Survey shows why young people leave church

A five-year long Barna Group study lifts the lid on why three out of every five young Christians disconnect from their churches after the age of 15. The study points out six different reasons for this disconnection.

First, nearly one-fourth of the 18- to 29-year-olds interviewed felt that the church ignores real-world problems while 18 per cent said that their church was too concerned about the negative impact of culture on faith.

Second, many of the survey participants saw their experience of Christianity through the church as shallow. One-third felt that “church is boring,” while twenty per cent said that God appeared to be missing from their experience of church.

Third, the Barna study found that over one-third of young adults resented the church for appearing to be against science, saying that “Christians are too confident they know all the answers.”

Fourth, almost a fifth of young adults feel judged by the church when it comes to issues of sexuality, while two out of five young adult Catholics insisted the church's teachings on birth control and sex are “out of date”.

Fifth, a large proportion (twenty-nine percent) struggle with the exclusivity of Christianity saying that “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths.”

The sixth and final reason the study gives for young people leaving the church is they have experienced it as “unfriendly to those who doubt”. Over a third of respondents felt that could not ask life's most pressing questions in church, while 23 per cent had “significant intellectual doubts” about their faith.

David Kinnaman, who serves as they Barna Group president and is also the author of the book on these findings, “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Church,” believes that the church does not understand young adults any more and focuses only on a limited and “traditional” understanding of them. But young adults have changed drastically as they are influenced by the major social, spiritual and technological changes that have occurred in the last quarter century.

“Most young adults no longer follow the typical path of leaving home, getting and education, finding a job, getting married and having kids – all before the age of 30,” he said. “These life events are being delayed, reordered, and sometimes pushed completely off the radar among today's young adults.”

Kinnaman believes churches should cultivate “intergenerational relationships” within their congregations rather than overreacting by creating ‘youth only’ churches.

“In many churches, this means changing the metaphor from simply passing the baton to the next generation to a more functional, biblical picture of a body – that is, the entire community of faith, across the entire lifespan, working together to fulfil God's purposes.”

The top ten worst air-polluted cities in the world

A recent report released by the World Health Organisation shows that the most air-polluted cities in the world are all found in developing countries. This is because poorer countries do not (or cannot) enforce the environmental regulations that developed countries have to keep corporations in check.

Interestingly enough, mega-cities like Beijing, Chongqing, Bangkok, Mexico City are not on the list. Instead, the worst air-polluted cities are smaller cities, most of them found in Iran or South Asia and not one of them is economically influential. Only one African city makes the list in Gabarone, Botswana.

Air pollution is a terrible health hazard with WHO estimating that well over 2 million people a year die prematurely from polluted air. That figure is greater than the annual death toll from HIV/AIDS.

The full list is as follows:
1. Ahwaz, Iran
2. Ulan Bator, Mongolia
3. Sanadaj, Iran
4. Ludhiana, India
5. Quetta, Pakistan
6. Kermanshah, Iran
7. Peshawar, Pakistan
8. Gaberone, Botswana
9. Yasouj, Iran
10. Kanpor, India

UK announces initiatives to assist developing world’s women

The British government has announced two multi-million pound initiatives to improve the lives of women in the developing world.

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that a massive £350 million would be invested into the Girls Education Challenge, which could assist up to a million girls in the poorest parts of Africa and Asia.

The investment is enough to give either 650,000 girls six years of primary education or a million older girls a junior secondary education, for three years.

“Women and girls continue to bear the brunt of poverty,” said Clegg.

“Investing in them early on and giving them an education not only radically alters their lives but has a massive knock on effect, benefiting their families and communities.

“Girls who have been to school are likely to do significantly better financially, socially and be far healthier.”

In addition, further funding would be poured into a separate project in the hope of preventing the deaths of more than 7,000 pregnant women in South Africa and Uganda.

Christian Aid Director Loretta Minghella welcomed this news.

“Continued gender discrimination is the most prevalent inequality of our time. More than 70 per cent of today’s poor are women and girls. Strong measures to combat such an iniquitous situation are hugely welcome,” she said.

“Access to education is essential to give girls more opportunities for their future, and access to family planning is crucial in helping women take control of their bodies.

