Atheist parents take primary school to court as they say assembly prayers breach children’s human rights – Daily Telegraph

‘Atheist parents are taking their children’s primary school to the High Court, claiming that biblical re-enactments and praying in assembly are a breach of their human rights.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Clergy Discipline – Rebuke administered in “an unusual case” – Law & Religion UK

‘On 14 May 2019, the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Carlisle heard a complaint against the Revd Canon Cameron Butland by the Archdeacon of Westmoreland and Furness, alleging that the Respondent had been neglectful or inefficient in the performance of his duties. Since the misconduct was admitted, the only issue before the Tribunal was that of penalty. The Tribunal determined that the appropriate penalty was one of rebuke.’

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Law & Religion UK, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Church review of Bishop Whitsey case – Law and Religion UK

‘On 22 May 2019, the Church of England announced a review into the allegations of sexual offences against children and adults by the late Bishop Hubert Victor Whitsey.’

Full press release

Law and Religion UK, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Judge rejects claims by parish that nuns conspired to provide district council with false information to secure planning permission – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has rejected claims made by a parish council that an international congregation of nuns conspired to provide false information to a district council in order to obtain planning permission for a former school site.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th May 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Church rejects report which says clergy should be allowed to go to police with sex abuse confessions – Daily Telegraph

‘The Church of England is ignoring abuse victims, survivors claim, after it rejected a report saying that clergy should report sex abuse confessions to police.’

Full Church of England report

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Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Equal marriage in the Church of England – Law & Religion UK

Posted April 12th, 2019 in Church of England, equality, gender, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

‘On Friday 12 April, a new campaign was launched with aim of changing the teaching and practice of the Church of England to allow all couples to marry in church, regardless of their gender, sex or sexuality.’

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Law & Religion UK, 12th April 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

“Comprehensive and historical” safeguarding review – Salisbury Diocese – Law & Religion UK

Posted February 22nd, 2019 in child abuse, children, Church of England, news, pilot schemes by tracey

‘The Diocese of Salisbury has begun a pioneering safeguarding review – one that will include piloting the next stage of Past Case Reviews for the whole of the Church of England.’

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Law & Religion UK, 19th February 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Churches no longer have to hold Sunday services – BBC News

Posted February 22nd, 2019 in Church of England, ecclesiastical law, news by tracey

‘A weekly Sunday service will no longer be compulsory for churches after a vote to change a 400-year-old law was passed by the Church of England’s ruling body.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Church statements on Bishop George Bell – Law & Religion UK

Posted January 25th, 2019 in child abuse, Church of England, clergy, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘Today, 24 January 2019, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the National Safeguarding Team issued statements following a ruling by Timothy Briden, a senior ecclesiastical lawyer, relating to fresh information received about the late Bishop George Bell. The core group took the view that there were no safeguarding issues arising out of the fresh information and Mr Briden concluded that the allegations presented to him were unfounded.’

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Law & Religion UK, 24th January 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Bishop George Bell abuse allegations ‘unfounded’ – BBC News

Posted January 25th, 2019 in child abuse, Church of England, clergy, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘Further allegations against the late Bishop of Chichester George Bell are “unfounded”, a Church of England (CofE) appointed lawyer has ruled.’

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BBC News, 24th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Exhumation and reburial of alleged sexual abuser: Re the Cremated Remains of AA – Law & Religion UK

‘The issue of the permanence of Christian burial and the circumstances in which, exceptionally, exhumation and reinterment of remains might be authorised by faculty has arisen once again in Re St X, the Cremated Remains of AA [2018] ECC Lic 7.’

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Law & Religion UK, 9th January 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Church of England orders remains of alleged paedophile to be exhumed as family members don’t want to be buried alongside him – Daily telegraph

‘The Church of England has ordered the remains of an alleged paedophile to be exhumed after living family members said they do not wish to be buried alongside him.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Independent Case Review – Oxford Diocese – Law & Religion UK

Posted December 12th, 2018 in Church of England, clergy, disciplinary procedures, news by sally

‘Today, 12th December, the Diocese of Oxford has issued the following Press Release on the establishment of an Independent Case Review of the diocesan safeguarding response to allegations of spiritual abuse in the case of the Revd Tim Davis.’

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Law & Religion UK, 12th December 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Churchyard memorials which cause affront and offence – Law and Religion UK

Posted July 11th, 2018 in Church of England, families, monuments, news by tracey

‘Although it is always open for a person who wishes to introduce a memorial, or to modify an existing one, to submit a petition to the consistory court, in Re Holy Trinity Drayton Parslow [2018] ECC Oxf 3* permission was refused inter alia as it was deemed that the proposed alteration would be an affront and offence to the parishioners.’

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Law and Religion UK, 11th July 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Church of England ombudsman to oversee sexual abuse cases – The Guardian

Posted July 9th, 2018 in child abuse, Church of England, clergy, news, ombudsmen, personal injuries by sally

‘The Church of England is to establish an independent ombudsman to deal with complaints over its handling of sexual abuse cases, and will seek other ways of strengthening independent scrutiny of its processes.’

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The Guardian, 7th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Church of England makes last-minute approach to abuse survivors – BBC News

Posted June 22nd, 2018 in child abuse, Church of England, inquiries, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘The Church of England has made last-ditch efforts to engage with sexual abuse survivors before a report of how it recorded cases of abuse is published next month.’

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BBC News, 22nd June 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Re-use of institutional burial grounds – Law & Religion UK

‘Disused burial grounds both old and ancient frequently feature in Midsomer Murders. In real life, however, their reuse is an on-going concern in view of the growing shortage of burial space. On 30 April, The Guardian reports “C of E intervenes in row over plan to build car park over graveyard”. The issue is not new, but it is necessary to unpick some of the journalese and identify the legal issues involved. A number of the issues raised in the Guardian article on the former Calderstones hospital in Lancashire echo those considered in In re Radcliffe Infirmary Burial Ground [2011] PTSR 1508.’

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Law & Religion UK, 3rd May 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Bishop George Bell investigation dropped by Sussex Police – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 23rd, 2018 in child abuse, Church of England, news, police, sexual offences by tracey

‘A police investigation into former bishop of Chichester George Bell has been dropped amid criticism of the Archbishop of Canterbury for smearing his name.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd April 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Casual workers and unfair dismissal: Mrs M Wright – Law & Religion UK

Posted April 9th, 2018 in casual workers, Church of England, news, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘The issue of the employment status of people who perform casual work – and its complexity – has come up yet again, this time in Mrs M Wright v St John the Evangelist Parochial Church Council (England and Wales: Breach of Contract) [2018] UKET 3200595/2017.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 5th April 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Bath Abbey pews: costs – Law & Religion UK

Posted March 28th, 2018 in appeals, Church of England, costs, ecclesiastical law, listed buildings, news by tracey

‘In refusing the Victorian Society permission to appeal on the removal of pews from Bath Abbey on 1 March 2018, ([2018] EACC 1), the Dean of Arches directed that the Victorian Society (VS) should bear the petitioners’ reasonable costs of submitting the Response and the court costs of considering and determining the application. On 8 March 2018, the VS submitted a Representation on Costs (“the Representation”), dated 5 March 2018. “In purported reliance on Re St Mary, Sherborne [1996] Fam 63, the Victorian Society contends that the court costs on appeal should be paid by the petitioners irrespective of whether they have been successful or not on the appeal (at 70C)” .’

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Law & Religion UK, 27th March 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com