The Bishops' Conference of Scotland today asked Catholics to question general election candidates on "issues of fundamental importance" - the right to life, freedom from poverty and the promotion of European harmony.
Source: Scottish Catholic Media Office news release.
posted at 9:58 PM

This month sees the publication in the UK of a major new Bible - one of the biggest events in Bible publishing for nearly 30 years. Today's New International Version (TNIV) is an update of New International Version, the most popular modern translation in the world, which accounts for one in three Bibles sold. The 21st century has not turned its back on the deeper questions of life, it simply no longer looks for the answers in the traditional places. "There is more interest in spirituality among young adults than there's ever been, and yet it's harder than ever to get them into church," says Steve Mallon, national youth adviser for the Church of Scotland. "Jesus turned water into wine, and it has been said that some churches are guilty of turning it back into water again," says Rev Mike Parker, general secretary of the Evangelical Alliance in Scotland. "God is the great communicator. Jesus went out and met people, he didn't wait for them to come to him. What we're asked to do is make every effort to reach everybody, and, if this takes another translation, so be it." St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh has a large number of 18 to 34-year-olds in its congregation. Its rector, Rev Dave Richards, says that this generation demands different things from religion: "Many of the presumptions the previous generation made about faith and about institutions have changed. They are much more relational, less committed to institutions, much more cynical about authority. They are more pragmatic, and need to see the relevance of things. One of the reasons we intend to buy TNIV is that it shows the relevance of the Bible."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 7:48 PM

Pastor's son Ewan Gurr, a leading member of Dundee's Full Gospel Church, is a high-flier in the British National Party.
Source: Daily Record.
posted at 7:48 PM

A man appeared in court in Aberdeen yesterday in connection with break-ins at five churches, including the Church of Scotland on Aberdeen's Mid-Stocket Road, St Andrew's Cathedral in King Street, St Peter's Church in Chapel Court, and St Margaret's Church in the Gallowgate.
Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal.
posted at 7:48 PM

Three Church of Scotland ministers in Angus are working in closer co-operation as part of the Kirk's area team ministry project.
Source: Church of Scotland news release.
posted at 7:46 PM

The Rt Rev David Chillingworth was consecrated and installed as Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in the Scottish Episcopal Church at a special service in St Ninian's Cathedral, Perth, on March 11.
Source: Scottish Episcopal Church news release.
posted at 7:42 PM

The Rev Robert Law Kinnis, one of the oldest surviving ministers in the Church of Scotland, has died at the age of 98.
Source: Fife Now - St Andrews Citizen.
posted at 7:04 PM

The Reverend Robert Sloan has taken up his duties as the new minister of Kilsyth Burns and Old Parish Church. Mr Sloan came to the town from St Martin's and Scone New after being ordained and inducted to St Andrew's Church, Blairgowrie.
Source: Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle.
posted at 7:00 PM

The first major move towards an amalgamation of churches in Galashiels was ratified last week by the Presbytery of Melrose and Peebles. Members agreed a Basis of Union between St Aidan's and St Ninian's Church, which is linked with Caddonfoot.
Source: Border Telegraph.
posted at 6:58 PM

Cumbernauld Old Parish Church is £847 better off thanks to churchgoers Ann Gibson, her daughter Ann MacDonald and grand-daughter Lucy who cycled round the Millport to raise cash to create new accommodation for the Sunday school.
Source: Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle.
posted at 6:53 PM

Single Christians in search of a partner are increasingly likely to be glancing over their hymn sheets in search of a voluptuous seductress rather than the demure virgin, a new survey has found. One in four Christians would prefer to marry somebody who had sexual experience, according to research by the dating agency, Christian Connection. Asked whether it was important to marry a virgin, only six per cent said that it would be essential, with over half of respondents saying that it would make no difference.
Source: Church of England Newspaper.
posted at 6:25 PM

A growing detachment from the Bible has left the Church impotent to cope with the forces of secularism, according to a senior Church of England bishop. Clergy are not receiving adequate theological training, Christians are no longer reading the Bible, and the seriousness of worship is being neglected, said the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Rev Peter Forster.
Source: Church of England Newspaper.
posted at 6:19 PM