“Christian Aid’s experience in many countries, however, shows that in order for societies to reap the benefits of gender equality, investment must also be made in civil society organisations that will hold governments accountable to everyone affected by their decisions.

“We hope sufficient funds are also targeted towards making that a reality.”

Tearfund helping out after Himalaya earthquake

The worldwide Christian aid organisation, Tearfund, has mobilised to assist in north east India, which was struck with a strong earthquake over the weekend.

Tearfund is working alongside partner agencies in the region, after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the state of Sikkim flattened thousands of homes and tore apart roads and buildings. Thousands have been left homeless by the earthquake, while dozens have been reported dead.

Tearfund are in a process of assessing the immediate needs but have already released emergency funding to partner relief teams working in the area.

“Our partner teams in the region will be doing all they can to help the communities affected,” said Robert Schofield, Tearfund Disaster Management Director.

“Temporary shelter, warm clothing, food, water and other essentials are vital, as exposure at altitude in the remote terrain is their biggest concern.”

Heavy rain has compounded problems causing landslides, and hampering emergency aid work. The Indian government is distributing emergency food packages and medical aid, but the stock of these government supplies will soon run out.

The destruction of the infrastructure, particularly in transport and communication, makes some areas incredibly hard to reach. It is also feared that damage to building may cause further deaths in the days to come.

“The quality of buildings in the areas affected will be a critical factor,” Schofield added.

“Whilst we hope for the best, relief teams and local communities are likely to see the consequences of poor building design. It is preparedness that makes the difference in any disaster and so often it is bad and hasty construction that claims lives. After the rescue and relief response we will need to work alongside village communities - learn the lessons that enable families to build better homes.

“This Himalayan region has been expecting a major quake. The one that hit on Sunday may serve as a rehearsal for emergency services, as well as a warning for local construction engineers and planners."

(Image show epicentre of the earthquake in Sikkim).

Rob Bell leaves Mars Hills church

Rob Bell, the popular speaker and author has announced to his 7,000-member Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, that he will be leaving them to start a new ministry at the end of the year.

Bell founded Mars Hill 12 years ago and has pastored the congregation through its rapid growth but told members they would “be fine” without him.

The author of the controversial book on heaven and hell called “Love Wins” spent much of his sermon on Sunday sharing with the congregation the vision he feels for his new ministry. The new calling on his life will see Bell and his family moving to Los Angeles to undertake several different projects, including writing projects and public speaking engagements. Bell also said he would not be starting a new church.

Congregants posted some of Bell’s remarks on Twitter.

"To be honest with you, I thought I would die here, but that's not really the right way to say it... Change is a form of loss," Bell said, according to Heidi Fenton.

"We service a big God and none of this is shocking to him. All we can do is embrace a future that is going to be brilliant," Bell insisted, as posted by Chris Zoladz.

Bell comforted worried congregants by telling them, "You are going to be fine."

Mars Hill Bible church released the following official statement:

“The infamous quote "change is the only constant" certainly holds true at Mars Hill. We have experienced ongoing changes that have improved and transformed – as well as at times unintentionally created tension or heartache within our community. And now, we have another significant change to hold together.

Feeling the call from God to pursue a growing number of strategic opportunities, our founding pastor Rob Bell, has decided to leave Mars Hill in order to devote his full energy to sharing the message of God’s love with a broader audience.

It is with deeply mixed emotions that we announce this transition to you. We have always understood, encouraged, and appreciated the variety of avenues in which Rob’s voice and the message of God’s tremendous love has traveled over the past 12 years. And we are happy and hopeful that as Rob and Kristen venture ahead, they will find increasing opportunity to extend the heartbeat of that message to our world in new and creative ways."

The news attracted so much attention that Mars Hill Bible Church's website suffered a crash on the day of the announcement.

'58: The Film' urges Christians to battle poverty

A new movie called “58: The Film” urges Christians to fight against global poverty and injustice. Based on God's call in Isaiah 58 to “loose the chains of injustice” it focuses on the problem of global poverty and oppression, and challenges Christians to act on their faith.

Filmed over the course of two years in 15 different countries, ’58’ features powerful stories of the impoverished and of those working alongside them. The film takes its audience from the drought-ridden Ethiopian plains to the slums of Kenya. It includes stories of people struggling to survive amidst gang violence, chemical addictions, the sex trafficking trade and more.

