Stephen Evans

May 28, 2024 | secularism.org.uk | Stephen Evans

The recent High Court ruling upholding Michaela Community School's decision to restrict Muslim students' prayer rituals brings into question the legal obligation on all schools to provide Christian worship. The law requiring all English state funded schools to hold daily collective acts of 'broadly Christian' worship have been on the statute books for 80 years. Similar laws exist in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It should by now be obvious to all that these archaic laws need to be scrapped.

Aug 16, 2023 | jamanetwork.com | Jeremy Brown |Kevin Wing |Clémence Leyrat |Stephen Evans

Association Between Fluoroquinolone Use and Hospitalization With Aortic Aneurysm or Aortic Dissection Key PointsQuestion  Is fluoroquinolone use associated with an increase in risk of hospitalization with aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection?

Jun 20, 2023 | secularism.org.uk | Stephen Evans

Fairness and freedom should be central to state education. Recommendations from the UN child rights committee lay bare faith schools' failings, argues Stephen Evans. On any given Sunday countless numbers of nonbelievers dutifully trapse off to church, not in search of sermons or salvation, but school places. The bizarre phenomenon of parents attending church to secure a place at their local school stems from around a third of state funded schools being faith schools.

May 12, 2023 | secularism.org.uk | Stephen Evans

Religious leaders should be free to speak out on matters that concern them, but they should do so on the basis of equality, not privilege, argues Stephen Evans. Justin Welby's recent intervention in the House of Lords debate on the Illegal Migration Bill has sparked much discussion about whether religion and politics should mix. The archbishop of Canterbury attacked the government's legislation to stop small boat crossings (amongst other things) as "morally unacceptable".

Apr 27, 2023 | secularism.org.uk | Stephen Evans

An exclusively Anglican religious ritual is no way to inaugurate a head of state in diverse Britain, argues Stephen Evans. Whether in a republic, or in a constitutional monarchy like the UK, the investiture of a head plays an important role. It forms and reflects a nation's identity and can provide for a rare 'unifying moment' for all its citizens. It is therefore regrettable that the crowning of King Charles will happen as part of an exclusively Anglican religious ritual.