Church of England's General Synod is back and so is the question of same-sex blessings. The widely supported Alliance group is threatening to create a parallel province. Several bishops have written an open letter pleading for a change of course. And the liberalising Bishop of Oxford has also hit back. We discuss all the central issues and controversies.Finally, an interview with Charles Wide K.C. on a recent letter sent to the Church Times protesting the use of £100 million (rising to £1 billion somehow) of the Church Commissioner's money to repay the Church's ostensible involvement in, and profiting from, the Transatlantic slave trade.All relevant links available below.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comLinks:Living in Love and FaithThe Alliance Parallel Province Letter11 Bishops call for RethinkBishop Steven Croft hits backSociety Bishops LetterSlavery Reparation Fund:Church Commissioner Report: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/church-commissioners-for-england-research-into-historic-links-to-transatlantic-chattel-slavery-report.pdfOversight Group Report: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/church-commissioners-for-england-oversight-group-report-to-the-board-of-governors.pdf The Church of England's Historic Links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade by Robert Tombs and Lawrence Goldman: https://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/the-church-of-englands-historic-links-to-the-transatlantic-slave-trade/Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comSupport the Show.

It's Wednesday, July 3rd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Pakistani court sentenced Christian to death A court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death on Saturday.  Twenty-eight-year-old Ehsaan Shan Masih is accused of reposting content considered blasphemous against Islam by the government.  The accusations followed a terrible mob attack against Christians in the country's eastern Punjab Province in 2023.  Shan's lawyer will appeal the sentence. He said, “The Christian community in Pakistan is facing severe injustice, living in constant fear for their lives, property, and places of worship. This verdict symbolizes the virtual death of all Christians in Pakistan today.”  According to the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations, Pakistan is ranked the seventh most difficult country worldwide in which to be a Christian. Revelation 12:11 says believers overcame Satan “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Church of England greenlights blessing homosexual couples The Church of England's General Synod began this week.  The church is facing division over the issue of sexually perverted lifestyles. Last year, the Church of England allowed priests to bless homosexual couples.  However, conservative leaders in the Church of England are pushing back. The group known as The Alliance represents over 2,000 clergy members.  A letter from the group warned they are preparing to create a "parallel province” in the Church of England and to “seek pastoral oversight from bishops who remain faithful to orthodox teaching on marriage and sexuality.”  Biden: “I can do this job!” Last Friday, in Raleigh, North Carolina, following his disastrous debate performance, President Joe Biden admitted that his age has limited his abilities. BIDEN: “I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate, debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. (cheers) I know right from wrong. (cheers) “I know how to do this job. (cheers) I know how to get things done. (cheers) I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down you get back up. (cheers) “I know what it took to take our economy from the depths of pandemic, where it is the day, the strongest economy in the world. Folks, I give you my word, as a Biden, I would not be running again if I didn't believe, with all my heart and soul, I can do this job!” First Democrat Congressman tells Biden to step aside However, Biden's defense was not sufficient for Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Texas. On Tuesday, Doggett became the first in the party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to step down as the party's nominee for president, citing Biden's poor debate performance against Donald Trump, reports The Associated Press. In a statement Tuesday, Congressman Doggett said, “My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. … I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.” Shortly afterwards, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro joined Doggett in calling for Biden to withdraw. Castro ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. Trump advisor Rudy Giuliani disbarred On Tuesday, Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, federal prosecutor and legal adviser to Donald Trump, was disbarred in New York after a court found he repeatedly made false statements about Trump's 2020 election loss, reports The Associated Press. The Manhattan appeals court ruled Giuliani, who had his New York law license suspended in 2021 for making false statements around the election, is no longer allowed to practice law at all in the state, effective immediately. Texas Court upholds ban on transgender drugs/surgeries for minors Last Friday, the Texas Supreme Court  upheld a law that bans transgender drugs and surgeries for minors. The court ruled 8-1 in favor of the law. Texas is the largest of about 25 states that banned such mutilating practices on children.  The court emphasized the role of parents in their children's care. The ruling stated, “We have said—and we reaffirm today—that fit parents have a fundamental interest in directing the care, custody, and control of their children free from government interference.”  Iowa court upholds Heartbeat law Also last Friday, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state's Heartbeat Law should go into effect.  The law bans physicians from killing unborn babies. If a heartbeat is detected, the baby is protected with some exceptions.  The ruling stated, “We have previously held that abortion is not a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution. … We conclude that the fetal heartbeat statute is rationally related to the state's legitimate interest in protecting unborn life.” American patriotism declining July 4th might be tomorrow, but American patriotism is down, according to a new Gallup poll. Only 41% of U.S. adults say they are extremely proud to be American, down from 70% in the early 2000s. An additional 26% say they are very proud to be American. A combined 67% are extremely or very proud, down from 90% in the early 2000s. Being extremely proud to be an American is down among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. But Republicans were the most likely to be extremely patriotic. Generations Radio guest empowers sex abuse victims to speak up Today, as Kevin Swanson is traveling overseas, I guest host for him on Generations Radio. I interviewed Elizabeth Good, the author of Speak the Unspeakable: Real Talk on Secrets, Sex and Being Set Free. Through TheFoundationUnited.org, she empowers people to stop concealing their trauma. GOOD: “If abuse starts at three, four, or five years old, and we keep it secret until [age] 53, things are happening that a child, their intuition, they know it doesn't feel right. They feel yucky. And the textbook ploys of somebody that is abusing them, and the predator tactics of this type of behavior, is so textbook. And so to arm the children, so they have the empowerment and the ability to speak to the things that are entering at five years old, six years old, seven years old. “We have so many children in seventh grade that are going through our different materials that we have for the church or for schools or for homeschool. And as they're going through it in seventh grade, we've had so many girls especially say, ‘Why wasn't I given this in fourth grade? If this would have been given me in fourth grade, I would have known exactly what to do. When this happened to be online. I would have known exactly what to say because this is exactly the situation.'” Take a listen to my 30-minute interview with Elizabeth Good at Generations.org/radio. That's Generations.org/radio. Christian athlete gives glory to God A Christian track athlete broke a world record in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Sydney McLaughlin Levrone was competing in the U.S. Olympic team trials. She finished the women's 400-meter hurdles in 50.65 seconds. That beat the previous world record which she herself had set. Listen to her interaction with a sports reporter. NBC REPORTER:  “Sydney, when you looked up and you saw the clock, we saw the look on your face. But just tell us what went through your mind, another world record.” LEVRONE: “Honestly, praise God. I was not expecting that, but He can do anything. Anything is possible in Christ. So, yeah, I'm just amazed, baffled, and in shock!” After breaking world records in the past, she has quoted Hebrews 4:16: “So let us come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Final 2 Worldview listeners gave $225 And finally, we want to say a special thank you to our final two donors who helped support The Worldview over the next fiscal year. Keziah in Walpole, New Hampshire gave $25 and Israel and Michelle in Lexington Park, Maryland gave $200. Interestingly, $50 of that $200 donation came from work their son Isaac did.  Since the family has been battling Colorado potato beetles, they offered him 5 cents per dead beetle.  To his credit, over the course of several hours and in 90-degree heat, Isaac successfully killed 1,000 Colorado potato beetles, earning $50 for his effort which he decided to donate, in its entirely, to The Worldview. Isaac, if you took a picture of your pile of dead beetles, email it to me at Adam@TheWorldview.com. Ready for our final final total? Drum roll please. (sound effect of drum roll) $96,800! (audience cheering) Michelle from Lexington Park, Maryland wrote, “We are expecting baby number six in one month and thank the Lord for always providing for us financially so I can stay home and homeschool my kiddos.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, July 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Lee Gatiss and Chris Moore discuss the agenda for this weekend's meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, in this week's podcast.