Aliens will no longer be sighted in the latest translation of the Bible, Today's New International Version. Its translators decided that young people think of aliens only as extra-terrestrial visitors. And no-one will be 'stoned'. "We wanted to keep it from being confused with drug addiction," said Professor Ronald Youngblood, who chaired the 15-strong committee of linguists and biblical scholars who produced the new version, 27 years after the NIV was first published. Instead, they are now "stoned to death".
Source: Church Times.
posted at 6:15 PM

Scotland's Catholic Bishops have appointed a national co-ordinator for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. She is Ms Jackie McCaig, who is currently staff development officer for child protection at West Dunbartonshire Council.
Source: Scottish Catholic Media Office news release.
posted at 6:07 PM

Religious faith is very much alive and well, writes Peter Kearney of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, rebutting Joyce MacMillan's view that "that there is now a profound mismatch between the importance of Christianity as a historical force in British life and culture, and its dwindling presence as an active part of modern British society."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:50 AM

Cardinal Keith O'Brien has called for a boycott of lottery tickets in protest at more than £3m in funding given to organisations that help women obtain abortions. He has accused the National Lottery of misusing funds by financing Brook Advisory Centres and the FPA (formerly the Family Planning Association), and says people should "think very carefully" before buying a lottery ticket as they will be supporting groups that offer abortions. Cardinal O'Brien concluded: "I remain concerned at what I believe to be a blatant misuse of funds".
Sources: Sunday Times, Scottish Catholic Media Office news release.
posted at 7:09 PM

The Queen's nephew has criticised Glasgow City Council over the condition of Alexander 'Greek' Thomson's 146-year-old St Vincent Street Church, which is considered to be among the world's 100 most endangered monuments. It is rented to the Free Church of Scotland. Viscount Linley, a furniture-maker influenced by Thomson, said: "I can't bear it. Considering it is the last great surviving example of Greek Thompson's work I don't understand why they are letting it fall down." Gavin Stamp, author of Alexander 'Greek' Thomson and founder and chairman of the Alexander 'Greek' Thomson society, accused Glasgow City Council of sectarianism. He said: "For a start it is a Presbyterian Church and the council don't like that. Thomson was Presbyterian which they find very unsympathetic, he was bourgeois which doesn't fit into their view of 19th century Glasgow and that fantasy about the proletariat." Glasgow city councillor Patricia Chalmers, who is also chair of the city's Building Preservation Trust, said: "We have spent a considerable amount of time and effort examining ways to use the building. This is a building of such importance but it is very difficult to take an existing building and turn it into something else to earn its keep."
Source: Scotland on Sunday.
posted at 6:52 PM

A mystery female art collector has bought Scottish artist Peter Howson's entire New York exhibition before the Easter-inspired show, Christos Aneste, has even opened. Scottish charity The Third Step Trust, established by Howson to help recovering drug addicts, now has the only versions of the 14 drawings and 11 small paintings that are available for sale. The charity is running a parallel show, with 25 limited-edition prints of each artwork to be sold for around £500, and opens on Friday at its gallery at Glasgow Cross.
Source: Sunday Herald.
posted at 10:08 AM

Comic Relief has been attacked by a leading member of the Scottish Catholic Church for being "tacky, tawdry and tasteless". Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Scottish Catholic Bishops Conference, also accused the fundraising effort - which has collected more than £337 million since it began in 1985 - of being guilty of alienating viewers with "vulgar humour and salacious sketches". Mr Kearney said yesterday that while the church in Scotland had not banned Red Nose Day collections in its schools and organisations, it was not giving such activities a "green light" either. Criticising the "top shelf content" of the fundraising telethon, he said: "It seems each new edition of Comic Relief has to sink to a new low in order to outdo the previous ones."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 9:27 PM

The row over the removal of a communion table from the chapel at Perth Royal Infirmary has been re-ignited by members of the National Secular Society. They last night accused Christians of attempting to impose their faith on everybody else and insisted that those who wanted to be confronted by Christian symbols should go to church.
Source: Dundee Courier.
posted at 9:13 PM

New Zealander the Rev Bob Te Whaiti has been inducted into the linked Church of Scotland charge of Creich and Rosehall.
Source: Northern Times.
posted at 9:04 PM

