Egypt proves to be closer than we 01.03.19 £1.50 think No: 6473 Established in 1828 p8,9 AVAILABLEONNEWSSTAND Ethical Advisers appointed Governmentamends school adviceafter consultation THE GOVERNMENT’S new schoolsthat wish The AccordCoalition say that stance on Relationships and to do so to omit the guidance ‘facilitates reli- Sex Education ‘gives encour- LGBTcontent gious bias by failing to require agement to schools to omit completely.” or encourage schools to teach LGBT content completely’, Mr Terrysaid about abalanced range of views says the Accord Coalition. that the Govern- when teaching about religious Their response follows the ment has ‘surren- perspectives’. The Rev Paula Vennells, the publication of the government dered to a “The original draft of the Gov- CEO of the Post Office, is one response to the consultationon narrow-minded ernment’s proposed guidance of the new advisers to the Education, Relationships and lobby which encouraged faith schools to Church’s Ethical Investment Sex Education, and Health Edu- wishes to pro- ‘introduce pupils to different AdvisoryGroup. cation in England. mote exclusion faith perspectives’. This has She joins Barbara Ridpath, According to thereport, a ratherthan inclu- now been removed,” he added. who is abanking director and a sizeable proportion of com- sion’. The Church of England said member of Chatham House; ments werespecifically about “This is deeply in their response to the consul- Kumar Jacob, aformer vice the teaching of LGBT issues irresponsible as tationthat while they welcome chair of Christian Aid; David (373 responses, but questions involve their parent body in we know agreat deal of LGBT the requirement aschools RSE Nussbaum, aformer chief exec- about health education received these decisions’. bullying still takes place in policymust be developed in utive of WWF-UK and currently comparatively fewer respons- However the AccordCoalition schools. If we truly wish to cre- consultation, working with par- chief executive of The Elders; es). has criticised the proposal say- ate asocietyinwhich LGBT ents to reflect the community Prof RobertSong, atheologian The views werepolarised ing that it will give ‘a green light people live free from discrimina- the school serves, they are‘con- from the University of Durham; between those who were to primaryschools to ignore tion and prejudice then all cerned that this could be acom- and FaithWard, co-chair of the against the teaching of LGBT LGBT content and for allowing schools must be required to plex and time-consuming Transition Pathway Initiative. (185) and those who thought faith schools to ignoreother promote full equality and process for some schools and LGBT should be compulsory religious perspectives’. acceptance for all groups within have some concerns about Winchester drops education for all (77). Chair of the AccordCoalition, that society,” he added. teacher workload’. On 19 July 2018, the Depart- the Rev Stephen Terry, said: The reportsays that respons- On Monday Christian Con- Austen statue plan ment for Education launched a “Toour great disappointment, es on religious views, featured cernorganised arally outside WinchesterCathedral said this consultation on thedraft regula- the guidance falls shortof comments mainly referencing Parliament (pictured) calling on weekthat it haddroppedplans tions and statutoryguidance on requiring schools to actively topics that should not be taught, MPs to allow parents to remove to erect astatue of JaneAusten Relationships Education, RSE promote the acceptance of including same-sex relation- their children for SRE lessons in its grounds after local objec- and Health Education. The LGBT people. It also gives ships, sex beforemarriage and as partoftheirreligious free- tions. department received 11,186 encouragement to those abortion. dom. One local from the city where online and emailed responses to the famous author died said: the consultation. “Thereisastrong body of opin- The reportsays that those Princecelebrates winnersofCranmer Awards ion that rejects the idea of against LGBT teaching did not another Jane Austen statue any- think that schools ‘should be HRH The Prince of where, or any statue at all in the forced to teach about these Wales praised school Cathedral Close. At least Bar- types of relationship’, while pupils from across bara Hepworth’s ‘Crucifixion’ other responses werejust the country‘brave had relevance in the monastic opposed to teaching about the enough to take part’ precinct.” topic. in this year’snational Meanwhile those in support final of the Prayer Synod news of LGBT teachingthought that Book Society’s30th everyone should be taught annual Cranmer about LGBT relationships Awards Competition ‘regardless of faith and that it at Lambeth Palace in would be discriminatorytonot London. teach about them’. As he receives his The reportconcludes that certificate, senior first ‘schools should makedecisions prize winner Joseph about what is appropriate to Oxtoby(15) shares a teach on this subject and when joke with