This week's episode is brought to you from Edinburgh, and features a conversation with the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Revd Mark Strange. It was recorded on Saturday, 15 June, at the conclusion of the Church's General Synod meeting. The Primus spoke about the General Election campaign and Christians' involvement in politics; the situation involving the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, the Rt Revd Anne Dyer (News, 24 May); the Synod's motion on the war in Gaza; mission in the 21st century; and his hopes for Scotland's national football team at Euro 2024 (it was recorded the day after Scotland lost to Germany, but before the 1-1 draw with Switzerland, which kept Scotland's hopes of advancing past the group stages alive). During the conversation, Bishop Strange was also asked about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and he said that he had no knowledge of their use in the Church. Subsequent to this, the SEC sent the Church Times a statement, which said: “Non-disclosure agreements have, on occasion, been entered into in the past in the Church. HR processes are handled at the appropriate level within the Church, and therefore the Primus would not normally be involved.” Read the report on the use of NDAs here and detailed coverage of the Synod meeting in this week's Church Times (21 June), in print and online. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

Why has the Church of Ireland's General Synod voted against a motion to allow all children of unmarried parents be baptised?Canon Gillian Wharton, Rector of Booterstown, Dublin, Church of Ireland, and Professor Patricia Barker, Lay Member of the Church of Ireland Synod joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

On the podcast this week, Fr Alex Frost — parish priest, best-selling author, and host of The God Cast — talks to Madeleine Davies about the Church of England's problems connecting with people from working-class settings. Fr Alex has written a comment article in this week's Church Times which argues that the C of E needs to remove barriers that make it harder for working-class people to respond to a call to ordination or lay leadership. “I heard examples of intelligent and highly capable individuals from urban working-class settings who had struggled to break through the pomp and procedures of the Church of England,” he writes. “And of individuals dismayed by the Church and its approach to training and developing leaders who happened to drink Vimto more than they did Vin Mariani. . . “I could relate to this. In my own journey to ordination, I had many advocates; but, for every advocate I had, there were dreadfully high hurdles put in front of me to demonstrate whether I might be worthy of fulfilling my authentic and genuine call to ordination.” The Revd Alex Frost is the Vicar of St Matthew the Apostle, Burnley, a member of the General Synod, and host of the podcast The God Cast: https://www.youtube.com/@thegodcast5878 His book, Our Daily Bread: From Argos to the altar — a priest's story is published by Harper North (Books, 11 November 2022). Madeleine Davies is Senior Writer for the Church Times. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