Stories of those seeking to serve alongside the poor include an American business owner selling Fair Trade coffee, a Brazilian man who assists those struggling with addiction, and a group of youth people in New York who fast and pray for those living in poverty.

"The purpose of the film is really to stimulate and to motivate and really to challenge Christians to respond to the biblical mandate for social concern and action,” said co-director Tony Neeves to the CP.

Neeves is a former vice president of Compassion International, a Christian organization that assists children around the globe who live in poverty.

"The Bible is really clear that God loves the poor and the oppressed, and has a very special concern for them, and really calls his children, his followers, to have that same heart,” added Neeves.

’58’ will premier in October in selected theaters, on iTunes, on television and in major church screenings.

Troy Davis executed while supporters mourn

Troy Davis was given a lethal injection on Wednesday in Jackson, Georgia, despite last minute attempts at a reprieve and despite protests from all around the world.

Troy Davis supporters gathered in front of the White House in Washington, and outside the prison where Davis was due to be executed to protest and mourn together. International supporters even gathered as far afield as a public square in France.

David was killed by lethal injection for killing an off-duty Georgia policeman in Savannah -- a crime he and others have insisted for years that he did not commit.

Davis' supporters included celebrities and other well-known figures, including past US President Jimmy Carter, the Pope, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and rapper Big Boi.

"I feel a mixture of outrage and sadness, sadness because we may lose a life of someone who's not been proven to be guilty," Sharpton said shortly before Davis was given the lethal injection at 11:08 p.m. on Wednesday.

Davis insisted he was innocent from the very beginning. His case saw numerous legal twists and turns, with Davis's lawyers and thousands of supporters around the world protesting his innocence.

There was no physical evidence tying him to the 1989 killing of Mark Allen MacPhail, an off-duty police officer. Since the trial, seven of the nine witnesses who testified against Davis have recanted their testimonies, saying they were pressured into making their original testimonies.

"When there's doubtful evidence about whether someone's guilty, they certainly shouldn't be executed," said Jimmy Carter.

"Everyone who looks a little bit at the case knows that there is too much doubt to execute him," added Nicolas Krameyer from Amnesty International.

Davis also received a lot of support on social networks, with twitter users employed the trending topic "God Loves You" as a chance to show support for him.

"Since god love you is trending I'm gonna tweet about Troy Davis on it. Lol," Kevin BeatDown Brown said.

Lila Lewis offered encouragement for Davis by tweeting, "God loves you Troy Davis!"

(Image shows protestors holding up the photo of Troy Davis)

Ceasefire brings temporary peace to Yemen

A ceasefire negotiated by Yemen’s vice-president and Western envoys has brought a temporary peace to the war-torn capital, Sanaa.

This was after government forces shelled a protester camp in Sanaa killing seven people, according to Reuters.

The ceasefire brought quiet to the city after almost a full day of running gun-battles between government troops and armed opponents that spilled over into the suburbs. This latest violence is the worst seen in Yemen for several months.

Protestors are wanting to see the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s three decade long rule. President Saleh has been in Saudi Arabia since June after being severely injured in a rocket attack on his presidential compound. Saleh has insisted he will not stand down and plans to return to the country.

Yemen is the most impoverished country in the Arab world, facing multiple crises including an active al-Qaeda cell, as well as a separatist movement in the south and a Shia-dominated uprising in the north.

Aid agencies have warned that Yemen is suffering a severe humanitarian crisis with around 7.5 million Yemenis, which amounts to one third of the population, going hungry.

(Image show panorama of Sanaa, Yemen).

Archbishop says religion is getting stronger despite ‘coolness’ of atheism

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has said the growing popularity and ‘coolness’ of atheism has not led to a decrease in the number of those who describe themselves as religious.

The Archbishop’s statement comes before the much-anticipated October release of famed atheist Richard Dawkin’s new book, The Magic of Reality.

"I'd want to know how many atheists The God Delusion created," Williams insisted during a recent public conversation. "The book sold, but did it make a difference to the number of people who were actually committed one way or the other?"

"I'm not avoiding the point that the coolness of atheism is very much in evidence,” said the head of the Church of England. “The problem is it's become a bit of a vicious circle. Atheism is cool, so books about atheism are cool."