Father James Bell, the first married Catholic priest to be ordained in Scotland, told last night how he was court martialled in 1964 for being drunk on duty and ill-treating a civilian while serving with the King's Own Scottish Borderers in British Guiana. "These are matters which I was ashamed of then and which I still regret for the hurt they caused to others," he said. "Since these times, over 40 years ago, I have sought, however imperfectly, to follow a Christian way of life fully aware of my failures and repentant for them."
Source: Daily Record.
posted at 8:59 PM

The Christian Medical Fellowship, the UK's largest member body of Christian doctors and health professionals, has launched a new website that houses more than 2,000 articles on issues ranging from cloning and animal experimentation to healing and holistic medicines.
Source: Evangelical Alliance Media Consultancy.
posted at 11:18 PM

A Church of Ireland cleric will be installed tomorrow as a Bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Venerable David Chillingworth, former Archdeacon of Dromore, will be consecrated in St Ninian's Cathedral, Perth, as Bishop of St Andrew's, Dunkeld and Dunblane.
Source: Belfast Telegraph.
posted at 11:17 PM

St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh is to receive £436,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The former church of John Knox will use the money to conserve the Thistle Chapel, an architectural masterpiece which is the spiritual home of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Scotland's order of chivalry.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 8:50 PM

More than 35,000 people across the UK say children should be banned from gambling on fruit machines. But the Government remains unwilling to make the necessary changes to the Gambling Bill to ensure children are fully protected. In just five days more than 35,000 people have signed a petition organised by The Salvation Army, the Methodist Church and children's charity NCH.
Source: Methodist Church news release.
posted at 6:44 PM

A season of poetry events at Scottish Churches House in Dunblane opens next month with a Japanese renga session.
Source: Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS) news.
posted at 6:43 PM

Cardinal Keith O'Brien has welcomed the introduction by Edward Leigh MP of a Ten Minute Rule Bill on the Act of Settlement. "It is right that Edward Leigh should raise the issue of the religious discrimination at the heart of the British Constitution," he said. "The prohibition on Catholics marrying the heir to the throne or becoming head of state is discriminatory and offensive. Apart from anything else, the existing legislation is a gross infringement of the human rights of members of the Royal family."
Source: Scottish Catholic Media Office news release.
posted at 6:43 PM

A Catholic primary school will move on to a shared campus with a neighbouring non-denominational school if regeneration plans in Edinburgh are approved. St Francis' RC Primary and Niddrie Mill schools could move on to a £10 million purpose-built campus as part of moves to regenerate Craigmillar.
Source: Edinburgh Evening News.
posted at 6:42 PM

A tract from the Labour minister, Douglas Alexander, entitled 'Telling it like it could be - the moral force of progressive politics', is to be published next week. It argues that only moral regeneration can counter the decline of party politics and voter apathy. Mr Alexander is a son of the manse, as is Chancellor Gordon Brown, who last week called on people to join in demonstrations at this year's G8 summit at Gleneagles. Mr Alexander says that the recent launch of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being is a practical expression of the kind of values politics he is arguing for. Ian McWhirter writes: "What is undeniable, as we approach this dismal election, is that politics is sick and can't continue in its present condition for much longer. Politicians are reviled as a class and, short of self-liquidation, it is difficult to see what else they can do right now, other than try to improve their moral standing. At the very least, there is something moving in the political undergrowth at this election. And the surprising thing is that the most interesting thinking is coming from north of the border."
Source: The Herald.
posted at 6:42 PM

Many people in the English city of Carlisle believe it to be cursed following the creation in 2001 of a sculpture by local artist Gordon Young inscribed with part of an anathema pronounced in 1525 by the then Archbishop of Glasgow on rievers who were pillaging the district. "I curse their head and all the hairs of their head," said the archbishop. "I curse their face, their brain, their mouth, their nose, their tongue, their teeth. May the thunder and lightning which rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, rain down upon them." The present Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev Graham Dow, has asked the current Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, to "lift" the curse and has called on Conti to visit the city. Conti's spokesman has promised, "The Archbishop would consider carefully any representation made to him by the civic or religious authorities in Carlisle." He added: "The Archbishop may send a letter offering his good wishes but he won't be getting his Latin prayer book and his holy water and heading down the M74."
Source: The Guardian.
posted at 5:41 PM

