Weekend celebrations for the 900th anniversary of Great St Barts
St Bartholomew the Great, a few steps away from Smithfield market in the City of London, is celebrating its 900th anniversary this weekend with a procession and church service marking the moment when the foundation stone of St Bartholomew’s Priory and the neighbouring Bart’s Hospital were laid. Established by Rahere, a courtier of King Henry I, it played a central role in the history of medieval London., was partially torn down by order of Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and was reborn as a parish church serving the City of London through the tumultuous years of the Reformation and the Civil War. The present rector, Fr Marcus Walker, says it is home to “a series of time capsules” but is one of London’s best-kept secrets. Part of the plan for its birthday is to let the secret out and draw more visitors — especially young ones — in. Read Lianne Kolirin’s report on its colourful history here
Ramadan Mubarak – the crescent moon has appeared
The Holy month of Ramadan starts today, after confirmation that the crescent moon has been sighted in the UK, India, Pakistan and Morocco. Birmingham Live has a comprehensive account of how the date is calculated and reports that the moon has been sighted in Cambridge.
Man arrested after two Muslim men set on fire near their mosques
A man has been arrested after two elderly Muslim men were attacked and set on fire as they made their way home following prayers at their mosque. One incident was in Birmingham west London last month. Both men suffered severe burns. Police in both cities are investigating the circumstances and while counter-terrorism police are involved, the motivation is still unclear.
Bishop’s attempt to end two child benefit limit
A Private Member’s Bill brought by the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, to abolish the two-child limit on Universal Credit is on course to complete its passage through the House of Lords this week. The bill is due to have its third reading tomorrow – Friday 24 March – and will then go to the Commons for consideration. The Child Poverty Action Group says around 50,000 children every year across the UK are pushed into poverty as a result of the two-child limit, and a further 150,000 children who are already living in poverty see their circumstances deteriorate further.
Church outrage at Uganda bill to make same sex activities punishable by death
The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, is writing to his counterpart in Uganda in protest at a bill which will make homosexual acts punishable by death. He said the bill is “profoundly disturbing and utterly UnChristlike”. All but two of the 389 MPs voted in favour of the new law which introduces death or life imprisonment for gay sex and “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex activities. The Anglican church in Uganda has been consistently against same sex marriage and is aligned to GAFCON, the alternative conservative Anglican global group. This week the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, was filmed at a public meeting where MPs spoke in favour of the bill.
Haredi Jews join the tech ecosystem with start-up roadshow
Tech start-ups from Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox community gathered in London this week to raise awareness of the entrepreneurial spirit within their ranks. Representatives of 21 fledgling companies flew into the UK to pitch their products at a roadshow run by a charity aiming to help the Haredi community become more financially independent. Poverty within Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox community is twice as high as among the main population. Read our report here
Further reaction to Louise Casey report on the Met Police
Faith organisations have been responding to the Baroness Casey report on the state of the Met Police which documented shocking failings and endemic discrimination. Among the findings were a Sikh officer forced to have his beard cut off because it was funny, another had his turbanput in a shoebox, while bacon was put into the shoe of a Muslim officer. The Muslim Council of Britain said “It is simply unacceptable that Muslim officers must face such racism in the workplace. It is now essential that the police force prioritises the building of trust with all communities”. The Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said he is determined to address the issues.
Easter at the BBC
The BBC has announced its schedule of Easter religious programming with church services on BBC1 from Southwell, on Radio 4 including the Archbishop of Canterbury and on national and local radio. BBC1 will carry the Pope’s Easter Message while other featured programmes include choral music, interviews with Gyles Brandreth and Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a special Songs of Praise and Good Friday reflections on Radio 2. Pilgrimage, set in northern Portugal, returns to BBC2, and a series of five films on the role of faith in love and family life within major religious traditions, will be on BBC1. Details are here
