Church and Society Council

SOCIETY, RELIGION AND TECHNOLOGY

Technology has brought many great benefits to society, which we often take for granted, but it can also pose big ethical dilemmas - not just unexpected risks and side-effects, but unintended social consequences and even changes in our moral outlook.

You can find out more about the council's involvement in the following issues on this page:

Test of Faith: Science and Christianity Unpacked

There is a huge need for accessible materials about science and Christianity for churches, and other groups. A wide range of excellent resources is available from the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.

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Human Fertility and Embryology Bill

Today's Church Looking at Tomorrow's Technology	[.pdf] (353KB)
Human Cloning: The Ethical Issues	[.doc] (42KB) [.rtf] (87KB) [.txt] (8KB)
Ethical Issues with Cloned Embryo Research	[.pdf] (320KB)
Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells: Ethical Dilemmas	[.pdf] (424KB)

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Euthanasia

The Council has produced an update for the earlier Board of Social Responsibility publication on Euthanasia. Contact the Church and Society office to obtain copies of the original book or the supplement.

churchandsociety@cofscotland.org.uk

Discussion Starter: End of Life Issues

	End of Life Issues: A Christian perspective This is a leaflet to be used as a discussion starter for groups.
	Download it here:	[.pdf] (366KB)

A summary of consultation responses can be seen here:responses

You can read a letter sent by the Church and Society Council to MSPs asking them to oppose to this bill here:

[.doc] (29KB)

[.rtf] (16KB)

[.txt] (3KB)

This could be used as a basis for your own letter to your MSPs. Find contact details for your MSPs by clicking here: www.scottish.parliament.uk

Petition opposing the legalisation of assisted suicide

To sign this petition please follow this link: Petition

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Living and Dying Well

Download the 'End of Life Issues ' Report to the 2009 General Assembly here:

[.pdf] (114KB)

Care not Killing

The Church has associated itself with the Care not Killing organisation whose stated aims are:

1. Promoting more and better palliative care
2. Ensuring that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed during the lifetime of the current Parliament
3. Influencing the balance of public opinion further against any weakening of the law.

You can see more information about this campaign by visiting the web site at www.carenotkilling.org.uk

Please note this link will take you out of the Church of Scotland website and open a new browser window.

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Download the Fair Trade in Food report to the 2007 General Assembly:	[.doc] (554KB) [.rtf] (1.5MB) [.txt] (136KB)
Download the Energy and Transport: Moving Forward report to the 2008 General Assembly	[.doc] (274KB) [.rtf] (732KB) [.txt] (44KB)
Download the Energy for a Changing Climate report to the 2007 General Assembly	[.doc] (144KB) [.rtf] (581KB) [.txt] (73KB)
Download the paper on energy efficiency issues:	[.doc] (37KB) [.rtf] (34KB) [.txt] (9KB)
Download the paper on fossil fuels:	[.doc] (41KB) [.rtf] (37KB) [.txt] (11KB)
Download the paper on nuclear power:	[.doc] (36KB) [.rtf] (35KB) [.txt] (7KB)
Download the paper on renewable energy:	[.doc] (38KB) [.rtf] (36KB) [.txt] (10KB)

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Justice and Markets

Download the 'Justice and Markets' Report to the 2009 General Assembly here:

[.pdf] (108KB)

The Big Tax Return: Christian Aid Campaign

Imagine if poor countries had the riches to help them work their own way out of poverty. The truth is they do – but it’s multinational companies that are reaping the rewards. Global accounting rules have to change. Find out how you can make a difference by following this link: www.christianaid.org.uk

National Ethical Investment Week

	7-13 November 2010 National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW) is a campaign to ensure that everyone knows that they have green and ethical options when it comes to their finance and investment decisions.
Find out more from the website by following this link: www.neiw.org

Certificate in Christian Rural and Environmental Studies

Follow this link to learn about this two year course: www.cres.org.uk

Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility

ECCR works for economic justice, environmental stewardship, and corporate and investor responsibility. ECCR builds awareness of these issues in the

Church, links responsible investment and mission and uses international church networks to hear and give voice to the experience of communities impacted by companies' behaviour.
Find out more from: www.eccr.org.uk

Follow this link to find out details of a day conference in Edinburgh on 18 March: Banking on Justice Conference

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Parliamentary affairs
The Church's work with the UK and Scottish parliaments

Peace, international, Europe and migration
Current world issues and the council's responses and action

Equalities and human rights
Details on the range of current issues and the council's responses and action

Health and social issues
Debating the issues which affect the lives of the people of Scotland and worldwide

Society, religion and technology
The Church's engagement with science and technology, economics and industry, and environmental concerns

Responding to climate change
How the church is reacting to the global challenge of climate change

Education issues
Engagement with issues of religious and moral concern in schools and colleges

Schools
Resources for school assemblies and news for schools and their chaplains

News and events
The latest updates from the council

Resources
A range of information and resources to download

Summary of issues
A guide to key issues raised in reports to the General Assembly since 1980

Contact us
How to get in touch with the council and our staff