Williams added the publishing industry favoured books about atheism, while ignoring books that challenge them.

"They get a high profile, and books that say Richard Dawkins is wrong don't get the same kind of publicity because atheism is the new cool thing," he said. "It's difficult to break into that, but plenty of people are trying."

The archbishop used the findings of a survey conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB) to back his argument. The survey discovered that the number of atheists has fallen from 18 percent to 16 percent, despite the popularity of prominent atheist writers like Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.

Google cuts churches from nonprofit programme

The search and software giant Google has long offered its office software and Gmail for free or discounted use to qualifying nonprofits. While eligibility requirements varied by products, the discount was open to all nonprofit groups.

Now Google has launched “Google for Nonprofits,” which unites an exciting set of tools in one programme, but also excludes some nonprofits including churches, schools, political thinktanks, proselytizing groups, and any group that use religion or sexual orientation as a consideration in hiring decisions.

Lloyd Mayer, a professor at Notre Dame Law School says that Google is "trying to avoid anything that would reflect negatively on them" by avoiding potentially polarizing causes that might alienate customers.

This is similar to the decision taken earlier this year by Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, who withdrew as the keynote speaker from the Willow Creek Leadership Summit because of a threatened protest by gay-rights groups who claim the church behind the summit is anti-gay. This charge that was strenuously denied by the church in question.

Televangelist tells man to leave wife with Alzheimer’s

Conservative televangelist Pat Robertson has issued more than his fair share of controversial statements over the years, including asserting that the September 11 terrorist attacks were God's punishment because America tolerates abortion and homosexuality. However, Robertson’s latest controversial statement seems to have offended even his most faithful conservative followers as he recently urged a man to leave his wife who was suffering with Alzheimer’s, reports the LA Times.

Robertson was hosting his "700 Club" program on Christian Broadcast Network when a caller asked about a friend who had begun dating other women while his wife lies seriously ill with Alzheimer's, and is justifying it by saying that "his wife, as he knows her, is gone."

Robertson told the caller he agrees with his friend: "What he says basically is correct. I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her."

Robertson’s co-host seemed shocked by this point of view and mentioned it violated the marriage vows - "till death us do part." Robertson responded saying that Alzheimer's "is a kind of death" and added, "I certainly wouldn't put a guilt trip on you" for choosing divorce in such a scenario.

Since his comments Robertson has been roundly criticised by other Christians on social networks.

On Twitter, Walter Price, who identifies himself as a pastor, said: "Pat Robertson is WRONG on his alzheimers statement. Un-Christlike; unbiblical; dead wrong! So sad!"

Another well-known conservative pastor, John Piper, of Desiring God Ministries, also commented on Twitter, writing, "Pat Robertson's view of how Christ loves the church and gives himself for her. Leave her for another."

And Russell D. Moore, dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., wrote in an article at Baptist Press News,  "This is more than an embarrassment. This is more than cruelty. This is a repudiation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

The LA Times reports that Robertson refused an interview request with them in connection with this incident.

Habitat for Humanity urges governments to improve housing conditions

Habit for Humanity has urged the public to support their call to governments around the world to focus on improve housing conditions.

Following a recent report linking inadequate housing to serious ill health, the charity believes housing should become a priority for all governments.

The World Health Organisation’s report showed that inadequate housing is responsible for more than 100,000 annual deaths in Europe alone, while perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty.

The health consequences of poor housing include cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, physical injury, stress and depression, lung cancer, lead poisoning, infections, allergic symptoms and food poisoning.

Habitat for Humanity’s Fundraising Director Mark Collyns shared the example of a Cambodian woman.

"She is HIV positive and living in a home that is infested with woodworm and on the brink of collapse, without access to clean water, sanitation or electricity," he said.

"When it rains the roof leaks and she gets wet and cold. In the rainy season she and her family catch Dengue fever, and in the hot season they suffer from stomach complaints and diarrhoea.

"When she is ill she cannot work. The medicines the family needs are expensive and so the cycle perpetuates.

“The home is absolutely vital to human development and it should be a safe, healthy place.”

