Premier Christian Newscast

Christianity and boxing: Fighting with faith

Christians are no strangers to the world of boxing. In fact there is a disproportionate number of believers competing compared to other sports. Not an event goes by without someone having a Bible verse written on their shorts or someone giving glory to God in a post-fight TV interview. So what draws people to this dangerous game and does a belief in God give you an advantage in the ring? For this week’s episode we’re handing over the microphone to Premier’s Marcus Jones, who has explored boxing and Christianity’s complicated relationship.

Nigeria’s Christians under attack

Last year, more Christians were killed in Nigeria than the rest of the world combined, according to data from the charity Open Doors. And attacks against believers have only increased in 2022, culminating in a horrific atrocity in June when at least 40 worshippers were killed during a Pentecost service. Yet even as the shootings, bombings and kidnappings increase, Nigeria’s government, the international community and the global church seem strangely unconcerned and mostly inactive. Why is the Nigerian Church under such persecution, and what factors are behind the recent rise in attacks? What can be done to stop it, and how can Christians elsewhere in the world speak up for their brothers and sisters risking their lives to go to church? This week we’re joined by two Nigerian experts, Ayo Adedoyin and Khataza Gondwe, to tackle the urgent question of persecution in Nigeria. Find out more about Christian Solidarity Worldwide's work in Nigeria - https://www.csw.org.uk/our_work_country_nigeria.htm  PSJ UK's website - https://psjuk.org/ 

Abortion and the pro-life movement in the post-Roe era

On the 24th of June, one of the most momentous US Supreme Court decisions of the past century – Roe v Wade – was overturned. The constitutional right guaranteeing abortion for American women in all 50 states, which had stood since 1973, was no more. In the month or so since, the consequences of the end of Roe have started rippling out in all directions. Many states have already banned or severely restricted abortion, and others are planning to do so. And across the Atlantic, America’s rapidly changing abortion landscape is likely to also have repercussions here in the UK as well. This week we speak to a handful of British people working, campaigning and thinking about abortion, to consider what impact the overturning of Roe v Wade might have and how Christians should view this current moment – crisis, opportunity or both?

The Lambeth Conference

Next week, more than 600 bishops from around the world will descend on Canterbury to spend two weeks in prayer, worship, Bible study and discussion. Fourteen years in the making, this will be the 15th Lambeth Conference – a gathering of every bishop in the 46 independent churches that make up the Anglican Communion. But all is not well within global Anglicanism. Huge divisions on sexuality and marriage have left different Anglican churches heading in different directions. So what will actually happen at this much-delayed Lambeth Conference? What is at stake in the discussions between bishops and will any meaningful decisions get made? Or will bitter disagreements about gay marriage ultimately tear the Communion apart? Joining us this week to unpick the Lambeth Conference are former bishop Graham Kings, church journalist Madeleine Davies, and vicar, theologian and blogger Ian Paul.

The church in politics: Rwanda, bishops and the House of Lords

This week we’re digging into the thorny question of whether church leaders should get involved in politics. The British government’s new policy of forcibly sending asylum seekers to be assessed and resettled in Rwanda has provoked unprecedented criticism from Church of England archbishops and bishops, and other prominent Christian voices. Justin Welby famously said in a sermon the plans would not stand up to the judgement of God. But, as normally happens, their intervention was met with a stern backlash from many MPs and ministers. Stick to religion, they were told, and don’t try to baptise your unpopular left-wing views in the language of faith. Is it right for Christian leaders to express political opinions and attack government policy? Is the allegation that bishops only criticise right-leaning governments actually true? And how can the church defend its right to speak into questions of morality and values, without antagonising its own members on either side of the political spectrum? Joining me this week to think these issues through are Sam Hailes and Emma Fowle from Premier Christianity magazine.

Franklin Graham: The right messenger for the gospel?

Franklin Graham, son of famous US evangelist Billy Graham, is in the middle of a UK evangelistic stadium tour. It's a triumphant return for the American preacher after his last attempt at a UK tour in 2020 saw all eight venues cancel on him after pressure from activists opposed to his language on same-sex relationships. But is Graham’s brand of no-holds-barred American evangelicalism likely to find a hearing in post-Christian Britain? Do big stadium evangelistic crusades even work anymore? Or should the UK church be standing up his freedom of speech and resisting cancel culture, regardless of our personal views on his politics? 

The decline of the Christian bookshop

This week we’re digging into something little covered in the media – the decline (and possible rebirth) of the Christian bookshop. Bricks and mortar stores selling Christian resources have been steadily closing down for decades, hit by competition from the internet, declining footfall on the high street, and maybe simply that there are fewer and fewer Christians to sell to. In today’s episode we’re going to explore if the few shops that remain will all eventually shut down too, or has the rate of decline finally slowed? Would it even matter if Christian bookshops became a relic of the past? And is there a better Kingdom-focused use for this network of high street locations, rather than catering to the already-saved?

Remembering Egypt’s Palm Sunday bombings

Five years ago, two suicide bombers targeted Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority in twin deadly attacks on church services. The Palm Sunday blasts in 2017 left 45 worshippers dead and more than 120 injured. For this week’s Newscast we’re diving back into the Premier archive to bring you a fascinating and tragic documentary exploring the impact the Palm Sunday bombings have had on Egypt’s embattled Copts. Premier’s Eno Adeogun travelled to Egypt to make this on an earlier anniversary of the atrocity, and we’re really pleased to share it with Newscast listeners now.

The cost of living crisis

A perfect storm of rocketing prices and bills in everything from petrol to energy to food has meant making ends meet is getting harder and harder for millions, not just in the UK but around the world too. Many people were already struggling as a result of the pandemic lockdowns and recessions, and so the impact of soaring inflation – which hit a 40-year high of 9% in May – has been devastating for those struggling to get by. What can the church do about this? We've gathered a panel of three Christian anti-poverty activists to discuss the cost of living crisis and how believers can be the hands and feet of Jesus during this season.

The Church of Scotland and gay marriage

The Church of Scotland's general assembly voted 274 to 136 just a few weeks ago to change their laws to allow gay marriages in church for the first time. The culmination of years of debate and an even longer campaign, the decision was marked by celebration from some in the church and deep regret from more conservative elements. The Church of Scotland has now become the seventh major denomination in Britain to permit either same-sex weddings or blessings, since gay marriage was legalised in 2014. Today we’re going to think about how the Scottish move may affect other churches also locked in internal conflict over this issue. Will the other hold-outs, most notably the Church of England, soon follow suit in rewriting their marriage doctrine? Is the momentum towards affirming LGBT relationships now overwhelming, or will we see further fracturing and division within British Christians over this flashpoint issue? This week, we're joined by two of Premier’s news team, Sam Hailes and Marcus Jones, to consider where next for the church’s debate on same-sex marriage.