Sit down this week with hosts Angela and Liz as they chat with Rev. Dwayne Jackson. Rev. Jackson shares his expertise about working with the Reformed Church of America and how the stories from his fellow sisters in ministry catapulted his everyday practice of mutuality. He also describes his love for those at the margins and his pastoral position as he pastors alongside his wife as equals. Tune in and hear not only his story but HER story as well!      Guest Bio  Born and raised as a son of the Mott Haven Reformed Church Dwayne Jackson served in the role of deacon then as an elder where he worked with the finance committee, youth ministry, Sunday school, Christian education, choir, and men's ministry. His educational accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from New York Institute of Technology with a Minor in Computer Science, and a Master of Divinity from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Dwayne was invited to serve as a Student Pastor of the First Reformed Church of Astoria, following his ordination in January of 2000 he accepted the call to continue as their Minister of Word and Sacrament where he remained until June of 2017.     In the community of Astoria and Long Island City, Queens Rev. Jackson served as the Clergy Liaison for the local police command. His work involves mediation between members of the community and helping them to build a peaceful relationship that will benefit both the local citizens and the patrol officers, where mutual respect is fostered.  He provided spiritual guidance and assistance for the members of the Astoria Senior Citizen's Center and mentoring for young children, teens and young adults at the community center.    Rev. Jackson has been a part of the African American / Black Council in a number of capacities.  He served the RCA as the Coordinator of Social Witness and Social Justice and served on the RCA Commission for Women.  In 2021 Rev. Jackson was elected into the position of VP of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America and concluded his service as President from 2022 to 2023     Serving as Co-Pastor of the Second Reformed Church of Hackensack along with the Rev. Anna M. Jackson, Rev. Dwayne Jackson has promised to dedicate his life to preaching and teaching the un-compromised Word of God to all the people of God and making Disciples for Christ.    Disclaimer  The opinions expressed in CBE's Mutuality Matters' podcast are those of its hosts or guests and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CBE International or its members or chapters worldwide. The designations employed in this podcast and the presentation of content therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of CBE concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. 

Chris Moore and Ros Clarke discuss the February 2024 General Synod meetings, with some positive outcomes, some disappointing votes, and the implications of avoiding a vote altogether.

Church of England vicars with a difference Daniel French, Thomas Pelham, and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the most important issues in church and state. This time, we have a special conversation about the Church of England's most recent General Synod in which the Bishop of Dover said that every parish in the CofE should draw up a "race action plan" and that we should be more woke than we already are. In other news, an amendment to a motion concerning the controversial Living in Love and Faith process claiming that there exist people who do not agree to agreeing to disagree is rejected for somewhat obscure reasons. We ask the important questions: Does racism really exist in the Church of England? If it does, what legitimate means should the Church take to address it? Should vicars and, indeed the Church, be political in nature, or spiritual, or both? This, and much much more as ever. We hope you enjoy.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comLinks:Church of England should be even more woke: Ruse Hudson Wilkin - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/25/rose-hudson-wilkin-church-of-england-race-action-plan/ The Church of England should stop distracting itself with ‘racial justice': Andrew Tettenborn - https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-church-of-england-should-stop-distracting-itself-with-racial-justice/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1708970531Summary of Living and Love and Faith business at General Synod:https://www.anglicanfutures.org/post/what-happened-at-general-synod-living-in-love-and-faith-feb-24?fbclid=IwAR1js4sR2JzkbSYCbDRA5mMNkF3yfLJyVg3r6ep-WcrPYNwVxxU5S6_8sL0Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Halfway through this five-year term of General Synod, Chris Moore and Ros Clarke discuss what's on the agenda, what it's like to serve on synod, and why you should consider standing for election next time.

Church of England revs with a difference Jamie Franklin, Thomas Pelham, and Daniel French get together to review this week's biggest talking points. This time:- The Canterbury Cathedral rave in the nave causes widespread outrage, plus an interview with the counter-nave, prayer-protest organiser, plus what else is Canterbury Cathedral up to these days?- The plot thickens at General Synod as bishops are said to have been less than honest with their deliberations over gay blessings.- parkrun becomes the most recent formerly fun thing to be ruined by transgender ideology.- And an email from an anonymous source reveals the very disturbing incursion of critical theory into the Church of England's safeguarding training.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comLinks:Gen Z doesn't want disco cathedrals: https://unherd.com/newsroom/gen-z-doesnt-want-disco-cathedrals/BBC Article on cathedral rave:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-68279198Petition against raves in naves: https://www.change.org/p/anglican-deans-stop-turning-our-great-cathedrals-into-nightclubs?original_footer_petition_id=37869401&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=17&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAATtPgIAAAAAZcbI154dpl42MjVhMGQ4MA%3D%3DBishops' Orthodox “Theological Vision": https://www.premierchristianity.com/exclusive-cofe-bishops-offer-theological-vision-on-christian-life-and-discipleship/17188.articleLLF FUBAR: https://www.psephizo.com/sexuality-2/llf-and-general-synod-all-fouled-up-or-beyond-repair/Notices:Find links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irreverendpod/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IrreverendPodJoin our Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodThursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudioSupport the show

