News from '121'
National Youth Assembly 2008 in Dundee
"Young People's attitudes to the Church and religion" — Kirk unveils survey results
The Church of Scotland's National Youth Assembly is set to be held in Dundee's Apex City Quay Hotel over the course of this coming weekend. This key annual event will run between Friday 5 September and Monday 8 September. As in previous years, demand for places has been strong with over 300 delegates aged 16–25 from all over Scotland, England and Europe expected to attend.
Life and Work cover
To coincide with the National Youth Assembly, the Church of Scotland has released the result of research carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Mission & Discipleship Council. This has revealed a number of significant facts about "Young People's attitudes to the Church and religion". The information gathered is based on responses received from a Scotland-wide survey of 2,221 secondary school pupils aged between 11–18 years.
Many of the findings of the research suggest that Scotland's young people are a lot more positive about the Church, and Christianity as a whole, than received wisdom would suggest.
* Fully 10% of young people attend a Church of Scotland service each week, and more than a third of young people have attended a Church of Scotland service in the last year.
* The majority of young people believe that having a religious belief is positive or potentially positive.
* 27% of respondents said that they believe in God, as opposed to 26% who say that they do not. Despite this, 43% stated a belief in Heaven.
There is some work to be done, however, as the results found that only 16% of respondents have talked to God through prayer, while over a quarter claimed that they had never attended a church service. A majority agreed that they did not know much about the Church of Scotland.
Life and Work — September 2008
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Thomas Baldwin profiles of the Rev Prof Andrew McGowan, principal of Highland Theological College and one of the Kirk's most prominent evangelicals.
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The Moderator's reflections on an inter-faith pilgrimage to the Holy Land
'Because it's You I'll Come'
Lyndsey Sanderson outlines a project to welcome people back to church.
No Idle Hands
Jackie Macadam meets Shona Haslam, director of Asthma UK Scotland
Follicly Challenged
Ron Ferguson explores the link between baldness and a grotesque Bible story
What Makes a Good Hymn?
Douglas Galbraith gatecrashes another General Assembly to find out.
Gospel Difference
The Very Rev Dr James Simpson commends caring love as the bedrock of church life.
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