One of Fife's best known churches, the Old Kirk in Kirkcaldy, is to be given a makeover.
Source: Dundee Evening Telegraph.
posted at 3:50 PM

The graphic violence in Passion Of The Christ has been toned down for a re-release in cinemas at Easter. Six minutes of the film's most gory scenes have been axed, allowing it to carry a 15 certificate as opposed to the 18 carried by the original. The new cut also uses different camera angles to show less blood and gore in the graphic scenes of the torture and crucifixion of Christ.
Source: Daily Record.
posted at 3:44 PM

The Roman Catholic bishop of Menevia in south Wales acted yesterday to scotch claims that the church was urging worshippers not to contribute to Comic Relief because the charity donates cash to organisations involved in abortion. The Rt Rev Mark Jabale said there had been a misunderstanding. Comic Relief welcomed the statement. "We know that misinformed publicity has caused considerable confusion and distress in the past, particularly among Catholic schools wanting to support red nose day," said a spokeswoman. "So in 2000 we opened up a dialogue with the Catholic bishops of England and Wales to help communicate the facts. They issued a statement confirming that, after careful examination of our records, they were satisfied with Comic Relief's assurance that we do not fund and have never funded abortion services or the promotion of abortions."
Source: The Guardian.
posted at 3:25 PM

The director general of the BBC last night criticised the religious groups who protested against the corporation's decision to broadcast Jerry Springer: the Opera last month. However, Mark Thompson conceded the corporation must do more to "connect" with Christian viewers. "In my view we have plenty more to do to reflect religion positively on our airwaves particularly Christianity where, despite some real advances in recent years, there is still something of a creative deficit," he said.
Source: The Guardian.
posted at 3:19 PM

Feature on the relationship between Scots missonaries and Africa, focusing on Rev Professor Ken Ross; Moira McInnes of Newbattle Parish Church; David Dennis, the elder responsible for missions at the Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Edinburgh; Gavin McLellan, regional manager with Tearfund; and Howard Nkhoma, from the Livingstonia region of Malawi, who did some of his training in Edinburgh and is now on a six-month "faith-sharing" placement in Prestwick.
Source: Edinburgh Evening News.
posted at 3:16 PM

Protests are mounting over the hijacking by Rangers fans of a hymn adopted as an anthem for the Boys' Brigade movement. The plagiarising of Will Your Anchor Hold, one of the oldest and most popular hymns, led the Rev Eric Hudson of Bearsden to raise the matter with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, an honorary vice-president of the organisation. He replied: "I have spoken to Alex McLeish, the Rangers manager, who is also a former BB boy, and hopefully something can be done." One former BB captain described the fresh treatment of it - words written by Andy Cameron, the comedian - as "a mindless parody". Mr Hudson fears the BB may have to drop the hymn because of its associations. "In Sunday school I used to sing 'Follow, follow, we will follow Jesus'. That may have fallen by the wayside because it was dated but I'm sure its demise was hastened by use of it by Rangers fans for their songs." A spokeswoman at Ibrox said: "The Rangers band has been playing this hymn for over two or three seasons and the fans enjoy it, many of whom relate to it from their days in the Boys' Brigade. The club decided to put words to it which celebrated the loyalty of Rangers fans and the feedback has been very positive."
Source: The Herald.
posted at 3:12 PM

Scottish Executive had launched a review of the law on burial and cremation, which is currently based on 150-year-old legislation. The Scottish Interfaith Council and Action of Churches Together in Scotland will be represented on the review group.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 3:07 PM

Cardinal Keith O'Brien backs the Make Poverty History campaign. "It is surely scandalous that a cow in the European Union receives more in subsidy than a poor person in Ethiopia has to live on," he writes. "When the G8 leaders meet in Gleneagles in July, I will do everything that I can to urge them to address this appalling poverty and injustice which I have seen in Ethiopia and in other countries in Africa, such as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 3:05 PM

The National Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Rabiya, Lebanon, has turned to the Church of Scotland in its search for a baptismal font. Rev Ian Alexander of the Kirk's Board of World Mission said: "The Christian community in Beirut is healthy and active and co-exists, as it has for centuries, alongside the Muslim and Druze communities. It would be a fine gesture of hope for the future if a congregation or individual with a spare wooden font were willing to present this."
Source: Church of Scotland news release.
posted at 5:49 PM

