Christmas message 2007:
shepherds and the Saviour
Revd David Holloway, a trustee of The Christian Institute and vicar of Jesmond Parish Church in Newcastle upon Tyne, talks about the shepherds and the Saviour from the Gospel of Luke.
The Messiah promised by
the prophet Isaiah
Listen to Revd Prof. John L MacKay explain the wonders of the "mighty king", the promised Messiah, as prophesied by Isaiah hundreds of years earlier.
Jesus Christ, the
great redeemer
Revd William Macleod discusses the Old Testament role of a "kinsman redeemer" and shows how it pictures Jesus Christ rescuing people from their moral poverty.
Plan to outlaw paying for
sex in 'intolerance zones'
An MP has proposed to introduce prostitution 'intolerance zones', where paying for sex would be banned.
NHS trust gives teen girls
'contraception credit card'
Schoolgirls in Dorset can now get the morning-after pill from their local chemist without needing to say a word.
'Designer baby' fears over
cholesterol gene screening
A British couple will be told this week they can screen their embryos to avoid a gene that leads to high cholesterol levels and possible heart attacks, according to press reports.
Labour MPs get free
vote on embryos Bill
The Labour Party has decided to allow its MPs to vote according to their conscience on a controversial embryos Bill.
Pilot scheme to sell pill
to under-16s in chemists
Local chemists shops may soon be allowed to sell the contraceptive pill to girls under 16 without a doctor's prescription.
Debate on transsexual
regulations is delayed
The Government has postponed a Parliamentary debate on new transsexual discrimination laws which impact on religious liberty.
MPs propose free speech
change to 'gay hate' law
A cross-party group of MPs has tabled a free speech amendment to the proposed incitement to 'homophobic hatred' law.
Stem cell Prof. says embryos
'too much like my daughters'
The Japanese scientist behind a recent breakthrough in non-embryonic stem cell work says he was inspired to find an alternative to embryo research because of ethical concerns.
Transsexual laws
threaten free speech
The Government has proposed yet more equality legislation which could interfere with religious liberty and free speech, this time on transsexualism.
Christmas without Christ is
'daft', says equalities chief
The head of the UK's equality watchdog has defended the idea that Christmas should centre on Jesus Christ.
Labour MPs threaten to
rebel over embryos Bill
Pro-life Labour MPs are preparing to vote against the Government's proposals to relax the law on fertilisation and embryo research, according to The Observer.
Labour MPs call for free
vote on Embryology Bill
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been called on by Labour MPs to allow them to vote according to conscience on the Government's upcoming Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Secret trials to let
GPs do abortions
The Department of Health has admitted it is conducting trials at two secret locations to assess whether GP clinics could be used for medical abortions.
MPs debate rise of
'Christianophobia'
Members of Parliament have debated a perceived rise in intolerance towards Christians in Britain.
Activists call for
yet more sex education
As sexually transmitted infections increase amongst the young, and UK teenage pregnancy rates remain the highest in Western Europe, children's activists say the answer is yet more sex education.
NHS trusts give morning-
after pill to under-age girls
High street chemists throughout England are giving the morning-after pill to under-age girls with the approval of, and in some cases at the insistence of, NHS trusts.
Bid to allow the creation
of sperm and eggs in lab
Artificial sperm and eggs made in laboratories could be used in fertility treatment, under new House of Lords proposals.
Major development in non-
embryo stem cell research
Scientists working on a new stem-cell research method that does not require the destruction of embryos have overcome a major hurdle.
Abortion rules on 'serious
handicap' to be reviewed
The Government has asked the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to draw up new guidance on late abortions for 'seriously handicapped' foetuses.
Let pharmacists give out
cocaine, Home Office told
Nurses and pharmacists should be allowed to dish out free cocaine to drug abusers, advisors have told the Home Office.
A&E units 'overwhelmed'
by alcohol injuries
Accident and Emergency departments in London have seen alcohol-related admissions soar since all-day drinking laws were introduced.