the Prince of Our round-up of the stories based on the ageand develop- Wales. from General Synod, pages 3-5 ment of their pupils and should www.churchnewspaper.com [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 2 Friday 01March, 2019 THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND Diocese of Portsmouth generosity of our parishes in Lentiswell the only thing they do during the week.” mingled with timeless readings and This year’s Bishop’s Lent Appeal will known and Ihope that each church He added: “A lot of themare beginning music, to show the building to its best raise money to helpthose with mental might be able to supportTurningTides to come outoftheir shell. One man is a advantage and create aunique spectacle health difficulties. in some way over Lent. Iamfull of admi- carer and didn’t have much contact with within these ancient walls -Ican’t wait to The main recipient will be an initiative ration for their mission and work and will people outside the home. Since coming see it all unfold.” that is spearheaded by four young mem- once again take partinthe sleep-out in to Men in Sheds he’s become much The Son et Lumierestarts at 7.30pm bers of the royal family.Heads Together order to showsolidarityboth with those moreoutgoing.” on March 15. Tickets are£10 from the is anational coalitionofcharities that is who find themselves on the streets and To get the project started, St Paul’s cathedral shop. Open bar from 7pm. supported by TRH the Duke an Duchess also with those who work selflessly to used its connections with Heatons of Cambridge and TRH the Duke and assist them in so many ways.” Together and asked PureInnovations, Diocese of Lincoln Duchess of Sussex. which supports people whostruggle The Diocese and the University of Lin- The bishop hopes that by making men- Diocese of Manchester with mental health and loneliness, for coln aretohost an international confer- talhealth the focus of this year’s appeal, St Paul,Heaton Moor, is tackling men’s ideas. They held aGround Force day at ence on climate change. it will also prompt church communities isolationwith its church-run Men in the church focusing on mental wellbeing The conference, titled Moana –Water to be moreaccessible and welcoming to and loneliness,and asked the men what of Life: Navigating Climate Change For those facing mental health problems. they would want from agroup. PlanetaryHealth and to be held from 30 “Mental healthisalive topic inour St Paul’s is ‘proud’ of how Men in August to 1September,will involve two society.Werightly talk about it more and Sheds makes the church building more days of lectures and workshops shaped more, especially among children and accessible to the wider,not just the wor- around the disciplines of science and the- young people. This is vitallyimportant shipping, community. The project won a ology. notjust in preventing the waste of lives Church for aDifferent World awardfrom Bishop Christopher Lowson said: and talents, but also in seeking to make Bishop David Walker. “This conference allows us to learnmore space for people to speak with one anoth- about the issuesand decide how we can er about their experiences –and be DioceseofLeeds respond to them.” heard,” said Bishop Christopher Foster. The interior of Ripon Cathedral is to be The conference will explorehow water “As Christians this is apartofour com- filled with Son et Lumiere,(sound and can give life and also takelife with the mon life that we should seek to under- light) as partofaseries of events extremes of too much water and not stand moredeeply, as our mental health designed to commemorate 50 years enough water.Anaim of the conference is one important aspect of our human since man first stood on the moon. is to launchthe diocesan environmental createdness,” he added. Projections of the solar system will fill policy thatwill identify howindividuals, the building accompanied by arendition andthe diocese, can carefor God’s cre- Diocese of Chichester Sheds, which gives men aspace to come of Holst’s The Planets on the Lewis ation for generations to come. The Bishop of Chichester,the Rt Rev Dr together,socialise and make useful Organ during the event on 15 March. The Bishop visited Polynesia in 2016 Martin Warner,announced that the Sus- things. The cathedral’s ancient interior will be and 2018. He saw first-hand the effect of sex-based charity Turning Tides is to be Men in Sheds meets inthe choir used as the canvas for aseries of film rising sea levels on the islands. He said the beneficiaryofthis year’s Diocesan vestryfor woodworking sessions. They projections inspired by ‘time and space’ he was impressedwith the commitment Lent Appeal. create birdand bat boxes, plant troughs set to asoundtrack of choral pieces sung from younger generations to protect Turning Tides works to end homeless- and bottle openers. The project has by the cathedral’s lay clerks, readings, their home for futuregenerations. He ness across the County.But the charity made the church moreaccessible to the organ music and soundscapes.