Habitat for Humanity works on with families on housing projects in 80 different countries.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to be officially dedicated

Following a postponement due to Hurricane Irene, a new date has been set for the official unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The dedication ceremony will now take place on the National Mall on Oct. 16, reports The Associated Press.

The original dedication was planned to coincide with the 48th anniversary of King's "I Have A Dream" speech on Aug. 28, but organizers had safety concerns due to the high winds and rains from Irene.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He became an iconic figure for his insistence on non-violent methods of resistance and his brilliant oratory.

The 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner is depicted with a stern gaze and crossed arms in the 30-foot memorial. On each side of the statue quotations from King's writings and speeches are inscribed.

King was murdered in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn., and will be the first non-white person to be honored with a memorial on the National Mall. It sits alongside monuments to Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. President Barack Obama will speak at the event.

Thousands of people have already visited the site, many of whom have been deeply affected.

"I feel like crying, but I don't want to," Jeffrey Tyler, a 16-year-old student at Cleveland's Lincoln West High School, informed the AP after viewing the memorial on Aug. 28.

"To see a black man up there, it made me feel really proud of myself," he added.

‘Super-Earths’ discovered by astronomers

European astronomers announced on Monday the discovery of 50 new planets, including 16 ‘Super-Earths,’ one of which they believe may be habitable.

The astronomers were using the High Accuracy Radical velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) telescope in Chile to make these discoveries. HARPS has assisted astronomers in discovering 150 new planets over the last eight years.

The astronomers were particularly excited about the Super-Earths, which are bigger than our planet, but not as large as “ice giant” planets like Neptune. One of these worlds, HD 85512 b, has a mass of approximately 3.6 times that of the earth. That planet rotates close enough to its star that liquid water, which is considered essential for life, may be present.

“The detection of HD 85512 b is far from the limit of HARPS and demonstrates the possibility of discovering other super-earths in the habitable zones around stars similar to the Sun,” says Michel Mayor, the leader of the HARPS team, who is based at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

HD 85512 b is about 35 light-years away in the constellation of Vela. The temperature on the planet is estimated to be around 25 degrees Celcius, although it is believed to be extremely humid, which will push temperatures up to around 49 degrees Celcius.

(For the original article, go to www.mashable.com).

British MP wants to force churches to perform same-sex unions

A British Parliamentarian has called upon his government to ban Christian churches from performing marriage ceremonies if they refuse to perform same-sex unions.

The Conservative MP for Hove, Mike Weatherley, recently wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron insisting, “As long as religious groups can refuse to preside over ceremonies for same-sex couples, there will be inequality.”

Same-sex unions were legalized in 2004 in Britain but Churches were not compelled to marry couples if it did not fit in with their beliefs. Weatherley wrote that this law only acted as an “uneasy truce between those wishing to preserve the religious significance of marriage and those fighting for equality.”

Weatherley’s constituency includes many same-sex households, which makes him “increasingly concerned about the inequality which exists between the unions of same-sex couples and those of opposite-sex couples in this country.”

Weatherley wants the law to compel churches to register civil partnerships along the same lines of an earlier set of laws that compelled 11 Catholic adoption agencies to provide adoption services for same-sex couples.

Weatherley argued that until “we untangle” marriage and “religion in this country, we will struggle to find a fair arrangement.”

Human rights groups urge North Korea investigation

Human rights groups have called on the United Nations to launch an investigation into crimes against humanity in North Korea.
Around 40 human rights groups have collaborated in a sustained call for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate systematic abuses in the reclusive communist country.

The International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK), was launched in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Three of the world’s largest human rights organisations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Federation for Human Rights, are all involved in this new project.



“The time has come for the UN to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity that characterise North Korea today,” insisted Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of Asia Division at Human Rights Watch.

“We demand the world pull back the curtain on the egregious human rights violations that make the North Korean Government one of the most brutal regimes on earth.”

The announcement of the campaign was made at the end of a two-day conference in Tokyo on crimes against humanity in North Korea. Delegates included survivors of North Korean prison camps and family members of Japanese abductees.

It draws on the final report to the UN last year by UN Special Rapporteur, Vitit Muntarbhorn, in which he told of "harrowing and horrific" human rights violations and called upon the UN to protect human rights in the country. 



