Christian Family

A new report from the University of Chicago has shed light on the growth of atheism in Europe.

The report from the university’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC) also found that belief in God is stronger among older people than younger generations.

The findings were based on an analysis of surveys conducted in 30 countries in 1991, 1998 and 2008.

Countries with the largest atheist populations tended to be in north-west Europe or former communist states while countries with fewer atheists tended to be in the developing world, with the exception of the US, Israel and Cyprus.

Sweden, Latvia, Denmark, Britain and Norway had some of the highest proportions of atheists.

The study found that belief in God had decreased in most countries, although it added that the declines were “quite modest especially when calculated on a per annum basis”.

Nonetheless, the Czech Republic saw the biggest rise in the number of atheists between 1998 and 2008, with an increase of 18.4 percentage points. This was followed by Latvia, with 9.1 points, Britain, with 8.1 points, and Australia, with an increase of 6.4 points.

In the case of the US, it noted that although belief in God remained high, levels had eroded from what they were in the 1950s.

“If the modest, general trend away from belief in God continues uninterrupted, it will accumulate to larger proportions and the atheism that is now prominent mainly in north-west Europe and some ex-socialist states may spread more widely,” it said.

A certainty in the existence of God was found to be highest in the strongly Catholic Philippines at 84%, but lowest in Japan at just 4%.

While the atheist population in the Philippines is less than 1%, it is highest at 52% in the formerly communist East Germany – which was analysed separately from West Germany.

The Philippines is also home to the highest proportion of strong believers, at 60% of the population, whereas in East Germany, strong believers account for just 2.5% of the population.

East Germany was again lowest for the number of people described in the report as “consistent believers” – at 13% – while the Philippines was found to have the highest proportion at 94%.

When researchers assessed faith in a personal God – one who “concerns himself with every human being personally” – the figure in East Germany fell even lower to 8%.

The Czech Republic had the second highest proportion of atheists (39.9%), followed by France(23.3%), and the Netherlands (19.7%).

Not all formerly Soviet states are predominantly atheist. “Consistent atheists” accounted for just 2% of the population in Poland.

“In the case of Poland, it appears that its strong Catholicism trumps the secularising influence of socialism,” the report said.

Britain was among the 10 countries cited in the report as showing “consistent decline in belief” over the last few decades. The other nine were Australia, Austria, East Germany, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland.

Britain ranked in the atheist top, with 18% of people who don’t believe in God, but it landed in the bottom ten for people who say they know God exists and “have no doubts about it”. Only 16.8% of the population agreed with this statement.

Researchers found that belief in God consistently increased with age across the 30 countries. While only 23% of those 27 and younger believed in God, this rose to over 43% in the 68-plus category.

They said: “This suggests that belief in God is especially likely to increase among the oldest groups, perhaps in response to the increasing anticipation of mortality occurring.”

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A Japanese architect has designed a transitional cathedral for Christchurch, New Zealand, until a new permanent structure is built.

Shigeru Ban’s $ 4.5 million structure will be built using cardboard and metal containers set into a concrete foundation.

The original 131-year-old neo-Gothic cathedral has been earmarked for demolition following an earthquake in February last year in which its spire collapsed.

The transitional cathedral omits a spire, opting instead for a simple A-frame that will be able to seat up to 700 people.

Richard Gray, of the Transitional Cathedral Group, said: “This is a very exciting next step for the project. The transitional cathedral is a symbol of hope for the future of this city as well as being sustainable and affordable.

“The cathedral is confident it will attract interest nationally and internationally drawing additional visitors to the city.”

Once completed, the building is expected to last well over twenty years. In addition to providing a place for worship, the cathedral will also serve as a venue for concerts, exhibitions and community events.

Container annexes will provide additional space for a cafe, meeting rooms, a shop and offices.

Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Rev Victoria Matthews said: “I am delighted we have reached this step and I acknowledge the wonderful collaboration between the congregations of the cathedral and St John’s that has made a transitional cathedral possible in the inner city.”

Mr Gray said that the “bulk of the money” was already at hand but that some further fundraising would still be needed to cover the full costs of the project.

The transitional cathedral is the largest emergency structure to be designed by Shigeru Ban.

He and associate architect Yoshie Narimatsu did not charge for their services.

The building is due for completion by December and there are hopes that its formal opening will coincide with a visit to the country by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

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Worship Central’s free downloadable training course has only been going for six months but it has already spread across 43 countries.

