AI religion illuminating intelligent design
A Canadian professor is predicting that we are about to witness the birth of a new kind of religion, as sects emerge worshipping artificial intelligence. Professor Neil McArthur says the new chatbots have left their users awestruck and sometimes terrified, emotions that “lie at the heart of our experience of the divine”. AI will be seen as a higher power, of limitless intelligence, capable of great creativity, able to provide answers to metaphysical and theological questions, and immortal. Writing in The Conversation, he says that in AI religion, people will be able to communicate directly with the deity on a daily basis, religion will be less hierarchical, followers will share experiences and discuss doctrine, and it will be “endlessly diverse”, which could trigger disputes leading to conflict and disorder. Professor McArthur is Director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, University of Manitoba.
MPs move to allow same-sex marriage in Church of England
The Times reports that a cross-party group of MPs will propose a bill to force the Church of England to allow same-sex weddings. Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP and former culture secretary, will seek leave to bring in the 10-minute rule bill in the Commons on Tuesday, supported by MPs including Harriet Harman, Chris Bryant, Robert Buckland, Dame Margaret Beckett, Sir Peter Bottomley and Hilary Benn. The Church of England General Synod voted last month to continue to ban same-sex marriage but allow blessings for couples. This proposal would pave the way for priests to conduct same-sex weddings if they wished, but would not force them to do so. Times report here
US retailers see profit in diverse faiths
Religion News Service reporter Kathryn Post explains a growing trend among American retailers to sell items related to religious festivals and practices, which are minority in the States. For example, Target is stocking Natasha Khan Kazi’s children’s book Moon’s Ramadan in its first Ramadan and Eid holiday collection, which introduces the practice of prayers, fasting and family festive meals. Other titles are about Diwali, the lunar new year and Día de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. The RNS article suggests the trend may be associated with a growing emphasis on religious inclusion in US companies, with religious literacy training and more interfaith chaplains. It is also a sign, she says, that minority faith groups are becoming more accepted and understood in American society.
Government denies Scottish Sikh has been tortured in Indian jail
The BBC reports a development in the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh from Dunbarton in Scotland, who has been detained in India for five years without trial on terrorism charges. He was a blogger writing about human rights abuses against Sikhs in Punjab when he went to India to marry his fiancée, but he was arrested and says he was then beaten, tortured and forced to sign a blank confession document, allegations denied by the Indian authorities. He alleges that the UK’s intelligence services tipped off its Indian counterparts despite the risk he could be tortured and he is suing the Foreign Office and other branches of the government over his mistreatment and mental anguish. But the BBC reports that papers lodged at the High Court say the UK government does not accept that Mr Johal was tortured and denies having “caused, contributed to [or] legal responsibility for any personal injuries, loss or damage suffered by” Mr Johal. BBC report here
Appointment of first female Dean of Christ Church Oxford
Canon Sarah Foot, regius professor of ecclesiastical history at Oxford, has been appointed Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, the first female dean in its 500-year history. She takes up the position from 1 July in succession to the Very Rev Martyn Percy, who left in acrimonious circumstances after a four-year dispute with the governing body. Professor Foot has been acting dean since his departure and will stay while an independent review of the governance of Christ Church is completed, expected to be a lengthy process, after which she will stand down. As an academic, she writes on women in religion, medieval monasticism, and the early history of the Church in England, and is currently working on a study of the life and work of the Venerable Bede. Law and Religion article here
Vatican fraud trial hears of advice given by Pope Francis
The Associated Press reports that a Vatican fraud trial has been told that Pope Francis “gave clear indications to get out of a disastrous London property deal by saying the Vatican must start over and lose as little money as possible”. At stake was a deal over ownership of a luxury building in Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, that involved paying off a broker €15m, a chain of events that has led to ten people on trial at the Vatican on charges including fraud and corruption. The latest twist came in evidence from Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, the Holy See’s No 3 official from the secretariat of state. All defendants deny all charges. The trial continues.
Montserrat monastery choir admits women for first time in 700 years
The Montserrat monastery, in Catalonia is to admit women and girls to the choir for the first time in its 700-year history. The Guardian reports that they will be in a chamber choir of 25 male and female singers aged 17 to 24 and will take over liturgical duties for one weekend a month, giving the traditional Escolania all boys’ choir a break.
Fraudsters impersonating Archbishop of York in scam
Fraudsters have been impersonating the Archbishop of York in email scams, as part of a national wave of fraud reported by several Church of England dioceses. The Diocese of York has warned church office holders including churchwardens, treasurers and archdeacons, that emails are being sent impersonating clergy, starting a conversation and then suggesting money is spent on vouchers or gift cards. One person is known to have succumbed, but stopped the deal by contacting their bank at the last moment. The diocese believes that the fraud is by someone who is trawling church websites “identifying their chosen pseudo-sender and the intended victim”. North Yorkshire police are on the case.
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig dhuit!
It’s St Patrick’s Day, the patron saint of Ireland, actually British and taken to Ireland as a slave, credited with driving snakes away by chasing them into the sea, the saint who illustrated the Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) with a clover leaf and whose walking stick miraculously grew into a tree, because it took so long for the locals to convert to his message. Fascinating facts about St Patrick on our website here
