Posts tagged United Kingdom
Blessed Bikes: How Pedaling Has Helped Churches Raise Money For Repairs

A one-time bike ride sponsored by Anglican churches in 1982 has proven so successful it has turned into annual event and copied across Great Britain. The original rides have grown from just cyclists. Thousands of walkers, runners, canoeists, horse riders and even vintage car enthusiasts seeking to visit as many churches as possible within a day took part in last month’s event.

Read More
Why British Funerals Are Becoming More Boisterous And Bizarre

(ANALYSIS) Funerals — often thought of as solemn events filled with grief and mourning — are starting to take on a different tone. In Britain, anyway. In fact, more people view funerals as opportunities to celebrate life, rather than occasions for somber reflection. It’s a shift that’s redefining how the Brits, renowned for their stiff upper lips, are saying goodbye to loved ones.

Read More
Are Hindu Nationalists Solidifying Their Presence In The UK?

(ANALYSIS) With politicians from both Labour and Conservative parties visiting Hindu temples and endorsing Hindu manifesto prepared by divisive Hindutva forces, the question is, has the Hindutva identity now intensified in the U.K.? And the bigger question is, will these elected members of Parliament who endorsed the document now allow sectarianism to flourish?

Read More
Pro-Gaza Candidates Make A Dent In Labour’s UK Election Landslide

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas is having reverberations across the globe. This was the case during last week’s elections in the United Kingdom. While the headlines heralded the Labour‘s landslide victory, some of the party’s losses resulted in gains for independent candidates who made Gaza a major campaign issue.  

Read More
On A Wing And A Prayer: How Soaring Cathedral Spires Became Home To Falcons

The soaring spires and towers of cathedrals across the U.K. have become homes to countless pairs of breeding falcons. Each spring, the patter of tiny claws is eagerly awaited by millions of people watching the activities of parent birds and their offspring via webcams set up for such situations.  

Read More
‘Every Church Counts’: New Campaign Aims To Save Britain’s Houses Of Worship

Changing population patterns and crumbling buildings requiring costly repairs have creating a challenging environment for Britain’s network of thousands of churches, many of which date back hundreds of years. It’s a situation that has resulted in a major campaign to save these churches — and increasingly inventive ways of maintaining their existence.

Read More
UK Cathedrals Host ‘Boozy’ Disco Events, Sparking Protests

Silent Discos in Incredible Places has hosted events with live DJs, LED lights and fully stocked mobile bars in museums and other landmarks. Leaders of several historic cathedrals view the disco events as a means to attract younger congregants and help cover rising maintenance costs. But for many of the faithful, holding discos in cathedrals goes too far.

Read More
UK’s Asylum Policy: How To Handle Refugees Who Claim To Be Christian Converts

(ANALYSIS) No doubt there are those who falsely claim conversion from Islam to claim asylum, and some churches may be too credulous. But such conversions are occurring and such genuine converts face violence, imprisonment and even death if returned back to many countries.

Read More
On Religion: Canterbury Goes Disco For A Chic Type Of Pilgrim

(ANALYSIS) Rocker Steve Taylor penned a snarky tribute in 1985 called, “Used To Be A Cute Cathedral.” Four decades later, the song surfaced during online chatter about dance nights held earlier this month inside Canterbury Cathedral, the Church of England’s most hallowed sanctuary.

Read More
The Quiet, Yet Public, Faith Of Elizabeth II

(OPINION) While the queen delivered thousands of public addresses, her Christmas talks — surrounded by family pictures and holiday decorations — were the occasions when she most openly discussed her faith and the challenges facing the nation and even her own family.

Read More
Queen Calls For Church Of England To Focus On Love Of God — Not Divisive Doctrine

(OPINION) Queen Elizabeth’s recent message to the Church of England’s General Synod — in her first absence from the gathering — was strong and personal. She was most concerned with matters of doctrine and spiritual life — not the church’s role in politics and various cultural disputes.

Read More
U.K. Churches Viewed More Positively Since COVID-19 Pandemic, New Survey Shows

A February survey shows that non-Christians in the U.K. have developed a more positive view of the church since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Read More
ANALYSIS: Daily Telegraph Backs Old Guard in Row Over Church of England's 'Alpha' Evangelicals

(OPINION) The Daily Telegraph has leapt into a dispute between two factions of a London church. Yet the journalistic shortcomings of this article turn it into a club for traditionalists to beat modernizers.

Read More
The Demon Of Click Bait: Daily Telegraph Sensationalizes UK's 'Boom' In Christian Exorcisms

What comes first, advertising or content? This question loomed large in my mind as I read an article on exorcisms that the Daily Telegraph chose to sensationalize rather than report faithfully.

Read More