The issue of converting asylum seekers to Christianity has been in the headlines this week with accusations that some clergy are naive or too eager to help asylum seekers stay in the country. We talk to a Baptist elder with experience of converting and helping asylum seekers.Jaz from Traitors won the respect of TV audiences with the way he played the gameshow, but he revealed it was his Sikh faith that guided him through the show and helped him be a true Faithful. The film Samsara – which has just reached our cinemas – has attracted some great reviews despite the fact that you are encouraged to watch part of it with your eyes closed. It tells the story of the journey of the soul of an elderly woman in Laos to its reincarnation as goat in Zanzibar. Edward speaks to director Lois Patino and Dechen Pemba from the Tibetan Film Festival who went to see it on our behalf.There was another bust up over same sex blessings in the Church of England this week. A Bishop resigned from the process, and 130 people wrote a letter in protest at what they believe are delays to a trial to test out separate services of blessing. Edward talks to Professor Helen King and Dr Ian Paul, both members of General Synod and hears from a couple waiting for their special day in church.A year of celebrations to mark 1500 years since the death of St Brigid are underway in Ireland. Edward talks to Derry Girls actress Siobhan McSweeney and historian Dr Mary Condren about why she's a feminist saint fit for the 21st century.PRESENTER: EDWARD STOURTON PRODUCERS: CATHERINE MURRAY & JAMES LEESLEY EDITOR:TIM PEMBERTON

From the Archives: First Aired in 2011, today's Classic Replay takes an in-depth look at some of the most contentious passages in the Bible when it comes to women's roles and leadership in the Church. In 1995 the Church of England allowed the ordination of Women priests, but the question of whether the Bible forbids female authority in the church remains today. Christina Rees is a writer and broadcaster and served on the Archbishop's Council and the General Synod for 25 years. For many years Christina was Chair of WATCH (Women and the Church), the group that led the campaign for women bishops and that works for women's equality in the Church. Our other guest is the Rev John Richardson, who disagrees with female ordination. John was a speaker, lecturer and a member of the former conservative Evangelical grouping Reform within the CofE. John passed away a few years after this episode in 2014. Today's guests debate passages in the New Testament that appear to forbid women speaking in Church, the role of husbands and wives and the practical realities of men and women being church leaders. Find out more: For WATCH Women and the Church http://womenandthechurch.org/ For Christina Rees' book “Apostolic Women, Apostolic Authority” http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apostolic-women-apostolic-authority-transfiguring/dp/1848250401 For John Richardson's blog http://www.ugleyvicar.blogspot.com/ • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For our apologetics courses: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/courses • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Dr. William "Bill" Brownson Jr., was a long-time voice of the West Michigan-based radio ministry "Words of Hope" and was a former seminary professor. While he passed away at the age of 93 in 2022, I was able to get to know Bill and greatly appreciated his love of the Lord and his desire for revival and spiritual awakening. A little more about Bill Brownson: following his own seminary training, Bill served in two church pastorates. He moved to Holland, MI in 1964 to become a professor of preaching at Western Theological Seminary. He also took his pastoral approach to his role at the Words of Hope ministry, which he joined in the early 1970s. In his years at Words of Hope, Bill anchored hundreds of weekly radio broadcasts and also wrote devotionals for the ministry's printed outreach before retiring in 1994. Bill also authored many books, perhaps the best known was his book "Billy and Dave," a memoir written with his wife Helen about their life journey with their sons Billy and David, who sadly died in 1977 and 2003 respectively. Bill was a familiar and beloved figure, especially in Reformed Church circles. He served as president of the denomination's General Synod in 1984.   In this podcast, Bill describes how he came to faith in Christ at the age of 16, and how that decision began to profoundly impact his life. Over time, Bill became a powerful proponent of prayer. He describes how important prayer should be to all of us Christ-followers as we cry out for God to impact not only our lives, but also the lives of our family, our community, our nation and our world.

What was voted for at the November General Synod? How can we pray and support friends in the Church of England? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discusses the current events in the Church of England with regards to blessings for same-sex couples with Ros Clarke from Church Society. What happened at the General Synod? What are the pressures on church leaders in the Church of England? Why don't they just leave? How can we encourage our friends there? Show notes Standing with Friends in the Church of England (fiec.org.uk) Church Society podcast (churchsociety.org) You can watch a video of this episode and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the FIEC YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC. Follow FIEC on social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠X

How significant is the Church of England vote to trial same-sex blessings? How should we respond to another bill to ban 'conversion therapy'? What can leaders learn from the cabinet reshuffle? 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - FIEC Leaders' Conference 04:06 - Changes to the FIEC Doctrinal Basis 07:29 - Church of England vote on blessing same-sex marriage 16:48 - New conversion therapy bill 21:52 - Pastoral care for people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria 23:55 - Suella Braver-gone: cabinet reshuffle 33:12 - The Hub conference Show notes Ministry of Justice (Leaders' Conference 2023) (fiec.org.uk) Doctrinal Basis and Constitutional Changes Approved (fiec.org.uk) General Synod agrees to trial services for same-sex couples after marathon debate (churchtimes.co.uk) Conversion therapy ban tabled by Lib Dem peer (bbc.co.uk) Sunak reshuffle shows he's done with playing it safe (news.sky.com) The Hub 2024 (fiec.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the FIEC YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC. Follow FIEC on social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X