Ha Tae Keung, President of Open North Korea, said: “Establishment of this important coalition will help move human rights to centre stage in all of the international community’s interactions with North Korea.

“It’s critical that UN member states take up this call and include language to establish a Commission of Inquiry in the coming annual UN resolution on North Korea.”

Study finds the Internet has increased plagiarism

The Pew Research Center has found that tertiary students are increasingly plagiarizing others’ work and that the Internet plays a significant role in this.

The study, entitled “The Digital Revolution and Higher Eduction,” found that 55% of the heads of tertiary institutions believed they had seen a rise in plagiarism over the past decade with just 2% saying it has decreased, with most of them crediting technology with the rise.

Of those who say plagiarism is on the rise, the overwhelming majority – 89% – believe that computers and the Internet have played a major role in this rise.

The Pew Research Center conducted this study alongside the Chronicle of Higher Education between March 15 and April 24, 2011, among 1,055 tertiary study institution leaders.

Emotional wellbeing of parents linked to unhappiest child

A new study has proven something that has long been widely acknowledged - that the emotional well-being of parents is linked to the successes and struggles of their children, even if they are grown up. Yet researchers also found that the link between the emotional wellbeing of parents and their children is even deeper than ever suspected.

While researchers expected parents to suffer if their grown children struggled through crises such as divorce or unemployment, they believed that having children who were successful would bring parents’ joy and improved emotional well-being. However, it seems that the effects of successful children are not enough to mitigate the effects of problem children. Just one unhappy child among other successful children is enough to lead to symptoms of worry and depression in parents.

The researchers were surprised to find mothers and fathers were only as happy as their least happy child, said study leader Karen Fingerman, a professor in human development and family sciences at the University of Texas in Austin.

The study was published in the ‘Journals of Gerontology: Psycological Sciences,’ and stated that:

“We had expected that a successful child might mitigate the negative impact of having a child who suffers problems. The successful child might give the parent something positive to focus on. But parents still seem to suffer even when one of their grown children does.

“It could be the case that parents empathize with their children’s distress, they are embarrassed that their relationships with these grown children suffer, or that grown children who have problems may place excessive demands on the parents,” she said.

“Any one or all of these factors may contribute to parental worry and depression.”

Fingerman believes that parents are sensitive to positive and negative events in their children’s lives because it reflects on their own achievements in parenting.

“Parents have a distinct investment in grown children reflecting decades of child-rearing,” she said.

Taylor Lautner and Dwayne Johnson in ‘Goliath' movie

Two of Hollywood’s more popular actors in Dwayne Johnson and Taylor Rautner have been offered roles in a new movie entitled ‘Goliath’.

Johnson is an ex-pro wrestler and has acted in movies like ‘Fast Five’ and ‘The Scorpion King.’ He has been asked to portray the infamous giant Goliath, with ‘Twilight’ star Taylor Lautner as the shepherd boy David.

The movie will be directed by Scott Derrickson who has previously directed ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ and ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’. ‘Goliath’ has been described as a period action movie and is said to resemble the Greek epic ‘300’.

The Hollywood Reporter says the film will portray Goliath as a fierce warrior sent to assassinate a foretold king of the Israelites. The shepherd boy David is thrust into the chase and finds himself fighting for his life and for his people.

It is not yet known whether Johnson and Lautner have accepted the roles.

Nigeria's religious leaders call for peace

After another weekend of sectarian violence in Jos, Nigeria, both Christian and Muslim leaders have urged communities to work towards peace.

Approximately 42 people were killed in these latest clashes after years of violence between the two religions in the area that has resulted in hundreds of deaths, and the displacement of thousands.

The Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama, and a local Muslim leader, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, called for a Christian-Muslim dialogue to ease tensions, reports the BBC.

Nigeria’s army have threatened to use force to prevent further violence. Captain Charles Ekeocha of the government’s special task force confirmed that troops were now mandated to use all the necessary force within its powers on anybody carrying or using weapons.

Ekeocha asked those “having the false confidence of trying their hands on the might of the Nigerian military to retrace their steps, as the special task force will bring her might to bear on any persons or groups of persons.”

Three soldiers were also in the latest round of violence.

Experts believe that the violence is about more than religion, however, as ethnic, economic and political factors all feed the tension.

