News

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has launched the 'Faith in the World' writing prize, which invites young people to submit an essay exploring faith in our world.

The prizes are awarded for different age groups 13-15, 16-17 and 18-21. Entries need to be submitted by 5pm on Friday March 11th 2011. An application form can be downloaded from the Archbishop's website.

The very first Faith and Young People event was held in September 2000. To mark 10 years of the Faith and Young People project an event will be held on October 2nd 2010. Details coming soon

On Saturday 21st November 2009 Andrew Smith, Director of Youth Encounter, took part in a discussion on Premier Radio's Unbelieveable programme. The discussion was about the Ethical Guidelines for Witness and raised some important issues. You can hear the broadcast by going to the Unbelieveable site.

Inter Faith Week will run from 15 to 21 November. Its aims are:

• to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels;

• to increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular
  celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society; and

• to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious belief.

The Week is being facilitated by the Inter Faith Network for the UK and the Department for Communities and Local Government but will be community-led, with local people and groups of different backgrounds holding their own events and to highlight work going on to promote understanding between people of different faiths and beliefs.

Immersion is a two week course which offers Christians an opportunity to immerse themselves in study, reflection and practice of a topical aspect of Christian discipleship.

Christians and Muslims around the world as well as people of other faiths and those who do not adhere to any religion will have been hearing with real concern, the news of the attacks on the Christian villages of Gojra and Qorian in Pakistan resulting in the deaths of at least seven innocent men, women and children. This was the latest in such attacks over many years and has attracted international condemnation from religious and political leadership in Pakistan and internationally.

One of the causes of such attacks is the ability of extremists and others with private motivations, to incite attacks on Christians and on occasion also on Muslims; and the inability of the police and local judiciary to protect innocent people. The blasphemy laws currently in force in Pakistan provide such people with the means to incite violence and seem to have played a part in the recent incidents which led to the death of a number of Christians.

Following widespread discussions with Christian partners and correspondents in Pakistan, Christian and Muslim organisations in the United Kingdom and with the Pakistan authorities, there is a desire amongst many people to express their concerns to the Government of Pakistan and to press for change in the blasphemy legislation and for the protection of Christians and others who are suffering from its abuse. To this end a petition is now available to be signed electronically and can be reached by clicking here and following the instructions.

Click here to sign the Pakistan blasphemy law petition

The petition is signed by the Rt Revd Michael Jackson, who chairs the Anglican Communion Network for Inter Faith Concerns and by Dr Musharraf Hussain the Chair of the Christian Muslim Forum. This follows Dr Musharraf's initial statement and those made by others . The Rt Revd David James, Bishop of Bradford, is the first petition signatory

The petition will be delivered to the Pakistan Government and is intended to assist in their efforts to prevent further attacks. The more people who sign, the more effective the petition will be and we urge you to take action now by:

• signing the petition yourself
• sending it to others
• putting this letter prominently on your own and as many other websites as possible

It is by actions such as these that people of faith and of goodwill can show their active concern for the good of the world and in this case their support of the Christian community of Pakistan and of Muslims who are concerned to take action and are supporting their Christian neighbours

Please do sign today - one click makes it possible!

This is the title of the latest training day in the Youth Encounter Series.
It takes place on the 5th November 2009 at The Youth Encounter Centre and costs £25 including lunch.