A report called on the Churches to recognise the ways in which their institutional life has silenced those who have been abused, and protected those who have abused. It considered issues relating to the pastoral care of those who have been sexually abused, training and screening of clergy, and rehabilitation of sex offenders in ways that protect children and vulnerable adults.
Source: Time for Action: Sexual abuse, the Churches and a new dawn for survivors, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (020 7898 1300)
Links: Press release | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Dec
A new law was proposed by the Scottish Executive to make religious hatred an aggravated offence, following a report by a cross-party working group.
Source: Press release 5.12.02, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400) | Tackling Religious Hatred: Report of Cross Party Working Group, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Press release | Report (pdf) | Report | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Dec
A collection of essays examined the role of religion, the faith communities and voluntary organisations in serving both prisoners and the prison system.
Source: Christopher Jones and Peter Sedgwick (eds.), The Future of Criminal Justice: Resettlement, Chaplaincy and Community, SPCK Publishing (020 7643 0382)
Links: Summary | Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A report on the position of Muslims in Britain called for a law against religious discrimination.
Source: Humayun Ansari, Muslims in Britain: Action Towards Equality, Minority Rights Group (020 7978 9498)
Links: Press release | Summary and link
Date: 2002-Nov
Church leaders expressed alarm at government plans (in the Licensing Bill) to make individual churches buy entertainment licences if they stage more than five concerts a year.
Source: The Guardian, 29.11.02
Links: Guardian report | Text of Bill | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2002-Nov
The Church of England confirmed its decision to allow the remarriage in church of divorced people.
Source: General Synod: November 2002 Group of Sessions, Church of England (020 7898 1000)
Links: Report (Word file) | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Nov
A report provided an analysis of the teaching of multicultural education in Jewish day schools, and revealed considerable variation in teaching practices.
Source: Geoffrey Short, Responding to Diversity? An initial investigation into multicultural education in Jewish schools in the United Kingdom, Institute for Jewish Policy Research (020 7935 8266)
Links: IJPR press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A new book analysed reasons for the growth and decline of individual churches, and proposed practical strategies for encouraging national church growth.
Source: Bob Jackson, Hope for the Church, Church House Publishing (020 7898 1305)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
The Church of England published the first set of national attendance and membership figures to come out of the new, more rigorous data collection system introduced in 2000.
Source: Church Statistics: Parochial Membership, Attendance and Finance Statistics, January to December 2000, Church of England, available from Church House Publishing (020 7898 1305)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jul