CPAS takes down unambiguous statement on same-sex relationships
The Church Pastoral Aid Society, an evangelical group within the Church of England, has taken down its trustees’ endorsement of the Evangelical Alliance’s unambiguous ten point affirmation against same sex relationships. Clicking on the link now just gets “Page Not Found”. The affirmation included a sentence supporting counsel and pastoral support for Christians whose same sex attraction is in conflict with their understanding of Christianity, and this drew criticism from other evangelicals who are against conversion therapy. However, the original affirmation is still up on its site for young people’s Venture and Falcon camps. CPAS has the patronage and is therefore able to appoint clergy in more than 692 churches, up from 529 in 2018.
“Abuse, torture and rape” by founder of Nigerian based church with global audience
The BBC has uncovered a story of widespread abuse and torture by the founder of the Synagogue Church of all Nations, based in Nigeria. Their two year investigation heard evidence from 25 former members, five of them British, who allege atrocities, including rape, forced abortions, child abuse, torture, whipping and chaining people, which are said to have taken place in a Lagos church compound, at the hands of the church’s founder, TB Joshua, who died in 2021. He was a charismatic figure with a following for healing miracles, who built the church from 8 members to one which attracted 50,000 people to a Sunday service and courted support from politicians and celebrities. In 2006, he added Emmanuel TV, a Christian channel which attracted a global audience in the millions. The church did not respond to the allegations in the BBC report but said previous claims against the founder were never substantiated. The BBC report includes the line that a BBC crew which attempted to film the compound from a public street in March 2022, was fired at by the church’s security and detained for a number of hours.
Malta Archbishop says Catholic priests should be allowed to marry
The Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, who is a senior adviser to the Pope, has said Catholic priests should be allowed to marry, and it was time to seriously discuss the idea. Reuters reports his interview with a journalist, where he said priests were allowed to marry in the first thousand years of church history and marriage is allowed in the Eastern rite of the Catholic Church. He is quoted saying: “If it were up to me, I would revise the requirement that priests have to be celibate. Experience has shown me that this is something we need to seriously think about.”
Pope calls for ban on surrogacy
Pope Francis has called for a ban on surrogacy, saying it was the commercialisation of pregnancy. He was speaking at the Vatican, to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, about the threat to peace and human dignity. He said in 2024, there was increasing threat to human rights and violations of international humanitarian war. But surrogacy was, he said, also a threat to peace and human dignity and the life of the unborn child must be protected and not “suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking.” Associated Press report here
European faith leaders highlight impact of Israel Gaza war on Muslims and Jews
Natalie Donback, writing in Hyphen Online, talks to faith leaders in Europe to find out how interfaith relations have been impacted by the war in Israel / Gaza. The leaders from Spain, Germany and Sweden, spoke of the rise in hate crime and increased security at places of worship. Scharjil Khalid, Imam of Khadija Mosque in Berlin, said they held an inter-religious peace prayer by the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin three days after the Hamas attack but there was little media interest. The many positive things being done, especially interfaith programmes, were not well reported. Maxo Benalal, secretary general of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, said there was a positive relationship between different faiths but stressed that the conflict was not a religious or interfaith problem, but a problem between Israel and a terrorist group. Yasri Khan, secretary general of Swedish Muslims for Peace and Justice, said there was a project in southern Sweden between Muslims and Jews called “Amanah”, but it broke apart as a consequence of the conflict. Article is here
Jews and Muslims join forces for community cohesion in St Albans
Two Jewish and two Muslim communities in St Albans have agreed a document which is designed to form the basis of dialogue, entitled “Jews and Muslims Refuse to Be Enemies”. The local LibDem MP, Daisy Cooper, helped the committee send it to every headteacher and college administrator in the city in the hope that the faith leaders concerned can speak to schools about the Middle East conflict, diffusing any underlying community tensions and prevent the troubles spreading onto local streets. The five principles are: Jews and Muslims are not enemies; The two sides in the war are those seeking a resolution with dignity and those seeking ethnic cleansing, violence and exclusion; No view which denies the right to existence of either side is correct or helpful; Terrorism and violence against civilians is designed to make peace impossible; and religion can be part of the problem, but it is also part of the solution. Letter and principles here
CofE cathedrals and church buildings receive grant for repairs
Church of England cathedrals and churches have received a share of the £42 million Listed Places of Worship grant scheme, which covers VAT on repairs to listed buildings used for worship. More than three quarters of the CofE’s 16,000 church buildings are listed. Past recipients have included Leicester cathedral for heating, lighting, electrics and a heritage centre; Chichester for organ repair and maintenance; and many churches for repairs to towers, bells, heating and security. The CofE’s director for cathedral and church buildings said the buildings support communities and are “key to the cultural heritage of the country”.
Global database of religious persecution established online
A searchable global database of violent religious persecution against Christians and other faiths has been made available online. The database includes killings, arrests, abductions, church closures, forced marriages and cases of forcibly displaced people around the world. It is maintained by the International Institute for Religious Freedom, which uses publicly sourced reports of persecution, and it is funded by Global Christian Relief, an organisation established a year ago to expand the work of Open Doors USA. Its purpose is to act as a resource for journalists, advocacy groups, government officials and others who advocate for “the persecuted church.”
Moves to remove vote of Bishop in Isle of Man parliament
The parliament of the Isle of Man, the Tynwald, has launched a public consultation on a bill to ban the Bishop of Sodor and Man from voting in the upper chamber, the Legislative Council. The bishop is an ex officio member of the upper chamber, and while the private member’s bill would remove his right to vote, he could still lead prayers at the beginning of parliamentary sessions and speak at meetings. In the first reading of the bill, one member said the bishops should stand for election like any other candidate and the arrangement was out of place in a modern democracy. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, wrote to the House members urging them to defeat the bill saying a change in role in the legislature may affect the status of the diocese and he appealed for wider public consultation. The bill has been put forward months after the same proposal was voted down by the parliament.
ECUSA presiding bishop Michael Curry back in hospital
The Episcopal News Service reports that the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA, Michael Curry, is back in hospital for more surgery for a brain injury. This is a reoccurrence of the subdural hematoma he had surgery for in December, following a fall. The hospital says the further surgery was successful and he is making progress. Michael Curry, known to people in the UK for preaching at Prince Harry’s wedding, is 70 and in the final year of his nine-year term as presiding bishop.