The Anglican Archbishop of Jos, Benjamin A. Kwashi, said in March 2010 that “those who have in the past used violence to settle political issues, economic issues, social matters, inter tribal disagreements, or any issue for that matter, now continue to use that same path of violence and cover it up with religion.”

The Launch of Mpower

One of the most difficult social challenges South Africa faces is the high number of child and youth-headed homes. Children are forced to become adults far too soon as they take on the responsibility of running homes (and looking after younger siblings) because they have lost their parents or guardians. It is estimated that by 2015 almost 12% of South African children will be orphans as a result of HIV/AIDS.

It is difficult enough for the estimated 60% of South African children who live in poverty to progress through school and find work, but this becomes almost impossible without responsible and loving adult care. Many of these children are forced to give up schooling early to find work so they might provide for younger siblings. They also struggle through other adult-sized pressures of running a home and making important decisions.

This is where Mpower comes in. Mpower is a non-profit organisation that has been working in the Cato Manor area of Durban for the last 18 months. Mpower seeks to build community amongst these youth-headed homes and to support the various members of the families in taking hold of their own futures through co-creating personalised life-growth paths. Mpower strives to connect these young people to the opportunities that undoubtedly do exist in South Africa through providing support, guidance, encouragement and skills-training.

Speaking at the recent launch of Mpower, one of it’s directors, Jeanne Haley summed up the problem of youth-headed homes perfectly.

"The most striking aspect of these young peoples’ stories is their sense of being alone in carrying the full burden of responsibility for their family’s survival. Their circumstances mean that they are forced to act as adults despite their positioning within society as children. This makes them particularly vulnerable. The power differential between adults and children means that they are often taken advantage of or not taken seriously. Through our mentorship programme, Mpower aims to empower these young people to recognize their strengths, value themselves, speak out, and identify new possibilities for their lives. Our focus is to come alongside the young people we support and to listen to and collaborate with them so as not to become yet another force that overpowers them."

Programmes Coordinator, Phelo Muyanga, told the audience of 115 people that she has been struck by the frightening vulnerability of these homes.

“The homes we work with are so vulnerable. For example, recently one of the families we work with was attacked. Someone came into their house and raped the three girls and took everything they had. Afterwards, instead of being supported by members of their community, they were treated with hostility because they reported the incident to the police.”

While Mpower can never properly replace the role of responsible full-time care-givers, it can certainly strive to fill the gap by any means possible in assisting children to cope with schooling, providing skills-training for employment opportunities, and mentoring their emotional and social growth.

(To find out more about Mpower, please visit www.mpowersa.org. You can also find them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Mpowersa), or follow them on Twitter (@mpowersa).

Archbishop of Canterbury hopes to solve Zimbabwe church violence

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, is hoping to ease the upheaval and violence in the Zimbabwean church in his upcoming visit there.

According to Marie Papworth, media director at the Archbishop’s office, it will be “a pastoral visit to show support for the Anglican Church there.”

The Anglican Church in Zimbabwe has been in a state of conflict since 2007 when Bishop Nolbert Kunonga attempted to remove the head of the Diocese of Harare in the country due to theological differences.

Kunonga was eventually excommunicated from the communion, but his close relationship with President Robert Mugabe allowed him to take control of various church properties.

A court ruling recently granted Kunonga authority over various Anglican church properties, but he has apparently chosen violent methods to remove priests and worshippers from the properties, according to The Anglican Journal.

In a press release from the Diocese, the violence was detailed.

"Clergy and members of the laity belonging to the Anglican Diocese of Harare (CPCA) across Harare, Mashonaland West, East and Central have been receiving threats, constant harassment and lately severe beatings from Kunonga's hooligans, masquerading as clergy, accompanied by 'certainly hired thugs,’” the press release stated.

"The latest casualty is Reverend Jonah Mudowaya who was severely assaulted in Chinhoyi on Wednesday 24 August."

The current bishop in charge of the Zimbabwean Anglican Communion, Chad Gandiya, said police in the country have been aiding Kunonga and leaving some with no place to worship.

"There are parishioners being banned from church buildings by Kunonga with help of the police,” Gandiya informed the Harare Daily News. “They are worshipping in open spaces, under trees or booking other church buildings."