Chancellor Gordon Brown today appealed for thousands of people to gather in Edinburgh to call for justice for the world's poor in the run-up to July's G8 summit in Gleneagles. In a speech to the Labour Party's Scottish conference he said: "It is because we are all brothers and sisters that I ask you to persuade thousands of people to gather with the churches, the faith groups, the trade unions and the NGOs in Edinburgh, just before the world leaders meet in Gleneagles, to ensure that the people's voice is heard. Tell them of the suffering we can no longer allow to happen."
Source: The Scotsman/PA News.
posted at 4:35 PM

Profile of the best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith. "I recognise how important it is that people should have a spiritual life ... My personal position is a complicated one. I am a member of the Episcopalian Church, which I support, and I am very sympathetic to people who practise religion in a serious way. I am interested in Buddhism, for example. I find Buddhism a very attractive set of beliefs."
Source: Scotland on Sunday.
posted at 4:32 PM

Feature on Chavagnes International College, a strict, ultra-orthodox Catholic boys boarding school in France. It was set up by a former Edinburgh University student, Ferdi McDermott, and models itself on pre-Reformation establishments such as Eton and Winchester, aiming to produce the modern equivalent of Christian knights. He believes the philosophy of respect for God, discipline and authority is an idea that is finally coming back into fashion.
Source: Sunday Times.
posted at 4:25 PM

The right-wing MSP widely tipped to succeed David McLetchie as leader of the Scottish Tories is to write a book outlining his vision for a revival of Conservatism north of the Border. Murdo Fraser, the member for Mid Scotland and Fife, is likely to irritate his boss by editing a collection of essays on policies currently ignored by the party hierarchy. The Blue Book is expected to be published by the Tuesday Club, a libertarian supper group that is the focus of discontent for many party radicals. One theme to be developed is the link between Conservatism and Christianity, as Fraser believes politicians can use their faith for positive ends without preaching. He is involved with the Conservative Christian Fellowship and backs faith-based schemes to tackle poverty and drug abuse, along the lines of initiatives pursued by President Bush in the US.
Source: Sunday Herald.
posted at 4:19 PM

Jack McConnell has been forced to defend his tough stance on sectarianism after a number of east coast football clubs questioned whether religious hatred is a national problem rather than one that affects the west of Scotland alone. They are puzzled that McConnell chose to implicate every region rather than singling out communities that are known to be hotbeds of hatred.
Source: Sunday Herald.
posted at 4:16 PM

Profile of Father James Bell, the first married man to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Scotland. He says of his wife: "Lesley has been hugely supportive, and there is a different dimension to Roman Catholic ministry. You feel part of something absolutely authoritative and real, as if there is a connection with the early days of the Church. I feel I will no longer go to Rome as a tourist, but as part of a body of prayer which is both immense and welcoming."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 7:27 PM

St Andrews Rotary Club has presented a Vocational and Community Service Award to Maurice Wilson for service to the Boys' Brigade and to the parish Church of the Holy Trinity, where he has been voluntary assistant church officer for 18 years and an elder since 1960.
Source: Fife Now - St Andrews Citizen.
posted at 8:08 PM

Kilsyth Burns and Old Parish Church's new minister, the Rev Robert Sloan, was inducted to his new charge last Wednesday evening. Mr Sloan comes to Kilsyth from St Martin's and Scone New, having previously spent almost five years in Blairgowrie.
Source: Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle.
posted at 8:06 PM

Plans to call an East Kilbride school after the late Cardinal Thomas Winning have led to a furious dispute. St Bride's High and St Andrew's High are to be replaced with a new £21 million Catholic school in August 2007. The result of consultation with pupils, parents and interested parties from both schools and their feeder primaries was overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the name St Bride's. But members of the interim school board voted for Cardinal Winning High.
Source: East Kilbride News.
posted at 8:02 PM

Uddingston Old Parish Church is counting the cost after around 50 panes of glass in its church hall windows were broken at the weekend. Rev Norman McKee commented: "In the past respect was given to church buildings. However, it seems some people have very little respect for any property nowadays, let alone church property."
Source: Hamilton Advertiser.
posted at 7:59 PM