This week Church of England leaders voted narrowly to allow special services of blessing for gay couples. At a meeting in London, the church's General Synod approved the move on a trial basis. It has been a hugely divisive issue and there are fears that it could split the church. Equality campaigners insist that gay Anglicans should be able to marry in church like everyone else. But some conservatives say that the church is straying from scripture, which teaches that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. The Labour Party leadership was hit by a major rebellion this week in the Commons when 56 MPs defied party policy and voted for a ceasefire in Gaza. Eight shadow ministers also resigned their positions in support of an immediate ceasefire. Muslim party members, councillors and MPs have been vociferous in pushing for an end to the violence in Gaza as the death toll has soared. Labour usually enjoys strong support from Muslims, but could this issue lose the party votes, or even seats at the General Election? Why have human beings always been so attracted to stories about the end of the world? Across cultures and history, stories and works of art have reflected ideas of the apocalypse. It's the subject of a new exhibition which includes poems by T. S. Eliot and W. B. Yeats. The exhibition's venue is a Victorian house in Bedford, which once belonged to a now defunct Christian apocalyptic movement, called the Panacea Society. We'll hear the history of this eccentric organisation and also examine the strangely enduring appeal of the apocalypse. Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Jonathan Hallewell and Bara'atu Ibrahim Editor: Helen Grady Studio Managers: Helen Williams and Sue Stonestreet

Church of England revs with a difference Daniel French and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about all the big issues of church and state. This time:- "Football Lads" and anti-Israel protestors clash in Remembrance Day controversy.- Astra-Zeneca vaccine branded "defective" in landmark legal case.- CofE General Synod continues debate on sex and marriage. - And prominent atheist Ayaan Hirst Ali becomes a Christian.That and much much more as ever!Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comLinks:Remembrance Day Protests: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/what-blm-and-the-remembrance-day-protests-had-in-common/Astra-Zeneca Legal Case:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/08/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-jab-defective-claims-legal-case/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/09/the-real-covid-jab-scandal-is-finally-emerging/General Synod:https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-church-of-england-must-clarify-its-stance-on-homosexuality/https://anglicanmainstream.org/reflections-on-day-1-of-synod/https://www.anglicanfutures.org/post/what-do-bishops-actually-have-to-believeAyaan Hirsi Ali, Why I am now a Christian:https://unherd.com/2023/11/why-i-am-now-a-christian/Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

The General Synod voted this week — by a narrow margin — to allow stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples to go ahead in trial form. Church Times reporter Francis Martin sat through the marathon debate at Church House, Westminster, and has reported on what went on and the reaction to it. On the podcast this week, he talks to the editor of the Church Times, Paul Handley, about the significance of the vote and what might happen next. Read reports about the Synod meeting in this week's Church Times, in print and online. There will be more indepth coverage in next week's issue (24 November). Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader Photo: Geoff Crawford/Church Times

It's Wednesday, November 15th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Victory in two Finnish religious liberty cases Praise God! A Christian politician and a Lutheran bishop won their free speech case in Finland yesterday. The Helsinki Court of Appeal dismissed all charges against parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen as well as Bishop Juhana Pohjola. The ruling upholds a similar acquittal from last year. Both individuals faced a trial for “hate speech” after publicly expressing their Christian beliefs on marriage and sexual ethics. After the latest ruling, Räsänen said, “It isn't a crime to tweet a Bible verse or to engage in public discourse with a Christian perspective. The attempts made to prosecute me for expressing my beliefs have resulted in an immensely trying four years, but my hope is that the result will stand as a key precedent to protect the human right to free speech.” Church of England considers blessing sexual perversion Over in the United Kingdom, the Church of England's General Synod meets this week to consider blessings for people living sexually perverted lifestyles. Back in February, the Synod already approved plans to introduce such blessings.  Meanwhile, the Church of England reports attendance continues to rise since the pandemic, but has not fully rebounded. The number of people who attended worship regularly was 984,000 last year, an increase of 20,000 compared with 2021. However, it is still down from over 1.1 million people in 2019. Jeremiah 10:21 says, “For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, and have not sought the LORD; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.” Catholic Church signals support for transgenderism The Roman Catholic Church is also signaling its support for sexually perverted lifestyles.  Responding to a question from a Brazilian bishop, the Vatican wrote last week, “A transsexual — undergoing hormonal treatment and sex reassignment surgery — can be baptized, under the same conditions as other faithful, if there are no situations in which there is a risk of generating public scandal or disorientation in the faithful.” Pope removed pro-life, anti-perversion Catholic bishop On top of that, Pope Francis removed a prominent bishop in Texas over the weekend. Bishop Joseph Strickland is known for opposing abortion and sexual perversions. He has also been a strong critic of the pope. You can write a letter of objection to Pope Francis, Apostolic Palace, 00120 Vatican City, Italy. Supreme Court introduces code of conduct In the U.S., the Supreme Court released its first code of conduct on Monday. The move comes after months of pressure from the media and lawmakers over several of the justices. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas has faced criticism for taking undisclosed luxury trips provided by a Republican megadonor. Other reports have noted how liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor used court staff to promote the sale of books she has authored.  The new code of conduct does not introduce any major changes, but “represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct.” U.S. inflation did not rise Overall U.S. inflation did not rise last month. It's the first time in over a year that month to month inflation did not budge. October's core inflation was just 0.2%. And year-over-year inflation rose 4% last month, down from 4.1% in September. Economists expect the slowdown means the Federal Reserve will not continue to hike interest rates. The Fed may even begin to cut rates next year. America's population will start shrinking in 2100 The Census Bureau released its population projections for the U.S. last week. America's population is expected to stop growing by 2080 and to begin shrinking by 2100. It's the first time the bureau has anticipated a decline in population. Deaths are expected to outpace births by 2040. With declining birth rates, only a high immigration rate would keep the population growing. Celebrating the life of Augustine And finally, this week marks the birth of Augustine of Hippo.  The renowned Christian theologian was born on November 13, A.D. 354 in what is modern-day Algeria, Africa. Augustine's early life was marred by prodigal living. His mother faithfully prayed for him for years before his eventual conversion in his 30s. This took place after he providentially came across Romans 13:13-14, which says, “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in … drunkenness … and sensuality. … But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Augustine would go on to become Bishop of Hippo, a Roman province in North Africa. An able scholar, he turned his mind to the theological battles of his day, producing Christian classics like Confessions and The City of God.  Augustine's life and work would have a dominating influence on Western civilization. The Protestant Reformers, in particular, would quote him extensively in their efforts to reform the church over a thousand years later. Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, November 15th in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

