JourneyOnline
The Journey team selects stories that got us talking this week.
Sex ed fills CoE with dread
The Telegraph reports on United Kingdom government plans for sexual education which has the Church of England concerned that religion could be “ghettoised”. From 2020, English secondary schools will be forced to teach relationship and sex education (RSE) but the church believes that the proposed guidelines “problematise religion” and “exceptionalise people of faith”.
“Our principal focus today has been to ensure that mainstream views held by people of faith are welcomed and understood,” says Nigel Genders, the Church of England’s Chief Education Officer. “We are concerned that, although the draft guidance makes it clear that schools of a faith character may teach faith perspectives within RSE, it seems to indicate that other schools would only cover this within the subject area of Religious Education.”
Pastor on the lake gets massive financial break
The Christian Post has an update on the Texas pastor who was living on a lake to draw attention to a fundraising campaign for clean water initiatives in Liberia. On Monday the fundraising goal of $2.29 million was met and pastor Todd Phillips is now going home.
“I’m ready to hang out with my family. Get some real sleep,” said Phillips. “I don’t think I’ve had any REM sleep for 28 days.”
Phillips has been living on the lake since 10 October and has been periodically broadcasting his experiences on Facebook.
Tough family pitch for making the switch
BBC News has a video story on one man’s conversion from Islam to Christianity and the consequences it has had on his personal life. Choosing to speak anonymously to the British broadcaster, “J” has said that while he would like to officially tell everyone about his new faith but cannot because of heavy consequences for his family.
“If my family ever found out that I’m a Christian, the family’s going to break apart,” said J. “They’ll disown me and it will make me feel scared because I’m still scared now.”
While J has tried to talk with his family about leaving Islam he claims they won’t listen and have even threatened him if he was to leave.
Incredible designer cites incredible source
The Christian Post profiles Philip Metschan, a visual set designer for Pixar Animation Studios who worked on Incredibles 2, and how his Christian faith informed his work. Metschan said that the family home displayed in the movie was inspired by God’s creation.
“In a sense, I feel like whenever I’m using real-world environments as inspiration, I’m using God as inspiration.”
Metschan has also worked on Star Wars: Episode II, Hulk and Mission: Impossible III.
