Britain Convicts Christian For Praying Near Abortion Clinic (Worthy News Focus)
A Christian man is considering appealing his conviction in Britain for silently praying near an abortion clinic.
United Kingdom
Church of England Appoints “Overseers” to Support Members Who Do Not Accept Same-Sex Marriage
Amid ongoing division and disagreement over LGBT issues in the Church of England, the CofE Evangelical Council (CEEC) has appointed “overseers” to provide informal alternative spiritual oversight (ASO) to clergy and parishes that do not accept same-sex marriage and who are struggling with their denomination’s progressive moves on the matter, Christian Today (CT) reports.
UK: Islamist Found Guilty of Attempting to Murder Iranian Christian Convert and Murdering Elderly Briton
An Islamist asylum seeker in the United Kingdom has been found guilty of attempting to kill his Iranian housemate for converting to Christianity and for murdering an elderly man he did not know on the street in Hartlepool, northern England, Christian Daily reports.
UK Police Will Pay Damages To Street Evangelist After Trying To Censor His speech
A British police force has agreed to pay damages in settlement of a lawsuit filed by a street preacher whom they ordered to stop making public statements that cast religions other than Christianity in a negative light, CBN News reports.
Britain: London Police Threaten To Arrest Christian Street Preacher
Police officers in the United Kingdom recently threatened to arrest a Christian who was preaching the Gospel of salvation on a London street after they received a call claiming he had made a homophobic statement through an amplifying device, the Daily Mail reports.
Britain: Nearly a Quarter of Young Adults Would Be Willing to Ban the Bible, Poll Shows
A new poll shows that nearly a quarter of young people in the United Kingdom would ban the Bible if they believed it contained “hate speech,” Christian Today (CT) reports.
UK: Christian Professor Fired from Bible College Over Social Media Post Against Homosexuality
A Christian professor in Britain is suing the Methodist Bible college he worked for after being fired for posting on social media that homosexuality is a sin that is “invading the Church,” UK advocacy group Christian Concern reports.
Church of England considers referencing God in gender-neutral terms
The Church of England has confirmed it is examining the possibility of changing its liturgy to reference God in gender-neutral terms instead of as “Father,” “Him,” and “He,” the New York Post (NYP) reports. However, the denomination has said there are no plans to make changes to the current liturgy at present, and any future change would require “extensive legislation.”
UK: Pro-life activist arrested for silent prayer inside buffer zone is left in legal limbo
A UK pro-life activist who was arrested for allegedly praying silently within an abortion clinic buffer zone has been left in a state of “significant uncertainty” after Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service dropped its charge against her but said the indictment may yet be reinstated, Christian Today (CT) reports.
UK: Christian teacher may be banned from teaching for his views on transgenderism and same-sex marriage
A Christian teacher in England may be permanently prohibited from teaching in the UK after referring to a female transgender student as a “girl” and telling another student he is opposed to same-sex marriage, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Church of England: homosexual couples cannot marry in church but clergy can hold blessings for same-sex civil partnerships
The Church of England has announced it cannot change its doctrine to allow same-sex couples to be married in the church but proposes that clergy may voluntarily choose to hold blessing ceremonies for homosexual couples in civil marriages, the Guardian UK reports. The “historic plans” announced on Wednesday represent a form of compromise after decades of anguished debate within the Church of England over the acceptance of homosexuality.
UK street evangelist charged with public order offense after preaching on homosexuality
A UK Christian street preacher charged with a Public Order offense for telling a same-sex married couple that their union is against the Bible’s teaching has had his case dropped after the couple refused to engage with it, Christian Concern (CC) reports.
Church of England Evangelicals reject Bishop’s proposal to allow blessing of same-sex marriages
Church of England Evangelicals have rejected a theological essay published by the Bishop of Oxford which argues Anglican clergy should be able to bless and marry same-sex couples if they choose, the Christian Post (CP) reports. The Church of England does not allow the blessing of civil partnerships or the marrying of same-sex couples.
England: National Health Service settles case with Christian doctor who spoke about Jesus with a patient
England’s National Health Service (NHS) agreed at the eleventh hour to settle a case brought by a Christian doctor who was subjected to severe disciplinary measures for mentioning his faith in Jesus to a patient, Christian Today (CT) reports. Dr Richard Scott was due to challenge the NHS action in a tribunal in Kent on Monday but before the hearing, the NHS agreed to settle the case.
UK: Christian nurse wins discrimination case against hospital which told her not to wear gold cross at work
A UK Employment Tribunal has ruled that Christian nurse Mary Onuoha was discriminated against by a government-funded hospital which forced her out of her job for wearing a small gold cross necklace, Christian Concern (CC) reports.
Britain: Prosecution withdraws case against UK pastor fined for carrying on ministry to homeless
A British pastor who was fined over £16,000 for running her ministry to the homeless during a UK lockdown was told this month that the prosecution has withdrawn the case against her, Christian Legal Centre reports. Pastor Chizumie Dyer, who runs her ‘Church on the Streets’ ministry in Nottingham, England, was issued fines by police in February 2021.
Franklin Graham wins UK legal case, will preach in Northern England
US preacher Franklin Graham has won a UK legal case brought by British LGBT activists who accused him of promoting homophobia, and will now be able to hold an event in Sheffield, England in May, the BBC reports. The parties agreed to a confidential settlement, with no admission of liability on either side.
Church of Wales evangelicals call for new bishop after vote to allow blessing of same-sex unions
Evangelicals belonging to the UK’s Church of Wales are requesting a new bishop to represent them in light of the church governing body’s recent vote to allow blessing services for same-sex couples, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
UK prosecution service drops charges against street preacher
The UK’s prosecution service has dropped charges brought against a street preacher who refused to stop his outdoor ministry during England’s first COVID-19 lockdown last year, Christian Concern (CC) reports. Christian street lay minister Mike Overd was due to appear in court this month after police issued him with a fine for preaching and offering prayer and Bibles in Somerset, southern England on April 2, 2020.
UK court says Christian preacher has no case to answer
A UK court has dismissed the case against a female Christian street preacher who was charged with causing “harassment, alarm and distress” while preaching a message from the Bible outside a London subway station last year, Christian Concern (CC) reports. The Highbury Corner Magistrates Court ruled last month that preacher Hazel Lewis had “no case to answer.”