'Protect free speech from
gay hate law', say Bishops
Bishops from the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church have jointly called on the Government to protect religious liberty from a proposed 'gay hate' law.
Rape centre slams plan
to lower age of consent
Proposals to lower the age of sexual consent in Northern Ireland have been strongly criticised by a rape crisis centre.
Sexual health in the UK
continues to deteriorate
Cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK continue to increase steadily, particularly among homosexual men and young people, new figures show.
Government split over
need for gay hate law
Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, says the current law is sufficient to deal with 'homophobic hatred' and there is no need for a new offence, reports The Times.
Roman Catholic leader to
meet MPs on embryos Bill
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has invited Roman Catholic MPs to a meeting to discuss upcoming Parliamentary issues.
RC adoption groups
seek a legal lifeline
Roman Catholic adoption agencies are seeking a legal lifeline that will allow them to continue to operate under the Sexual Orientation Regulations.
Police chiefs U-turn on
downgrade of cannabis
Cannabis ought to be reclassified as a class B drug, said the Association of Chief Police Officers at their annual drug conference.
Government plays another
hand for 16 new casinos
The Government is planning another attempt to allow 16 new casinos to open. The proposed casinos would be larger than any of those currently operating in the UK.
Top scientist leaves embryo
research for 'better method'
The scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep has moved away from embryo research because a better technique has been developed in Japan using adult skin cells.
State spends £2.5m on
free heroin for abusers
Free heroin has been made available to hardened drug abusers through NHS clinics at a cost of £2.5 million to the taxpayer.
Archbishop says embryo
Bill undermines fathers
The Archbishop of York has spoken out against Government plans to make it easier for lesbian couples to become parents through IVF.
Wording of gay
speech crime published
The Government has published its proposed 'homophobic hatred' law. The offence could yet be amended by MPs or Peers.
Report criticises
all-day drink laws
The Government's policy on 24-hour alcohol licensing has been a mistake, says a new academic report.
Gay journalist: hate law
will harm free speech
A prominent homosexual columnist has become the latest critic of the Government's plans for a law against incitement to 'homophobic' hatred.
Pro-life MPs join forces
to curb late abortions
Pro-life MPs are planning a cross-party coalition on abortion to reduce the 24-week upper time limit, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Majority of people
want to be married
Most people aspire to be married, according to a new survey. Seven in ten named marriage as the lifestyle they would most prefer, while only seven per cent wanted to co-habit.
Comedian speaks out against
"unnecessary" gay hate law
Rowan Atkinson has heavily criticised the proposed law against incitement to 'homophobic' hatred. The popular comedian laments the "sad futility" of an "unnecessary" law in a letter to The Times.
Queen sets out Labour's
plans for the next session
Abortion, IVF for lesbians, genetically-modified babies, and a proposed incitement to 'homophobic' hatred offence can all be expected to feature in the coming session of Parliament.
Think-tank wants
Christmas downgraded
Christmas celebrations ought to be played down in favour of festivals from other religions, according to a leaked report from a think-tank with close links to Labour.
Committee of MPs
split over abortion
A deep rift has emerged within the Science and Technology Committee on abortion, as one member describes its findings as "biased" and "laughable."
Magistrate loses appeal
over gay adoption
A Christian magistrate who was told he could not opt out of homosexual adoption cases has lost his appeal.
One in ten under-age girls
go to contraception clinics
Almost one in ten girls aged 15 or under went to contraception clinics in England last year, according to a new NHS report.
MPs favour lower limit
on abortion, says poll
A new poll suggests that a majority of MPs want to see the 24 week age limit for abortion reduced.
Abortion: 40 years on
Saturday 27 October 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act. Since then there have been 6.7 million abortions in Great Britain, 98% of which were for 'social' reasons.
Smacking remains legal
as majority oppose a ban
There will be no ban on smacking because most parents would oppose it, the Government has announced.
Health minister criticised
over abortion statement
The Government has no plans to reduce the 24 week limit for abortion, a health minister has announced.