A total of 430 Worship Central training courses have been registered across the UK and worldwide.

The course is made up of seven sessions designed to train and equip local church worship teams.

It has taken six years to develop and incorporates the ideas and experience of top theologians, leaders, worship pastors and songwriters.

The course covers the practical and theological aspects of leading worship in the 21st century, such as releasing creativity and authenticity.

Tim Hughes, Worship Director at Holy Trinity Brompton, London and Director of Worship Central, said: “I am passionate about this course because we are aware of the need for training worship leaders and teams around the world.

“We are excited to be able to make this resource available without charge and hope that it will be a great blessing to the church.”

The course is not only geared towards worship leaders, but is suitable for musicians, productions teams and anyone with a heart for worship.

“The Worship Central Course is an invaluable resource for developing the worship life of our church,” said Chris Sayburn, worship pastor at St George’s Church, Leeds.

Tom Read, worship pastor at The Vine Church, Hong Kong, said: “A fantastic resource for the local church. It’s great to have the tools needed to build our growing team.”

To download the Worship Central Course, visit worshipcentral.org

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The church is working in some of the hardest to reach areas in Africa to tackle malaria.

The Province of Central Africa conferred its highest honour, the Order of the Epiphany, on philanthropists Christopher Flowers and Neville Isdell for their work alongside the church in tackling the disease during a service earlier this month.

The honour was given by Archbishop Albert Chama in St Stephen’s Anglican Church, in Lusaka, in recognition of their leadership and long-standing support for the work of the church in eliminating malaria.

It comes ahead of World Malaria Day on 25 April when churches will pray and hold special events to raise awareness of the disease that kills a child every five minutes in Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation, the number of malaria cases has steadily fallen in the last decade.

Archbishop Chama emphasised the need for everyone to play their part and said its partnership with organisations like Christian Aid, faith communities and national governments was contributing to the significant progress that has been made.

“We believe that if anyone has malaria in our parish we all have malaria,” he said.

Flowers, chief executive of of J C Flowers and Co, and Isdell, former chief executive of Coca-Cola, are working in partnership with Christian Aid and the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, focussing their work along national borders.

Christian Aid said that border regions were often the most difficult places to work in and could be the last places to receive help fighting disease. By working through the church in remote communities in Zambia bordering Namibia and Angola, the Cross-Border Malaria Initiative has distributed education and health knowledge in addition to 100,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets.

Mr Flowers pointed to the advantage of working through churches: “I am delighted to be working with Christian Aid and the Anglican Church.

“The church has an efficient and effective delivery network and can reach beyond the end of the road.

“We know that by investing in malaria prevention we are increasing family incomes.”

Mr Isdell, who grew up in Zambia, said: “Zambia has made considerable progress in malaria prevention and now we must sustain those gains across the borders in neighbouring countries.

“Mosquitoes aren’t limited by country borders and people cross national boundaries to go to church, to markets and visit extended families.”

David Pain, Associate Director of Christian Aid, said: “This is a fitting recognition of the leadership by Chris and Neville and the effective partnership with Christian Aid. It is a good example of our partnership for change.”

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The former Archbishop of Canterbury has hit out at what he sees as the vilification of Christians in Britain.

In a submission to the European Court of Human Rights, Lord Carey said that Christians are being “vilified” by the state and face being sacked for their faith.

His appeal was made in connection to the cases of four British Christians who have experienced disciplinary action in the workplace for expressing their faith.

Two of the cases relate to wearing the cross at work.

In the submission seen by the Daily Telegraph, Lord Carey said there was a “drive to remove Judaeo-Christian values from the public square” and that some believers were being treated as “bigots”.

“In a country where Christians can be sacked for manifesting their faith, are vilified by State bodies, are in fear of reprisal or even arrest for expressing their views on sexual ethics, something is very wrong,” he said.

“It affects the moral and ethical compass of the United Kingdom. Christians are excluded from many sectors of employment simply because of their beliefs; beliefs which are not contrary to the public good.”

He goes on to argue that the rulings in recent court cases involving Christians who tried to manifest their faith have left religious freedom without “any substantive effect” in Britain.

“It is now Christians who are persecuted; often sought out and framed by homosexual activists,” he said.

“Christians are driven underground. There appears to be a clear animus to the Christian faith and to Judaeo-Christian values. Clearly the courts of the United Kingdom require guidance.”

