Church Issues

• Church of Wales embraces Pride: The Diocese of Llandaff has shown its support for Pride Cymru, with drag queen activists performing in its ‘Faith Tent’ and a special prayer written for the occasion. Read more here.
  
• Todd Bentley scandal rocks charismatic Christianity: For the second time in his ministry, the prominent NAR leader responsible for the so-called ‘Lakeland Outpouring’ is facing allegations of gross sexual sin. Read more here.

World Scene

• Pro-family perspective censored by UN: The UN’s ‘inclusive’ civil society conference in Utah has censored pro-life and pro-family workshops. Family Watch International has responded with a pro-family declaration it is asking people to sign, which will be presented to the president of the UN General Assembly. Find out more here.
• China’s ‘social credit’ system being copied by Big Tech: China’s authoritarian scheme used to regulate small-scale individual behaviours is finding a parallel in surveillance activities in Silicon Valley. Read more here. Also this week, conservative education group PragerU continues its legal battle in federal court against Google, after many PragerU videos were blacklisted by Youtube as ‘dangerous’ or ‘derogatory’. Youtube is a Google subsidiary. Read more here.
• 200+ abducted by Islamist militants in DRC: The Muslim ADF group, known for their attacks on Christians, have abducted more than 200 people (including women and children) from Boga, a town in Christian-majority DRC. Read more here.

Israel & Middle East

• Iran/Israel war escalates: Last weekend, Israel carried out precision strikes on Iran-backed targets in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Security briefings in Israel indicate that a major conflict may be imminent. Read more here and here. Also this week, the USA carried out a successful cyber-attack on Iran, wiping out a database used to plot attacks on oil tankers. The Royal Navy is sending a third British warship to the Gulf.
  
• Suicide bombers kill Hamas police in Gaza: Hamas declared a state of emergency after the attack. Read more here. The bombers are thought to have been ISIS-affiliated, although it has since emerged that one was the son of a prominent member of Islamic Jihad, one of Hamas’s rivals.
  
• Two more countries recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital: Honduras and the Republic of Nauru have joined a number of other nations in announcing their diplomatic switch from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Read more here.

Events

• Abortion: Killing off the human race? Saturday 21 September (central London): Join Voice for Justice UK and speakers including the Rt Hon Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP in calling for a reduction of the time limit for abortion. The Emmanuel Centre, Westminster, 10am-5pm, tickets £30 (concessions £15). Click here to find out more and to register.
• Abortion: Choice, Necessity or Injustice? Thursday 26 September (Bristol): Join the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform at their Bristol launch for an evening of inspiration, education and activation on this vital issue. Buckingham Chapel, 7:30pm. Click here to find out more and RSVP. The following day there is also opportunity to join apologetics training and take part in an educational street display in the city centre.
• SPUC annual conference, 13-15 September (Derbyshire): Join other SPUC supporters and a number of prominent speakers at this critical time in pro-life campaigning. The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick. Tickets £200. Click here to find out more and to book.