Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint. Patrick Woodward talks to Russ Bravo, (pictured) editor of Inspire Magazine, about the latest news from a Christian standpoint.  Today, Gordon Brown quotes the Bible back to an Archbishop, workers face their longest ever Christmas break, and anger among chocoholics as Cadburys changes “Heroes” make up. Also, tea at No 10 as Russ Bravo meets the PM.

Story Links:

Brown quotes Bible to Archbishop:

guardian.co.uk Brown spending plans “like  an addict”

timesonline.co.uk Brown slaps down Archbishop..

Longest Christmas break:

telegraph.co.uk Thousands of workers take longest Christmas break..

Cadburys:

telegraph.co.uk Cadbury switches chocolate Heroes

cadbury.co.uk Official site

Russ goes to No 10:

number 10.gov.uk No 10 Official Site

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers/subscribers.  The next Weekly News review will be with Catherine Butcher on 8th January 2009

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint. Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine (pictured) about the latest news from a Christian standpoint.  Today, assisted suicide is in the headlines following a tv programme, there are more homeless families because of the economic downturn, and a survey reveals that one-third of people believe that Jesus was indeed born of a virgin called Mary.

Story Links:

Assisted Suicide:

belfasttelegraph.co.uk Why assisted suicide should not be an option

theeconomist.com Assisted suicide in the public interest

carenotkilling.org.uk promoting palliative care

Homelessness:

savethefamily.uk.com homelessness charity

shelter.org.uk Shelter

Christmas Survey:

theosthinktank.co.uk One in three Britons believes in a Virgin Birth

jesuscentral.com The birth of Jesus

biblegateway.com The Christmas story from the Bible

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Russ Bravo, editor of Inspire Magazine (pictured) about the latest news from a Christian standpoint.  Today, a quirky twist to the credit crunch as owners of large mortgages get help, the Shannon Matthews case and hope offered by next year's “Year of the Child”, and why thousands of people chose to go back to church in September.

Story Links:

Credit crunch and mortgages:

guardian.co.uk Ministers meet banks to thrash out two-year mortgage interest holiday

citywire.co.uk Mortgage help - will it work?

Shannon Matthews and the Year of The child:

Year of the Child  Official site

timesonline.co.uk  Shannon Matthews drugged

Back to Church:

backtochurch.co.uk  Official site

cofe.anglican.org  Press release

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of the Mothers' Union “Families First” magazine (pictured) about the latest news from a Christian standpoint.  Today, how Prince Charles will face a challenge on his coronation, if he wants to be “defender of faiths”, how a couple lived their married life through online identities, and the teenage girl who chose to refuse a life-saving heart transplant.

Story links:

Prince Charles:

timesonline.com  Prince Charles turns 60

telegraph.co.uk  Prince Charles to be known as “defender of faith”

independent.co.uk  Prince cannot defend all faiths

Virtual marriage:

telegraph.co.uk Avatars and Second Life adultery

secondlife.com  Official site

Heart transplant girl:

ap.google.com British girl allowed to refuse heart transplant

specialchildren.about.com Girl says no to life-saving heart transplant

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Jon Hargreaves, the International Director of FEBA Radio (pictured) about the latest news from a Christian perspective.  Today, what challenges face Barack Obama as he prepares for the Presidency, how there is hope for the Democratic Republic of Congo as the international community steps up its role, and why a small remote Asian state has got better ideas than the rest of the world, when it comes to thinking about the economy.

Story links:

Barack Obama:

barackobama.com  Official site

telegraph.co.uk  Victorious president-elect picks White House team

DR Congo:

oxfam.org.uk Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

bbc.co.uk UN Caught in new DR Congo clashes

Bhutan and national happiness:

afp.google.com Bhutan's turn to celebrate with crowning of young king

bhutan.gov.bt  Official site

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Russ Bravo, editor of Inspire Magazine,   about the latest news from a Christian perspective.  Today,  the credit squeeze on the retail trade could mean good news for churches, Sony's new video game is delayed out of respect for Muslims, but not the one that offended Christians, and Richard Dawkins' athiest adverts on buses are welcomed by the Methodist Church.

Story Links:

Retail squeeze at Christmas:

guardian.co.uk Credit crunch may mar shoppers' Christmas

channel4.com Christmas credit crisis

cofe.anglican.org Matter of Life and Debt

Sony's video game:

bbc.co.uk  Game delayed over Korean phrases

churchtimes.co.uk  Sony refuses to withdraw game

Athiest adverts:

inspiremagazine.org Methodists thank Dawkins for putting God on the buses

ekklesia.co.uk Athiest evangelism campaign

athiestcampaign.org  official site

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher editor of the Mothers' Union “Families First” magazine,   about the latest news from a Christian perspective.  Today, a survey of children find that they want more time from their parents, rather than money, and most would bring up their own children differently.  Also,  surfing the internet is as good for your brain as crossword puzzles among older people, and the main ambition among girls is to have instant fame, thanks to the messages of modern media.

Story links:

Children want time, not money:

inthenews.co.uk  Children want time, not cash

careforthefamily.org.uk  Care for the Family

The web is good for your brain:

bbc.co.uk  Internet use ‘good for the brain'

cnn.com Google does a brain good

Girls just want to have fame:

telegraph.co.uk Girls just want to win the X Factor

telegraph.co.uk  “Who are we to judge?”

barbara-follett.org.uk  Barbara Follett, MP

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Russ Bravo, editor of Inspire Magazine,   about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, the credit crunch leads to a rise in people looking at the Church of England's online debt pages, GCSE music has become more popular as students are encouraged to “jam” along to their favourite music, and rock legend Carlos Santana announces his plans to start a church.

Story Links:

Debt:

cofe.anglican.org  Matter of Life and Debt

cofe.anglican.org Thousands turn to online prayer and advice as financial situation worsens

GCSE Music:

independent.co.uk  GCSE's in jamming

musicalfutures.org.uk  Musical futures

Santana's church ambitions:

inspiremagazine.org.uk Santana wants to start a church

santana.com Official Site

Weekly News Review from a Christian Viewpoint.

Patrick Woodward talks to Catherine Butcher, editor of  the Mothers’ Union “Families First” magazine,  about the latest news from a Christian perspective. Today, Naturalist Sir David Attenborough says female literacy will help stop decline in frog and newt population, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly puts her family before her career, and the first baby to the born under the NHS reflects on a life of free healthcare.

Story Links:

Frogs, newts and literacy:

bbc.co.uk David Attenborough on ‘Today'

Ruth Kelly:

Ruth Kelly's website

timesonline.co.uk Ruth Kelly to quite cabinet for family reasons

guardian.co.uk Minister's exit undermines Britain's Brown

NHS baby:

bbc.co.uk  First NHS baby at Labour meeting

walesonline.co.uk  First NHS baby speaks out