Health board chiefs yesterday held out an olive branch to critics of their controversial decision to strip the Perth Royal Infirmary chapel of Christian symbols. The move was branded "political correctness gone mad" but following emergency talks at the latest NHS Tayside Board meeting it emerged that the public will now have their say on the new-look retreat. Acting chairman George King issued an apology to anyone offended by an earlier decision to remove a communion table and return it to a Crieff church. He said: "I am satisfied the Spiritual Care Committee has carried out all the work it should have in terms of patient and public involvement."
Source: Perthshire Advertiser.
posted at 7:56 PM

Containers filled with thousands of pounds worth of aid collected in the Highlands by the Blythswood Care charity for Sri Lanka's tsunami victims are stuck on a dockside in the capital city of Colombo amid allegations of corruption and incompetence.
Source: Inverness Courier.
posted at 7:51 PM

A bid to unite all Greenock's west end Church of Scotland churches has fallen through. Nearly 1,000 people turned out to have their say, with the Old West Kirk, St George's North, St Luke's, Ardgowan and Finnart St Paul's agreeing to unite. But the congregation of Ardgowan Parish Church voted against the move.
Source: Greenock Telegraph.
posted at 7:47 PM

A former Kirkcudbright minister now turned Roman Catholic parish priest at St Columba's in Annan, has escaped a prison sentence after downloading more than 4,000 pornographic pictures of youngsters. Father George Campbell, who was rector of Greyfriar's Episcopal Church at Kirkcudbright before converting to Catholicism in 1987, was given probation.
Source: Galloway News.
posted at 7:43 PM

The future of religious broadcasting in the UK is under threat, church experts warned this week. The caution followed media regulator Ofcom's announcement it would allow ITV to slash its religious output by 50 per cent. Religious programming on the major channels has become "tokenism," said Nigel Holmes, a member of the Church of England's Religion in Broadcasting group. Holmes pointed to the dependence of both ITV and the BBC on flagship programmes such as Songs of Praise and My Favourite Hymns.
Source: Church of England Newspaper.
posted at 7:35 PM

The Conservative leader, Michael Howard, has vowed to give churches and faith groups a key role in social action if he is elected as Prime Minister.
Source: Church of England Newspaper.
posted at 7:33 PM

Hairdressers head the list, with clerics second, when it comes to happiness at work, a new survey claimed this week.
Source: Church Times.
posted at 7:29 PM

The Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, reviews at length 'Prosperity with a Purpose', published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) this week. "Cynics are wont to ask: does anything good come out of our ecumenical instruments? Well, something very good just has - a document that addresses the ethics of affluence, and asserts that a truly wealthy or prosperous society is one in which its members' needs are met. Those needs are not only financial but also educational, cultural, emotional, spiritual and social. It is this kind of thinking that makes 'Prosperity with a Purpose' such a timely document."
Source: The Tablet.
posted at 7:26 PM

Rev James Bell - the former priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church who yesterday became the first married man to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Scotland - will continue as an assistant at St Mary's Parish in Inverness before being appointed to his own charge.
Source: Scottish Catholic Media Office news release.
posted at 12:14 PM

A row has erupted in Lewis over plans to change the inside of Carloway Free Church to provide a hall within the church itself. One church-goer who signed an objectors' petition said there was unrest over the pulpit being shifted from its present position and many of the pews being removed.
Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal.
posted at 12:07 PM

A publican accused of sectarianism yesterday won a legal battle against suspension of his license. McCormick's Bar in Bellshill was said to have displayed pictures of IRA hunger strikers and of the Easter Rising in 1916, and played allegedly sectarian music.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 11:48 AM

Charity wristband wearing - for example in support of the Make Poverty History campaign - is an "egotistical gesture to announce I care".
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:42 AM

An attack on denominational schools by Kirsty Wark was edited out of an official Scottish Executive video amid concerns from the Catholic Church. According to documents released through freedom of information legislation, Cathy Jamieson, the former education minister, agreed to remove the controversial comments by the television presenter following a meeting with the Catholic Education Commission. The meeting followed an awards ceremony for headteachers in 2003, chaired by Ms Wark, during which she urged prospective heads to question the separate funding of Catholic schools in Scotland's state system.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 11:34 AM