Foster couple forced
out over 'gay rights' laws
A Christian foster couple have been forced to resign because they will not sign a contract with a local council to promote gay rights.
Ex-magistrate appeals
gay adoption decision
A Christian ex-magistrate has begun an appeal after being denied the right to refuse to place children for adoption with homosexual couples.
Health Minister will tell MPs
'no change to abortion limit'
The time limit on abortion should not be changed, a Government health minister is expected to announce, according to the Daily Mail.
Medics present evidence
against abortion
MPs reviewing the current law on abortion have heard evidence from medical professionals.
Stonewall: make 'gay hate'
law like race not religion
The head of Stonewall wants a proposed 'gay hate' law to mirror similar laws on race rather than religion.
Government propose
'gay hate' crime
The Government is planning to outlaw 'incitement to homophobic hatred', Jack Straw has announced. The new offence would carry a maximum 7 year jail sentence.
Marriage is best for
adults and children
Marriage beats all other living arrangements in terms of its benefits to adults and children, an official Government study has found.
Moves to clamp down
on use of cannabis
A zero tolerance policy on cannabis is to be piloted by police in the London area of Battersea, amid a growing press speculation that the drug may be returned to the class B bracket.
Brown: I might reverse
drinks and drugs policy
Gordon Brown has said that he might reverse the Government's policy on 24-hour drinking and the classification of cannabis, depending on the results of reviews.
Jack Straw concedes
cannabis law mistake
Minister for Justice, Jack Straw, has admitted that relaxing cannabis laws was a mistake.
Youth courts' plea for
tighter cannabis law
50 of the UK's 51 youth courts have written to Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, asking for a tighter law on cannabis.
NUS confirms CUs' right to
insist on Christian leaders
The right of Christian Unions to restrict leadership posts to Christians has been recognised in new guidance issued by the National Union of Students (NUS).
Most women against
easing abortion laws
A majority of women are opposed to making abortion easier by requiring the approval of only one doctor instead of two, a new poll reveals.
High Court judge quashes
homosexual harassment law
> Listen to our analysis of the judgment
> How the judgment affects Great Britain
> The judgment in full
> Our report from 11.09.07
CofE fears plans for
gay harassment laws
The Church of England and Christian lawyers fear that Government plans to outlaw harassment on grounds of sexual orientation may restrict religious freedom.
Regulator says yes to
animal-human embryos
The creation of animal-human embryos for use in research has been approved by the Government's embryos regulator.
Divorce rate falls to a 22-year low
The divorce rate for England and Wales is the lowest for decades, official figures show. Experts suggest young couples are less likely to divorce due to bad experiences if their parents split.
Children in danger of further
exposure to online gambling
Experts have warned that the new Gambling Act will make it easier for children to become involved in online gambling. This is due to a relaxation in advertising constraints and restrictions on foreign websites being 'unenforceable'.
Pub violence soars
since 24hr licensing
Violent attacks in pubs and clubs have increased by more than 50% since the introduction of all-day drinking. The Prime Minister has promised to review the law.
Parliamentary committee
reports on embryos Bill
A group of MPs and Peers has published its report on a draft Government Bill which allows animal-human embryos and sidelines a child's need for a father when considering IVF.
Children as young as eight
smoke dope, experts say
Drug experts have warned that children aged as young as eight are smoking cannabis. Treatment charities are increasingly opening up children's units.
Unwed couples should have
'divorce' rights, say lawyers
A group of lawyers has recommended to the Government that unmarried couples should have divorce-like rights if they break up, even though they have chosen not to marry.
Bill allows GM humans
with no need for dads
The Christian Institute has responded to the Government's controversial Human Tissue and Embryos Bill. A Parliamentary committee is currently examining the proposed legislation.
Drink-related A&E cases
soar since 24hr licensing
The number of alcohol-related visits to hospitals has trebled since the introduction of 24-hour licensing, a study has revealed.