“E” is for Erskine College. In 1836 the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church organized an academy in Due West.

William Crawley talks to interfaith experts about navigating Jewish-Muslim relations against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war. As we celebrate 400 years of the publication of Shakespeare's first folio, Professor Regina Schwartz, an expert in both explains how 'Love thy neighbour' is central to understanding the Bard and the Bible. Hear about the Diwali baskets being made in Birmingham to celebrate the big day. Angry meetings and an intractable issue: The General Synod of the Church of England gets ready to talk same sex blessings this week. Reporter Harry Farley has the details

Embark on a journey with host Billy Hallowell exploring a deep friendship between two academics with wildly opposing views but who both attest to the boundless love of God on this week's podcast. This week's Unbelievable features an insightful discussion featuring two individuals with contrasting LGBTQI+ faith journeys as they delve into the intersection of faith, sexuality, and the Bible. The debate is between two gay Christians who have arrived at distinctly different interpretations of the Bible's teachings on sexual ethics, marriage, and human relationships. As a young man Dr. David Bennett perceived Christianity as an adversary to LGBTQI+ freedom. Shaped by early encounters with prejudice and homophobia, he embraced life as a gay activist. Opposite David is Dr. Taylor Telford, an academic theologian whose journey led her from an evangelical upbringing to a progressive perspective, especially concerning gay marriage. Taylor serves as the Associate Pastor for Imaginative Worship at a PC(USA) congregation in Spokane, WA, and as adjunct faculty at Whitworth University and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. David Bennett's transformative conversion to Christianity, unfolded in a gay bar in his native Australia, and propelled him on a profound theological quest that ultimately led him to embrace an historically orthodox sexual ethic. Identifying as gay, a Christian, and living a celibate life, David is currently a postdoctoral research fellow and theologian at the University of Oxford, England. As the Anglican's General Synod meets this coming week and it appears gay and lesbian/ same-sex attracted Christians whatever their theological convictions are upset with the way Bishops have suggested implementing the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) in the Church of England, this is an unmissable episode of Premier Unbelievable. Read David's story https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Loves-Bennett-David/dp/0310538106/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699556413&sr=8-1 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

The Church of England prohibits same-sex relations. Even so, the debate on this position – in the UK and the worldwide Anglican Communion - continues. Should the Church allow and conduct LGBT blessings, and even marriages? And can the Church ever sanction sexual relations between two people who are not husband and wife, man and woman? These are the questions Anglicans tussle with. Most recently, bishops in England made a proposal that same-sex couples should be welcomed in church for a blessing. Opposition from conservative, Anglican groups has been noisy, including from some same-sex attracted Christians. Ahead of the General Synod, the Church of England's regular gathering of bishops, and elected clergy and laity, Heart and Soul explores the most divisive and explosive issue facing Anglicans. Linda Pressly meets Christians who both accept, and struggle with, the Church's teachings on sexuality. Producer/presenter: Linda Pressly Editor: Helen Grady Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno (Photo: Esther and Victoria were married in September, 2019 in Old Saint Paul's Church in Edinburgh. The Scottish Episcopal Church is a member of the world-wide Anglican Communion, but it has allowed same-sex marriage since 2017. Credit: Marta Kacala)

Rev. Karin van den Broeke (1963) is Chief Program Officer of Kerk in Actie, the branch for mission and diaconia of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. She is member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. She is board chair of the Bible Society for the Netherlands and Flanders. From 2013-2018 she served as the moderator of the General Synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. She has led several congregations as a minister and worked as university chaplain in Leiden.   Karin's personal Twitter and Instagram, and the social media handles of Kerk In Actie are  Instagram, Twitter, Facebook   The songs picked by all our guests can be found via  our playlist #walktalklisten here.    Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you. Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS. 