The funeral has taken place of former Perth minister Mr William Bonomy. Formerly the minister of St Andrew's Parish Church, Mr Bonomy was born in Motherwell. He married his wife Margaret in 1945 and the couple headed to the burial site of David Livingstone at Chitambo, Zambia, where Mr Bonomy served for 10 years as a Church of Scotland missionary. He also served as moderator of both Perth and Greenock presbyteries.
Source: Perthshire Advertiser.
posted at 10:26 PM

At least five dogs have jumped to their deaths from a bridge over a burn at Overtoun House in Dumbarton in the past six months. A leading animal behaviourist said: "This is very weird." Overtoun House was built in 1863 by the father of Lord Overtoun, owner of a huge chemical works and pillar of the Free Church. It was built as an ornate religious symbol and has the words "Fear God and keep His commandments" carved into its walls. Local historians describe it as a place where angels and gargoyles are said to keep company. It is now being renovated as a Christian Centre for Hope & Healing, part of a £2.5m project by Pastor Bob Hill. A spokeswoman for the SSPCA warned dog owners to get their pets on leads around the bridge.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 11:40 AM

A teenage girl yesterday won the right to wear full Islamic dress at school, and said it was a victory for Muslims who wanted to "preserve their identity and values". Shabina Begum, 16, took court action over her jilbab, or full-length gown, after being sent home to change when she appeared in the dress at school in Luton, Bedfordshire. The Rev Ewan Aitken, education spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, said: "I would be surprised if an incident similar to that in England arose here. Most schools in Scotland understand traditional dress is an expression of belief and not the root cause of tension. If someone were to react to such dress, it would be that person's views that were challenged rather than those of the wearer." Shoeb Sarguroh, chair of the Scottish Muslim Parents' Association, said: "How the young woman chooses to dress should not have been a big issue for the school. It should be focusing, instead, on producing bright students."
Source: The Herald.
posted at 11:32 AM

A St Andrews woman who is living in Baghdad without security cover as she takes part in a peace mission has spoken of life in the Iraqi capital and the "terrible devastation" of Falluja. Retired educational psychologist Maureen Jack (58) is leading a delegation from the Christian Peacemaker Team.
Source: Dundee Courier.
posted at 11:28 AM

A decision to strip a Tayside hospital chapel of its Christian identity has been swiftly reversed in the face of widespread condemnation. Health officials decided on the U-turn after the level of outrage at the changes at Perth Royal Infirmary became clear. The subject will be discussed at today's NHS Tayside board meeting. Mgr Charles Hendry, RC chaplain to Perth Royal Infirmary, said he was delighted to hear that the communion table would be restored to the hospital chapel. "It is a place of sanctuary for all, irrespective of their faith," he said. Councillor Alexander Stewart, whose ward includes the hospital, said the numbers of telephone calls he had fielded on the issue were "astronomical."
Source: Dundee Courier.
posted at 11:26 AM

Experts at the National Galleries of Scotland believe that a French refugee court painter called Henri-Pierre Danloux, and not Sir Henry Raeburn, may have painted 'The Rev Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch'.
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:23 AM

History was made last night with the first ever ordination in Scotland of a married Catholic priest. Father James Bell, a former priest in the Church of England and Scottish Episcopal Church, was ordained at a ceremony in Inverness. He retired to the Highlands five years ago and lives in Ross-shire with his wife, Lesley. Special dispensation had to be granted by the Pope to allow him to be ordained in the Catholic Church. Yesterday, he spoke of becoming disillusioned over the divisions in the Anglican Communion, including the row over women priests, and said he had been "breathing Catholic air" for a very long time.
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:03 AM

Health chiefs accused of "brutalising" the Christian faith for removing a communion table from a hospital chapel have decided to return it. NHS Tayside returned the furniture to Crieff Parish Church after deciding the chapel at Perth Royal Infirmary must cater for people of all religions. But following controversy over the decision the health trust has now asked for it back.
Source: BBC Scotland News.
posted at 11:01 AM

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Dr Alison Elliot, will visit the United States and Canada during March, as well as undertakiing a variety of domestic engagements and Holy Week events.
Source: Church of Scotland news release.
posted at 3:47 PM