50 experts confirm mental
health danger of cannabis
A poll of more than 50 of the world's leading experts on drugs and mental health confirms that most believe cannabis causes a significant risk of psychosis and schizophrenia.
Adoption agency shuts
due to gay regulations
A century-old Roman Catholic adoption agency has decided to shut down because it cannot comply with new homosexual regulations.
Family breakdown makes
UK teens worst in Europe
British teens are more likely to binge-drink, take drugs, have under-age sex and start fights than their counterparts in Europe. A think-tank closely linked to Labour admits that family breakdown is partly to blame.
'I smoked dope' says Minister
announcing cannabis review
The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has admitted to smoking cannabis when she was an Oxford student. The confession came when she announced plans to review the law on cannabis.
Bishop loses gay employment
case over youth worker
In an astonishing judgment, an employment tribunal has ruled that an Anglican Bishop was wrong to refuse employment to a gay youth worker. It is not known whether the Bishop will appeal.
Councils asked again
over larger casinos
Gordon Brown is asking 16 local councils which have been awarded licences for large casinos whether they really want to go ahead.
Super-casinos sunk
Whitehall sources are saying that plans for super-casinos are "dead in the water" after Gordon Brown announced a review of the proposals.
Schools give morning-after
pill to girls as young as 11
Thousands of girls aged as young as 11 can get the morning-after pill at school without their parents' knowledge.
Family breakdown costs
Britain £24bn each year
A report by the Conservative Party estimates the cost of social breakdown to be £102 billion a year, including £24 billion for family breakdown.
Government wants to relax prostitution laws
The law on prostitution may be relaxed in England and Wales under plans announced by the Government.
Government to review the law on smacking
The Government has announced plans to review the smacking law. An outright ban was overwhelmingly rejected by Parliament three years ago.
'Sex jab' for 12-year-olds
Girls as young as 12 should receive immunisation from cervical cancer, a disease linked to sexual promiscuity, experts are expected to recommend today.
Abortion numbers
reach record level
There were 193,700 abortions across England and Wales in 2006, an increase of 3.9%. 3 in 10 women had terminations using the 'abortion pill', RU486.
Two-parent families suffer
most under tax credits
Two-parent families are "brutally" discriminated against under the tax credit system, according to a report by MP Frank Field.
Plans to give unmarried
couples 'divorce' rights
Cohabiting couples who split up should be given divorce-like rights according to plans to be published next month by the Law Commission.
'Gay rights' laws restrict
religious liberty, court hears
Churches and Christian charities have gone to the High Court in Belfast to argue that Northern Ireland's Sexual Orientation Regulations restrict religious liberty.
Faith schools shouldn't
teach gay sex is wrong
The Education Minister, Alan Johnson, has said that faith schools should not be allowed to teach that same-sex relationships are wrong. He was speaking on Radio 4's Today programme. Listen here.
Stop schools promoting
marriage, says Union
Schools should be banned from promoting marriage in the classroom for fear of offending homosexuals, Britain's biggest lecturers' union has said.
Important consultation
for Christians
Christians urged to respond to charity guidelines, as The Christian Institute publishes its submission.
Ministers open door for
human-animal embryos
The production of human-animal hybrid and chimera embryos has been brought a step closer after Government ministers indicated they want a change in policy.
Patients can give relatives
power to end treatment
Patients will be able to give legal powers to a relative or friend to make medical decisions on their behalf if they can no longer communicate their wishes, under new rules issued by the Government.
Gay police ad was the most complained about
An advert by the Gay Police Association which suggests Christian beliefs cause violent attacks against homosexuals was the most complained about advert in 2006 according to the advertising regulator.
Education is compulsory but schooling is not
Local authorities in England have no legal right to enter the homes of homeschoolers or make routine checks on children's progress, draft Government guidance has confirmed.
Embryos bill could open
way for abortion limit vote
MPs could use the forthcoming Human Tissues and Embryo Bill to force a Parliamentary vote on reducing the legal time limit for abortion, newspapers reported at the weekend.