Author, speaker, and New Testament scholar Ian Paul joins the podcast today to break down where we get this concept of "blessings" from, and how blessings were understood in the Bible and in Jesus's ministry. Part of this episode entailed a discussion of Ian's recent blog post titled "What did Jesus do with bread?". Enjoy! The Rev. Dr. Ian Paul is an Associate Minister at St. Nic's Nottingham, and is a member of General Synod- the legislative body of the Church of England. He holds a PhD in New Testament from St. John's College in Nottingham. He serves as the Managing Editor at Grove Books Ltd. and as the Chair of the Tyndale New Testament Study Group. He blogs over at his website Psephizo where you can also find a links for his books to purchase.

Anglicans were in the news in April which provoked co-hosts ⁠⁠Miles Smith⁠⁠ (Anglican), ⁠⁠D. G. Hart⁠⁠ (Presbyterian), and ⁠⁠Korey Maas⁠⁠ (Lutheran) to talk about they way confessional states operate in comparison to confessional churches. Are confessional states like England or Scotland stricter than their respective national churches? How strict can churches be when their punitive instruments are ministerial and declarative? Also, can confessional churches have more freedom in a liberal society that separates church and state than in one with an established church? Are confessional Lutherans and confessional Presbyterians in the United States more confessional than their counterparts in Europe where ecclesiastical establishments still exist? News that led to these questions was first the decision of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) to re-order the Anglican communion away from the See of Canterbury (which has functioned as "first among equals" among bishops). The reason for this resolve was the Church of England's General Synod's decision to bless same-sex unions. This piece of ecclesiastical business dovetailed with an article about the new confessional state in Britain, one that is progressive and almost as restrictive as the old confessional state of England prior to the 1829 Emancipation of Roman Catholics (and related recognition of Protestant Dissenters. The essay about the new confessional state made the arresting point that the new terms of orthodoxy, because always evolving and independent of legal mechanisms, are illiberal. Under the old confessional state, subjects knew at least what the rules were and how to seek a remedy. But in the new confessional state, rules from a 2023 orthodoxy could substantially differ the "current thing" three years down the line. This episode's sponsor is Brunswick, the company that puts the ow in bowling. Follow us at @IVMiles and @oldlife.  If you want Korey Maas' email address, send us a direct message at Twitter.  

Church of England vicars Jamie Franklin and Daniel sit down to review the big talking points of the week in a bumper episode. This time:- Grant Shapps and Bill Gates mysterious net-zero rendezvous at Imperial College London- Church of England trolled by Vladimir Putin- Kate Forbes too Christian for SNP leadership. Woke/Muslim Humza Yousaf preferable- Roald Dahl whitewashed by joyless "sensitivity readers"- What is going on at the Asbury Revival?- Tories line up less woke Archbishop of Canterbury to replace Welby- And the latest in the catastrophic fallout from the CofE same-sex blessing General Synod as Church of England is declared schismatic by the Global Southern Fellowship of Anglican Church.This, a Question the Rev on a Christian attitude to immigration and much much more as always on this week's edition of Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs!For your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designSupport us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend)Links: Daniel's Interview on PsephizoShapps and Gates Imperial College RendezvousPutin trolls Church of EnglandKate Forbes too Christian for SNP leadershipRoald Dahl WhitewashAsbury Revival: Rod Dreher and Not the BeeLess woke Welby ReplacementChurch of England schismatic says GSFANotices:Find links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund's mission is to partner with others to share hope and healing. She is an ordained minister in both the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.  Sarah has served as pastor to churches in Brooklyn, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and New Smyrna Beach, FL. Sarah served as Regional Minister in the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ and as a Vice President for Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN. She holds degrees from Trinity University (BA), Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv), Rutgers University (MSW), and McCormick Theological Seminary (DMin). Sarah received the Dell Award for Mental Health Education at the 30th General Synod of the UCC. Sarah currently serves as Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice on the national staff of the UCC and as senior pastor of First Congregational UCC of Indianapolis, IN. She volunteers on the national boards of Pathways to Promise, Mental Health America, Bethany Fellows, and Piedmont University. In January of 2022, Sarah joined two US Department of Health and Human Services national Think Tanks, the first about faith communities and suicide, and the second Think Tank about faith communities and youth mental health. Sarah is the author of several books about mental health: Blessed are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness, Family, and Church (2014), Blessed Union: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness and Marriage (2021), and Blessed Youth: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness with Children and Teens (2022), and a pocket-sized mental health resource book for youth: Blessed Youth Survival Guide (2022). Sarah blogs at www.sarahgriffithlund.com.

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund's mission is to partner with others to share hope and healing. She is an ordained minister in both the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.  Sarah has served as pastor to churches in Brooklyn, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and New Smyrna Beach, FL. Sarah served as Regional Minister in the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ and as a Vice President for Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN. She holds degrees from Trinity University (BA), Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv), Rutgers University (MSW), and McCormick Theological Seminary (DMin). Sarah received the Dell Award for Mental Health Education at the 30th General Synod of the UCC. Sarah currently serves as Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice on the national staff of the UCC and as senior pastor of First Congregational UCC of Indianapolis, IN. She volunteers on the national boards of Pathways to Promise, Mental Health America, Bethany Fellows, and Piedmont University. In January of 2022, Sarah joined two US Department of Health and Human Services national Think Tanks, the first about faith communities and suicide, and the second Think Tank about faith communities and youth mental health. Sarah is the author of several books about mental health: Blessed are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness, Family, and Church (2014), Blessed Union: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness and Marriage (2021), and Blessed Youth: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness with Children and Teens (2022), and a pocket-sized mental health resource book for youth: Blessed Youth Survival Guide (2022). Sarah blogs at www.sarahgriffithlund.com.

