Croft criticises Ofcom’s approach to children
THE Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, is one in all eight members of the House of Lords who’ve written to Ofcom, objecting to the draft Children’s Code, currently under consultation. The letter argues that, while the Online Safety Act reflected a shared commitment to the security of youngsters, the draft Children’s Code “doesn’t do justice to that intent”. The particular concerns of the authors are that the draft code doesn’t implement against under-age use, which suggests that thousands and thousands of youngsters below the age of 13 will proceed to be exposed to harmful content; and it fails to mitigate identified risks. The measures proposed by Ofcom are “overly focused on process relatively than outcomes”, and fail to require age-appropriate services, meaning that there isn’t any difference between services offered to a seven-year-old and a 17-year-old. The authors warn that any failure by Ofcom to make use of its powers in full “will undermine faith in a regulatory solution altogether”.
Dean of Winchester ‘taking some day without work’
A SPOKESPERSON for Winchester Cathedral confirmed this week that the Dean, the Very Revd Catherine Ogle, “is taking some day without work and fully expects to return shortly”. The Precentor, Canon Andy Trenier, “is on light duties”. Last week, the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, announced a review of the cathedral’s governance after unhappiness in its music department (News, 21 June). On Wednesday, Bishop Mounstephen announced that Patti Russell, an ecclesiastical lawyer at Winckworth Sherwood, can be conducting the review.
Missing eagle has re-landed
THE brass eagle lectern that was reported stolen from St Augustine’s, Edgbaston, in Birmingham, this month (News, 21 June), has been found, the church has announced. A message posted on social media said that the eagle had been recovered “from a scrap metal dealer within the Black Country, due to a public-spirited informant. We have taken additional security measures, including a motion sensor on the eagle, to make sure the crime just isn’t repeated.”
Pensions Board joins campaign on board standards
THE Church of England Pensions Board is one in all the signatories to a campaign by pension funds to stop the watering down of investor protections, and the lowering of board standards in listed firms, in Britain. Pension schemes, led by Railpen, the £34-billion pension plan for rail staff, have urged the Financial Conduct Authority to not risk London’s repute by diluting shareholder rights and making other changes to the listing rules. They argue that the proposed changes, that are designed to make London more attractive to entrepreneurs in search of a venue for a flotation, could undermine international investor confidence in UK assets. The reforms have been described as the largest overhaul of the listing rules in 30 years.
Newcastle to have its first Anglican Communion Canon
THE Revd Dr Kelly Brown Douglas (right), currently Interim President of the Episcopal Divinity School in New York, is to turn into Newcastle Cathedral’s first Anglican Communion canon. Dr Douglas is thought for her work in the sector of womanist theology, racial reconciliation, social justice and sexuality, and the Black Church. In an honorary post, she’s going to contribute insight and experience to the cathedral community and the diocese, each remotely from the US and in person during visits to the UK, over the following three years, a press release said.
Cancelled Franklin Graham tour goes ahead
THE Revd Franklin Graham preached in Glasgow last weekend to a crowd of 7560 people, within the second event of the God Loves You Tour UK. More than 320 churches within the region worked with the organisers to bring 115 buses of individuals from communities across Glasgow and beyond. The Glasgow event followed an analogous event that attracted 8300 to the Resorts World Arena, in Birmingham, the previous weekend. The tour was originally scheduled for 2020, but cancelled within the face of opposition (News, 14 February 2020). It has gone ahead this yr after the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) brought legal challenges against venues on the grounds of spiritual discrimination. All the legal disputes “have been resolved in ways BGEA considers favourable”, the association said this week.
Believers less more likely to imagine in climate change, survey finds
PEOPLE of religion are more sceptical about climate change, a poll by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) suggests. It found that 16 per cent of spiritual British respondents didn’t imagine that climate change was happening, compared with the national average of 13 per cent. The survey of 2064 UK adults suggested that Hindus living within the UK were most concerned about climate change, 80 per cent of them convinced that the climate was changing. While 35 per cent of Christian and 31 per cent of Muslim respondents did imagine that climate change was happening, they didn’t think that it was caused primarily by human activity.
Mission to Seafarers and IKEA form partnership
THE Anglican charity the Mission to Seafarers has entered right into a three-year partnership with the Swedish furniture company IKEA, which is able to work with the Mission to construct knowledge and awareness of the part played by seafarers in IKEA’s supply chain, with the goal of enhancing their well-being. The partnership will centre on a training programme for IKEA employees, “All You Need to Know About Seafarers”.