The law on street preaching and leafleting
A lawyer sets out legal rights regarding preaching and handing out evangelistic leaflets in public places.
BBC broadcasts 'gay church
service' from San Francisco
The BBC has broadcast a Sunday service from a highly-controversial gay activists' church in San Francisco.
Going on-air from Wilberforce House
Audio equipment enabling the Institute to do studio-quality interviews on the radio, has been installed at Wilberforce House.
Law Lords reject appeal by Belfast sex shop
Judges in the House of Lords have upheld a decision by Belfast City Council not to grant a licence to a sex shop.
Voting records of MSPs available to download
The Christian Institute has published the voting records of MSPs on a range of moral issues.
How to defend your Christian Union
Following recent attempts to de-register some University Christian Unions, we have published a concise guide aimed at helping CUs defend their right to exist.
Institute publishes
Scottish election briefing
Read our analysis of the policies and record of the Scottish political parties ahead of the 3 May elections.
Important consultation
for Christian charities
New guidance which could affect the charitable status of Christian groups is being consulted on by the Charity Commission.
Welcome to our new-look website
The Christian Institute's website has been re-designed to make its content more accessible, engaging and helpful.
Download latest briefing
on 'gay rights' regulations
Our latest briefing on the Sexual Orientation Regulations is now available to download.
Lords reject plans for
new casino licences
The House of Lords has rejected Government plans to licence a mega casino and 8 'large' and 8 'small' casinos. Peers voted 123 to 120.
'Gay rights' regulations
go through in the Lords
The House of Lords has approved the Government's controversial Sexual Orientation Regulations by 168 votes to 122. The regulations will come into effect in April.
Government rushes 'gay rights' regulations through Commons
MPs are denied a debate as the Sexual Orientation Regulations are approved by a majority of 310 to 100.
Hasty Commons timetable
Council admits fault in stopping
evangelist handing out tracts
Carlisle Council has been forced to apologise for getting the law wrong after it tried to stop a street evangelist handing out gospel tracts.
Parliament to vote on casino licences
MPs and Peers are set to vote on whether to approve licences for the Government’s preferred locations for new casinos.
Children will lose out if faith-based agencies close
Christian foster group faces
closure under 'gay rights' laws
A Christian fostering and adoption support service has announced it faces closure because the Government will not grant an exemption to the Sexual Orientation Regulations.
Ruth Kelly is responsible for the regulations in Great Britain.
'Gay rights' regulations published
The Sexual Orientation Regulations for Great Britain have now been published by the Government.
Under pressure: Northern Ireland minister, Peter Hain.
Government is facing mounting pressure over SOR court case
The High Court in Belfast has given the Roman Catholic Church the right to submit substantial evidence against the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs) in Northern Ireland.
Studies show that the poor suffer most.
Super casino: sad day for Britain
People living near Britain's first super casino in Manchester can expect a sharp rise in social problems.
Tony Blair has come under pressure to put 'gay rights' ahead of religious rights.
Government refuses exemption
for religious adoption agencies
Religious adoption agencies will not be given an exemption from new gay rights laws, the Prime Minister has announced.
2005-2006 Annual Review
'Pray for those in authority'
Our latest annual review reminds Christians "that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Christians protesting outside the House of Lords
Campaign continues against the Sexual Orientation Regulations
The House of Lords has rejected a motion to annul the sexual orientation regulations for Northern Ireland. But a legal action against the controversial laws will go ahead as planned in March.
Joe and Helen Roberts, courageous stand for free speech.
Police and Council back down
over Roberts 'free speech' case
A Christian couple who were interrogated by police after complaining about their local council's 'gay rights' policy have successfully settled their legal action out of court.
Daniel Scot was wrongly convicted in 2004, in Australia.
Free speech victory
for Australian Pastor
An Australian Christian pastor has had his 'religious hatred' conviction overturned on appeal. In 2004 Daniel Scot was held to have broken the State of Victoria's Religious Tolerance Act because he criticised fundamentalist Islam.