It's Thursday, February 16th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Indian pastor remain in jail A pastor in northern India remains in jail three months after winning bail. Hindu extremists filed new false charges against him to keep him in prison. Last Tuesday, Pastor Vijay Masih spent his 100th day in jail. Masih leads an Evangelical Church of India congregation in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Under the state's anti-conversion laws, the pastor and nearly 50 other Christians in the area were arrested last April. Masih's wife, Preeti, told Morning Star News, “Police did not ask us anything. They have only heard one-sided complaints from the opposition party, and under pressure from them they have carried out arrests.”  Turkey earthquake death toll 41,000 The death toll from last Monday's 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria has risen to over 41,000. Tens of thousands of people are still missing. Christian aid groups are on the ground helping with the relief effort. Samaritan's Purse deployed a 52-bed mobile medical facility to Antakya, historically known as Antioch, the area where believers were first called Christians, according to Acts 11:26. Among other services, the hospital will include two emergency operating rooms and a pharmacy. Following a February 9 airlift from Atlanta, their team quickly began raising the field hospital on property surrounding the 1,100-bed Hatay State Hospital, which was irreparably crippled and made unsafe by the earthquakes. The Samaritan's Purse team is urgently building on the open space of the adjoining parking area and preparing to receive patients at the mobile medical facility later this week. The loss of the region's key healthcare facility further compounds the desperation felt by communities who've experienced unimaginable loss, grief, and the destruction of all they had. Melanie Wubs, Medical Response Coordinator with Samaritan's Purse, asked for prayer as they meet the needs in Turkey. WUBS: “My name is Melanie Wubs, Medical Response Coordinator with Samaritan's Purse. I'm here in southeast Turkey where the effects of the earthquake this week have been devastating. Samaritan's Purse has been working with a partner here. “We've been requested by the Ministry of Health to set up an emergency field hospital in this spot where this 1,000-bed facility behind me has suffered severe infrastructure damage and is not functional. We ask for your prayers for the people here in Turkey and also for our team as we move quickly to meet the needs.” To make a donation to help Samaritan's Purse pay for the field hospital, the medical supplies, and the transportation to Turkey of the 75-member team, click on a special link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com. Polling on Christian nationalism The Public Religion Research Institute released a new survey on Americans' views of Christian nationalism. The study measured Christian nationalism by the degree of support for statements like “The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation,” or “U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.” Ten percent of Americans agreed almost entirely with such statements; 19% agreed but not strongly; 39% disagreed; and 29% strongly disagreed. Evangelical Protestants were the most likely to agree with Christian nationalism, while Roman Catholics and mainline Protestants were among the least likely to agree. Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!” British church leaders reporting fellow Christians for anti-“gay” stand Church leaders in England are now reporting Christians to the police for opposing sexually perverted lifestyles. Last year, Christopher Cocksworth, a bishop in the Church of England, reported “offending” tweets made by Sam Margrave to authorities.  Margrave is an elected member of the Church of England's General Synod.  He won his election on a platform of standing for Biblical truth on life, death, sex, and marriage.  Police did open an investigation into Margrave, but have since closed the case.   He told The Daily Signal recently that church leaders are still trying to silence him: “There's a vocal minority that control the church and are using its resources to bully me into silence.” California fires teacher over her objection to fake pronouns Last month, a school district in California dismissed a Christian teacher who took issue with the school's gender policies. Jessica Tapia was a physical education teacher at the Jurupa Unified School District. She refused to allow biological males in girl's locker rooms. She also disagreed with the district's policy to not tell parents if their children wanted to pretend to be the opposite sex.  Tapia told Fox News she chose her faith over her job. TAPIA: “It was crazy to be in the position where I realized that I couldn't be a Christian and a teacher -- is what that felt like.” Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” House Judiciary subpoenaed Big Tech executives Yesterday, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed chief executives of big tech companies. The companies include Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.  Republican Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio chairs the committee. GOP House members are concerned the companies are suppressing the free speech of conservatives. Jordan's office said in a statement: “These subpoenas are the first step in holding Big Tech accountable.” South Carolina's Abolish Abortion February 25th rally And finally, the pro-life group Abolish Abortion South Carolina is announcing a rally at the state's capital of Columbia next week.  It will be held at the South Carolina Statehouse on Saturday, February 25 at 11:00 am. Speakers will include Republican Representative Rob Harris and Pastor Jeff Durbin. Love Life Ministries will lead a prayer-walk afterward. Harris has pre-filed a bill called the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023. The bill would protect all people, including unborn babies, beginning at conception, under the state's homicide laws. Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, February 16th in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Dr. Ian Paul and Greg talk about the Christmas Story and some elements of the story which may be myths. Dr. Paul is a member of the General Synod of the Church of England and is an Adjunct Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. - Were Joseph and Mary poor? - What is the "Inn?" - Were Joseph and Mary alone at the birth of Jesus? - Who were the shepherds? - The anticipation of a Messiah among the Jews - Including Revelation 12 as a Christmas text and the symbolism of the "Dragon." - The state of religion in the UK Website - www.cwicmedia.com