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Christian Solidarity Worldwide has urged David Cameron to make the issue of Burma’s ethnic minorities a priority during his visit to the country this week.

The Prime Minister is to meet Burma’s President Thein Sein and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won a historic by-election last week.

CSW wants Mr Cameron to use his visit to press for an end to internal conflict, particularly in Kachin State, and for a nationwide, inclusive peace process with all ethnic nationalities in order to secure a durable political settlement.

It is the first time in decades that a Western head of government has visited Burma.

A series of reforms introduced by the President and the country’s military-dominated leadership has caused Western countries to reconsider Burma’s diplomatic isolation.

Western countries welcomed the by-election, in which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won 43 out of the 45 contested parliamentary seats.

Suu Kyi won a landslide victory in her own constituency, Kawhmu, and hailed the results as “the beginning of a new era”.

The election was followed a week later by a historic meeting between President Sein and leaders of the Karen National Union, representing one of Burma’s largest ethnic nationalities. The talks were aimed at ending 65 years of civil war.

The regime has held ceasefire talks with other ethnic nationalities and established some ceasefire agreements.

CSW warns, however, that the Burma Army continues to perpetrate “serious human rights violations” in the ethnic state.

In Kachin State, in northern Burma, the military is reportedly carrying out systematic abuses and attacks on ethnic civilians.

The Rohingya people, a predominantly Muslim group who have lived in northern Arakan State for generations, are denied citizenship and are effectively stateless, subjected to severe restrictions and persecution.

CSW’s East Asia Team Leader Benedict Rogers welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit and his continued interest in the situation in Burma.

He said Mr Cameron’s visit would be “historic” but also a rare opportunity to remind Burma’s leadership that there is still a “long way to go and much more to be done before Burma can be celebrated as a democracy”.

Mr Rogers called for all remaining political prisoners to be released and urged the Burmese government to repeal or amend “unjust” legislation.

There also needs to be “substantial” institutional and constitutional reform.

“Ceasefires – an end to active fighting – are not enough, because without a political solution there can be no durable peace,” said Mr Rogers.

“The Burma Army must end its practices of forced labour, rape, torture, the destruction of villages, recruitment of child soldiers and killing of civilians; the government, the ethnic nationalities and the democracy movement must hold talks, and a political system which grants the ethnic people equal rights and a degree of autonomy must be established through dialogue.

“These are the points we hope the British Prime Minister David Cameron will make during his important visit.”

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Liam Neeson has told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that seeing Ian Paisley preach as a child was something that inspired him to act.

The actor recalled how, as a boy, he would creep into the gospel hall of the politician and churchman to hear him speak.

Neeson remembered being awed by Paisley’s height and stature.

He described Paisley, who is known for his impassioned speeches and sermons, as being “very, very intimidating but “extraordinary”.

“He was a firebrand, he was like throwback to some 19th century preacher,” the Schindler’s List star said.

Neeson was the voice of Aslan the lion in the film versions of the Chronicles of Narnia and resumes his role as Ra’s al Ghul in the forthcoming Batman release, Dark Knight Rises.

He spoke of his desire to return to theatre at some point in the future.

“I have to get back on stage again,” he said. “It’s how I started so I feel I owe something to the world of theatre. It predates cinema by like 4,000 years so you feel you have to pay homage to it every now and again.”

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Women in Bangladesh are turning their villages around thanks to a church empowerment programme.

Church Mission Society’s James Pender is in the country and working with the Church of Bangladesh Social Development Programme (CBSDP).

The programme has been up and running for several years and is teaching women about their rights, as well as training them in new skills.

Issues covered include sanitation, domestic violence and preventing child marriages.

In a report to CMS, Pender tells of how the experience is giving women a new sense of dignity and empowerment.

The programme is also teaching budgeting skills and giving small loans to the women so that they can run their own businesses.

A woman in Belghoria village, for example, has been supported in running her own vegetable business.

Pender recently visited Belghoria village and said he was excited to see the transformation there.

“Three years ago, the women lacked confidence, often seen as second class citizens. Now, they’ve helped create buildings, they’ve petitioned the local government for new latrines, and they’re helping villagers obtain voting cards.”

When the women on the programme heard that a local woman was being beaten by her husband, they banded together and confronted him.

Pender shares: “I would have loved to see his reaction to a large group of women assembling outside his house.The beating soon stopped and this brave group of women also prevented two early marriages of young girls in a similar way.”

