Archbishops urge people to pray in election campaign as the government faces epic challenges
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell, have issued a call to put prayer and participation at the heart of the general election campaign. They say this is the Christian response to the epic challenges faced by politicians, from war and peace to poverty and injustice, and the future of the planet. They pleaded for “good grace and a commitment to truth and integrity” to be central to the campaign. It was a time, they said, to ask important questions about what kind of country we want to be and to reflect on “how we all can play our part both as voters and, more broadly, as citizens”. The Church of England is launching a campaign #PrayYourPart, a daily set of reflections written by bishops exploring major themes, to encourage prayer.
Politicians warned not to use Muslims as a punch bag in election campaign
The Muslim Council of Britain echoed the Archbishops’ words, hoping people would treat each other with respect and kindness in the campaign. Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, urged politicians and the media “to resist the temptation of using Muslims as a punching bag to score cheap political points”. She identified top issues for Muslim communities, with Gaza foremost on their minds, alongside combatting all forms of racism, the adoption of a definition on Islamophobia, defending religious liberty, and ensuring safety at places of worship. The MCB will run a campaign to encourage people to vote, not endorsing parties, but encouraging people to make informed choices.
CAFOD launches campaign on poverty minutes after election date is announced
The Catholic aid charity CAFOD launched a campaign minutes after the election date was announced. It is asking supporters to sign up to a commitment to tackle global injustice and tackle poverty and will offer tools for campaigning. It urges Catholics to contact their local candidates about the issues that concern them most, as the weeks progress.
Anglican priest and former Post Office CEO in tears at Horizon IT inquiry
The former chief executive of the Post Office and Anglican priest, the Rev Paula Vennells, broke down in tears several times while giving evidence at the independent inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. She said she was very, very sorry for the suffering of the wrongly convicted sub-postmasters and for the fact that one, Martin Griffiths, had taken his own life. She admitted giving wrong information to MPs in defence of the Horizon system. She was ordained in 2006 and stepped back from a non-stipendiary ministerial appointment in 2021. It has been reported that she was considered for the position of Bishop of London in 2017. She is due to continue to give evidence today and tomorrow.
Jersey votes for assisted dying service
The States Assembly in Jersey has voted to allow an assisted dying service for those with a terminal illness who have a life expectancy of six months, or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative disease. The vote was 32 in favour and 14 against. It will be allowed for people who have lived in Jersey for longer than a year, are 18 or over and are able to make their own decisions. The Assembly also backed an opt-out for health professionals, giving them a legal right to refuse to participate in assisted dying. A second proposal to allow assisted dying for those who are not terminally ill but who have an incurable medical condition causing unbearable suffering, was rejected by 27 to 19. The earliest it could come into effect is summer 2027. But the Anglican Dean of Jersey, Mike Keirle, who is chaplain to the Assembly and has the right to speak but not to vote, said the decision could be subject to external pressures especially for the vulnerable and there was a very real possibility of abuse, which was often hidden. The issues went beyond personal ethics and choice. He also questioned why palliative care was not fully funded by the state and relied on charities.
Anglican Mainstream chair launches petition for better palliative care
A petition created by Canon Chris Sugden is calling for increased funding for end of life, fully funded palliative care within the social care system, as an alternative approach to assisted dying. Canon Sugden, chair of Anglican Mainstream representing evangelical and conservative Christians, told Premier Christian News that his concerns over proposed assisted dying legislation were for the “sanctity of life as a gift” and that safeguards to protect the vulnerable would weaken over time.
Academic review of journalistic style guides on Islam finds inconsistency and inaccuracy
Dr Michael Munnik, a former journalist and now academic at the Centre of Islamic Studies in Cardiff, has written a review of journalistic style guides on reporting Islam, which he says emphasise the importance of accurate terminology in shaping perceptions and narratives. He and researcher Beth Gibbs, evaluated ten, including the BBC, Reuters and main national papers, analysing their choice of words to define and explain. He found inconsistencies and inaccuracies over spelling and meaning, for example, a misrepresentation of jihad which could impact the portrayal of individuals and events. Some guides were limited with too few words explained, others were incomplete and needed more depth. He suggests there are 42 key words which need explanation – The Guardian had the most with 33, and the Telegraph the least with 11. The words are; al-Aqsa Mosque, Allah, Allahu Akbar, burkini, burqa, Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, eid mubarak, fatwa, fedayeen, hajj, halal, hijab, imam, inshallah, Islam, Islamic, Islamist, Islamophobia, jihad, jihadi, jihadist, Ka’bah, kafir, Lailat al-Miraj, Lailat al-Qadr, madrasa, Mecca, mufti, Muhammad, mujahideen, mullah, Muslim, Muslim dress, niqab, Qur’an, Ramadan, shari’ah, sheikh, Shi’a, Sunni, and Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif. “What Style Guides Tell Secular Journalists about Muslims and Islam” is here
