World Weekend of Prayer
Viva, an organisation which seeks to improve the lives of children across the world, is holding their World Weekend of Prayer on 6-7 June 2016. The focus of the weekend is ‘Small but mighty’. Andrew Dubock, communications manager for Viva, says: ‘Our hope for the weekend is that it will bring a fresh focus to UK churches about the importance of listening to the children in their midst and making them more visible. We also want them to pray for vulnerable and marginalised children whom God is using in remarkable ways to be bearers of his love and peace. For more information about getting involved, visit the World Weekend of Prayer website here.
Overhaul for RE?
According to a report from Goldsmiths College, part of the University of London, RE in schools is in need of a dramatic overhaul. ‘Content should reflect the real religious landscape,’ coauthor, Professor Adam Dinham, commented. ‘The religious landscape now includes religious traditions, informal religion and beliefs as well as non-religious world views.’
This report comes after the High Court ruled the government had made an ‘error of law’ in leaving out non-religious world views. The teaching of RE has already been squeezed by its exclusion from the performance measure of the EBacc and the fact that academies and free schools do not have to follow local agreed syllabuses (SACREs).The Department of Education has not commented directly on the report. The way in which this report will impact the development of RE, improvements in its teaching and its place in the life of schools remains to be seen.
