Media Centre

Daily Media Briefing: Monday 3 September 2012

03 September 2012

Good Morning from the Church of England Communications Office
Daily Briefing for Monday 3rd September 2012

Gregory the Great, bishop, teacher of the faith, 604
Tomorrow: Birinus, bishop, 650

1. Church of England Podcast - Sunday Trading

Vicky Beeching, a research fellow in Christian ethics at Durham University, talks about why she thinks Sunday trading shouldn't be extended permanently. Listen to her podcast at: http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/follow-us-online/podcasts.aspx

2. Today's press coverage
Mail p29, Guard p11

Reports that four test cases on employment law which touch on the freedom of Christians to wear crosses at work and support for same-sex relationships will come before the European Court of Human Rights over the next two days. The Mail carries comment by Lord Carey that the Government has "passed up the opportunity to support the right of Christians to express their faith".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2197403/Carey-blasts-Cameron-going-promise-UK-fights-ban-crosses-work.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/sep/02/christian-rights-cases-strasbourg-court?newsfeed=true

Sun p4, Metro p19, Mail p14, 17 & 30, Times p20

Reports and comment on Archbishop Tutu's call for former PM Tony Blair and George Bush to face war crimes charges over the invasion of Iraq.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2197315/Put-Blair-trial-Tutu-hasn-t-got-prayer-.html

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/09/02/desmond-tutu-still-does-not-agree-with-the-war/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/02/tony-blair-iraq-war-desmond-tutu

Ind p21, I p17, Sun p19, Times p9, Tel online

Reports that police have obtained a European Arrest Warrant for a Catholic priest, Laurence Soper who taught at St Benedict's School, West Ealing, who failed to answer bail after being accused of historic sex offences.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9515448/Manhunt-for-fugitive-paedophile-priest.html

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3525880.ece

Tel p17, Times p30, Mirror p12, Metro p34, I p18, Guard p14,

Reports that Pakistani Imam who brought charges against a Christian girl for burning pages of the Koran, has been arrested.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9515586/Muslim-cleric-arrested-in-Pakistan-Koran-burning-case.html

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article3525870.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/02/pakistani-mullah-accused-girl-blasphemy

Tel p21

Editorial on above

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9516774/Pakistans-government-cowed-by-the-mob.html

Letters

Tel p21 Cristina Fearon
Lead temptation
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9515974/Spending-our-childrens-money.html

Obits

Times p48
Ruth Etchells, University and theological college principal
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3526137.ece

3. Top Weekend Stories

Sunday

Sun Tel p18
News report "A cross to bear" subtitled "This week four Christians will argues in court that they face discrimination in Britian because of their faith"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9514347/A-cross-to-bear.html

Various news reports on Desmond Tutu's comments that "Blair should face trial over Iraq war"
Obsv p1&32/Ind p2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/02/tony-blair-iraq-war-desmond-tutu?INTCMP=SRCH http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/02/desmond-tutu-tony-blair-iraq?INTCMP=SRCH
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/blair-should-face-war-crimes-trial-over-iraq-says-desmond-tutu-8100798.html?origin=internalSearch

Obsv p27
Comment "It's thrilling to see science take centre stage in the national conversation" includes ref to faith-based free schools

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/02/paul-nurse-science-must-be-nurtured?INTCMP=SRCH

Ind on Sun p65
Interview with Naomi Alderman whose "new novel retells the story of Christ from a Jewish perspective"
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/naomi-alderman--sacrifice-as-a-vital-act-is-hard-for-us-8100570.html?origin=internalSearch

Observer p12
News report "Nicklinsons back call for new 'right to die' test case"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/01/tony-nicklinson-legal-fight?INTCMP=SRCH

Sun on Sun p15 (no link)
Sunday sermon from Stacy James London 2012 paralympics chaplain

Saturday

Tel p14
News report "Human rights law is becoming, totalitarian, bishop warns" (Bishop Michael Nazir Ali)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9511836/Human-rights-agenda-is-new-totalitarianism-bishop-warns-judges.html

Times p94
News feature "Hit the road, save your church from moth and rust" with ref to "Ride & Stride annual fundraiser"
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3524624.ece

Gdn p2 (Review)
Comment feature "The trouble with atheists: a defence of faith" (re publication of new book)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/31/trouble-with-athiests-defence-of-faith?INTCMP=SRCH

Ind p32
News report on situation in Syria "Christians and Armenians among latest to die"
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-another-week-in-the-violent-murderous-and-divided-world-of-syria-8099884.html?origin=internalSearch

Tel p24 (scroll down link)
Comment: Damian Thompson on "Sex scandal explosed at last" with ref to Chichester diocese
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100178788/why-cameron-is-rubbish-at-speaking-to-the-nation/

Times p94
Simon Rocker on "Israel's Orthodoxy at odds with Reformers"
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3524627.ece

Times p94
Credo: John Shepherd on "Why should we reject all hope, purpose and dignity?"
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3524626.ece

Letters
Times p92
"The Rev Professor Christopher Evans" by Canon Michael Perry
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3524765.ece

Obituary

Gdn p38

"Ruth Etchells, Scholar of England and one of the most influential women in the Church of England" (by Gillian Broughton) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/27/ruth-etchells?INTCMP=SRCH

Ends
Newspaper Web links with most or all stories -
Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Daily Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk

FT http://www.ft.com

Guardian http://guardian.co.uk

Independent titles http://www.independent.co.uk

Observer http://www.observer.co.uk

People http://www.people.co.uk

Sun http://www.the-sun.co.uk

Sunday Mirror http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk

Sunday Times http://www.sunday-times.co.uk

Telegraph titles http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Times http://www.thetimes.co.uk