Archbishop’s prayers for Liz Truss thank her public service
On the day the prime minister resigned after 44 chaotic days, the Archbishop of Canterbury tweeted : “My prayers are with @trussliz and her family following her resignation, and I give thanks for her public service to our country. We should always be grateful to those who take on the great and difficult responsibilities of leadership. I pray also for those who continue to work in government as they contemplate the many serious challenges ahead. I pray for our nation during this time of uncertainty”. His comments were not well received by people who said it did not strike the right note, with one saying he should have expressed concern for young families attempting to try and keep up mortgage repayments and another saying prayers should be for “those who are suffering from cold, hunger, anxiety over raised rents and mortgages” as well as frontline public service workers.
Muslim leader appeals for politics which unites
Zara Mohammed, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, @ZaraM01 said: “News of Liz Truss’ resignation comes at a time when the country urgently needs stability, and communities need a leadership that can take us through these challenging times. I hope we will see a politics, which will restore confidence and unite all.”
Move to end confidential confessionals in cases of child sex abuse
The final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has recommended mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse for those who hold a position of trust. Failure to report would be a criminal offence. The suggestion has implications for the secrecy of the confessional, where a priest hears a person confess their sins, suggests a penance and then says a prayer of absolution. The Church of England will consider IICSA’s recommendation in its wider review of “the seal of confession”. The report criticised religious organisations for putting their own reputation above the harm to children. Further details: Frank Cranmer, “IICSA, sacramental confession and mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse” in Law & Religion UK, 20 October 2022
Patriarch Kirill tells world church leaders ‘war cannot be holy‘
The World Council of Churches acting general secretary, the Rev Professor Ioan Sauca, met Patriarch Kirill in Moscow this week on a peace mission to stop the war in Ukraine and with it, the risk of nuclear conflagration. The Patriarch supports the war and is an ally of Putin, but the World Council of Churches reported that he declared “war cannot be holy” and peacemakers had to bring peace through dialogue. The WCC delegation’s purpose was to heal “bleeding wounds” in areas of conflict . At its meeting this year, the WCC condemned the war and Father Sauca urged the Patriarch to follow their lead by issuing a call to stop the bloodshed, stop the killing and stop the destruction of infrastructure,
Sandford St Martin chair becomes Bishop of Newcastle
Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Ripon, has been appointed as the new Bishop of Newcastle. Bishop Hartley, daughter of a Church of England priest, grew up in Sunderland, was ordained in 2005, spent seven years in New Zealand and returned to Ripon in 2013. She chairs trustees at the Sandford St Martin Trust, which gives awards to recognise excellent programmes about religion, ethics and spiritual issues.
World links for progressive Jews fostered in London this week
Rabbi Sergio Bergman, president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, was in London this week, visiting communities in order to “raise the voice of progressive Jews worldwide”. Michael Harris, co-chairman of the Movement for Reform Judaism, said his meeting with the President was important: “We want to see our Movement playing an increasingly influential role within the Jewish world.”