He added: “A quiet revolution is taking place. It is wonderful to be a part of the process.”

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The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is looking for young budding filmmakers to enter its annual Faith Shorts film competition.

Anyone between the ages of 14 and 27 can submit a short film showing how faith impacts their life and the lives of those around them.

Entries will be judged by a panel that includes former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, actors Hugh Jackman, Jet Li, and comedienne Dawn French.

The competition aims to counter false perceptions of religion and particularly the popular notion that religion is the biggest source of conflict in the world today.

Last year’s competition was won by a group of Canadian Baha’i rappers who produced a creative and uplifting rap encouraging young people to be agents of social change.

A Christian Filipino film student focused on the darker side of religion and the way in which faith can be tested in moments of adversity and a Muslim high school student worked with her class in the UK to explore the true meaning of Islam.

Mr Blair said: “More than ever before, filmmaking has the power to expand the reach of religious ideas to new horizons. But film also has the power to shape public perspectives on religious traditions.

“Films that feature faith often focus on religious conflict and division, leaving out scores of positive stories of co-existence and co-operation.”

“The world is at an important juncture, where each day people make decisions about whether to be open or closed minded about difference. It is my hope that this competition continues to nurture a generation of young people who embrace and respect difference rather than fear it.”

Mr Jackman said he had been impressed by the quality of submissions in last year’s competition. He encouraged more young people to use the competition to tell their story.

“I hope Faith Shorts 2012 will continue to break down barriers and give young people a chance to be heard,” he said.

Find out more at: www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/projects/faithshorts

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A live puppy held over the stomach to treat colic? How about a dried toad crushed into small pills for asthma? Or perhaps orange rind rolled up and inserted into the nostrils to cure a cold in the head?

These are just some of the “cures” that were recommended by Methodist founder John Wesley. While most know him as the renowned 18th century preacher and evangelist, few will be aware of his keen interest in medicine.

And it appears that the 18th century public embraced him as much for his words of heavenly wisdom as they did for his medical insights. His book of remedies, Primitive Physic, was so popular in its day that it was republished 23 times, making it one of the period’s best-sellers.

The book covered everything from headaches to the plague, to gout and obesity.

Some of the supposed cures were denounced by 18th century critics as possibly deadly, but some were proved right with time.

One of his recommendations was two to three hours of exercise a day to “soften the evils of life”.

Many of the remedies used honey, which scientists have only recently confirmed the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of.

Some of Wesley’s wild and wonderful medical ideas will be highlighted in a forthcoming exhibition, Wesley and Wellbeing, touring the country from 2 April to 30 September.

Jo Hibbard, Methodist Heritage Officer, said: “When Wesley’s Primitive Physic was published in 1747, doctors were still more likely to kill at a price than cure for a fee.

“Wesley wanted to put the knowledge of curing diseases into ordinary people’s hands. Some of his remedies, such as holding a live puppy over the stomach to cure colic, sound comic to us today.

“But, to Wesley’s credit, if he thought a critic’s claim was well-founded, then he would make changes in the next edition.”

Wesley’s concern for the whole wellbeing of a person led him to open free clinics and dispensaries in London, Bristol and Newcastle.

Remedies were borrowed from other published medical books and then written in plain English by Wesley.

He encouraged his preachers to sell his book as well as add in their own remedies.

Dr Richard Vautrey, Former Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and a practising GP, said: “John Wesley took the command to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind’ seriously, working to ensure that Methodists were not only nurturing their spiritual health but looking after their physical health as well.

“Whilst some of his ideas belong in the 18th century, many are as relevant today as they were then.

“All Methodists today would do well to follow his advice by increasing the amount of exercise we do and reducing the amount of salt in our diets.

“By doing so whilst our hearts may still be “strangely warmed” – as Wesley’s was – they won’t overheat!”

The exhibition will visit Epworth, Bristol, Launceston, Englesea Brook, London and Newcastle.

A souvenir leaflet for visitors will explain not only Wesley’s interest in health but how the Church has used sport as a means of service and outreach since the 19th century.

Ish Lennox, the Church’s Olympic and Paralymic Co-ordinator, explains: “The Methodist influence on Britain’s sporting heritage can be seen clearly in the history of football.

“Aston Villa FC was formed in March 1874 by four members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel. Walter Tull was brought up in the Methodist orphanage in Bethnal Green. He was one of Britain’s first black footballers, playing for Tottenham Hotspur.”

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