Reverend David Souter from Kinnoull Parish Church in Perth has won the Church of Scotland's first photographer of the year competition. Runners-up were Charlotte Thomson of Aberlour, Iain MacDiarmid of Inverness, Alastair Morrice in Kyrgyzstan, John Berry from Elderslie, and Rhona McKay of Tealing, by Dundee.
Source: Church of Scotland news release.
posted at 3:45 PM

One of the north-east's grand old ladies has died just weeks short of her 104th birthday. Margaret Arthur, whose father and husband were both ministers, died in Torry Nursing Home, Aberdeen, on Sunday.
Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal.
posted at 3:37 PM

Sunday flights to the Isle of Lewis are being axed for the summer. Bmi are stopping their services for 'operational reasons'. The flights were opposed by church groups wanting to keep the Sabbath holy.
Source: Daily Record.
posted at 3:33 PM

A bout of political correctness at a Tayside acute hospital has resulted in the Christian faith being "brutalised", it was claimed yesterday. Christian symbols have been removed from the chapel at Perth Royal Infirmary and a communion table sent back to the church which donated it. The move was branded an attack on Christianity but NHS Tayside last night attempted to deflect criticism, saying that spiritual care must be "holistic" and that Scottish Executive guidelines had effectively forced the removal of certain items. The minister at Crieff Parish Church, the Rev Jim McDonald, said: "It is a bit sad but I appreciate that we live in a multi-cultural society."
Source: Dundee Courier.
posted at 3:23 PM

FIGURES published this week show that consumer spending in the so-called Fairtrade market in the UK is rising sharply. The Fairtrade Foundation claims that sales of "approved" products in the UK rose by 52 per cent last year to £140m, compared with only £92m in 2003. "The Fairtrade route may help a few for a short time but will never achieve more than a token result as the market for politically motivated goods is limited," writes Iain Whyte, the Conservative leader on the City of Edinburgh Council. "If we start to pay producers more than the market can bear we simply prolong the agony or perhaps make it worse. Genuine market access can solve the long-term problems, set trade on a genuinely fair footing between free participants, and help the world's poorest build prosperous lives."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 3:21 PM

Tourism officials fear that Glasgow's reputation as a sophisticated visitor destination may have been damaged by a BBC Panorama documentary on sectarianism.
Source: The Herald.
posted at 11:28 PM

The Rev Dr Marjory MacLean, depute clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said yesterday's census statistics reflected the number of people who associate with the Church rather than active worshippers and therefore the comparison with the UK failed to show the real picture. She said: "In other parts of the UK notional adherence may be expressed differently, but it is certainly not the same thing as active Christian practice and therefore I do not think these statistics are helpful or meaningful
." Dr MacLean insisted the Church of Scotland has a strong active congregation in comparison with England and pointed out that a population of more than 55 per cent aged under 50 showed a bright future. David Jasper, a priest with the Scottish Episcopal Church and theologian at Glasgow University, said Scotland is still a very spiritual country, with young people finding other ways to express their spirituality, for example through the arts. The Catholic Church was also upbeat about the future, pointing to the Church's own census in 2002 that showed 11.2 per cent go to church on Sundays compared to 7.5 per cent in England. Nevertheless, the figures make sobering reading for the Catholic Church with 7 per cent of Roman Catholics divorced, the same figure as the Church of Scotland.
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:27 PM

"Yet again, the churches have received a written warning," writes Andrew Collier about census figures on religion published yesterday. "But there is time for corrective action. The word they must make flesh, and make it dwell amongst us. If they can do that, then Scotland may yet again regard Christianity as a blessing."
Source: The Scotsman.
posted at 11:24 PM

A report exploring the characteristics of each of the religion groups in Scotland using information collected from the 2001 Census in Scotland was published yesterday. According to Analysis of Religion in the 2001 Census, just over two-thirds (67%) of the Scottish population reported currently having a religion. More than six out of ten people said that their religion was Christian (65%): 42% Church of Scotland, 16% Roman Catholics and 7% Other Christian. The Other Christian group includes a wide range of groups which can be very different from each other in terms of their approaches to key issues. Examples of the write-in answers include the Church of England, Evangelical, Greek Orthodox, Jehovah's Witness, Methodist, Spiritualist and many others. After Christianity, Islam was the most common faith with 42.6 thousand people.
. Full report on the web.
. Download report as pdf.
Source: Scottish Executive news release.
posted at 6:03 PM