George Carey gives up permission to officiate as a minister in the Church of England
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey of Clifton, has given up his permission to officiate as a minister in the Church of England, 62 years after his ordination. The Telegraph reports that he wrote to the Diocese of Oxford on 4 December, surrendering his role citing his age – he is 89. BBC Religion Editor Aleem Maqbool reports that this letter was sent days after the BBC had contacted him during its investigation into the Rev Dr David Tudor, a priest who had been banned for sexual assault but was allowed back to continue working, a situation which has led to calls for his bishop at the time, Stephen Cottrell, to now resign. The BBC says it set out questions for Lord Carey to answer, as he was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time. Reporters asked why he had allowed Tudor to return to the ministry in 1993, after he was jailed for sex abuse, a conviction subsequently quashed on a technicality; and why he had asked for Tudor’s name to be removed from a register of clergy who had been disciplined. The Telegraph reports that Lord Carey has had his permission to officiate removed before over safeguarding handling issues and he was asked to step aside as an honorary assistant bishop in 2017 after a report into abuser Bishop Peter Ball. It’s reported that his role in the John Smyth case, as outlined in the Makin report, is under review.
More reaction to the crisis in the Church of England
The Church Times has pulled several comments together suggesting bishops are resisting calls for the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, to resign.
In a statement, the lead bishop for safeguarding, the Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, calls for changes in clergy “terms of service” making it easier to discipline or remove clergy. She said: “Alongside better safeguarding structures, which are already being revised, we need issues of clergy conduct more broadly to be tackled. This must include better use of effective disciplinary and capability processes, and the proper use of risk assessment, so that people are not allowed to continue in ministry when unacceptable risk is present”.
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, who succeeded Stephen Cottrell in 2021 and whose diocese is at the centre of the John Tudor story, issued a statement saying it was important to review the case fully. The Rev Dr John Tudor was Team Rector of the Parish of Canvey Island until 29 October this year when he was prohibited from ministry for life. In a statement, Bishop Guli said she was deeply sorry for the hurt caused. The File on 4 investigation into the case made clear that some decisions were clearly wrong. She said poor process, or an absence of process had led to past failings and it was important to review the case properly and respond well.
Charles Moore, writing in The Telegraph, said it would be a mistake if Stephen Cottrell resigned. “it does not follow that Christianity will benefit if archbishops can be kicked out like football managers”. The problems of safeguarding were extremely complicated, concerning the legal rights of the victim and accused and “there cannot be a bishop of the Church of England who has not made delicate judgments about safeguarding issues. Will all those judgments have been correct?”. Secondly, he warned that internal wars are destructive: “If factions in the Church can work off grudges by evicting bishops, there will be no end to the destructive power of (theological hatred)”.
King is praying for people displaced in Syria and supporting Christians in Iraq
King Charles has told a Sister from the Syrian Catholic church, that he is praying for everyone who has been displaced and battling against the odds, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. He met Sister Annie Demerjian following an Advent service at the Jesuit Farm Street church in London, held in collaboration with the charity Aid to the Church in Need, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Daesh invasion of Mosul and the Nineveh in northern Iraq. The charity helps displaced Christians around the world and King Charles has shown consistent support for its work, listening to personal stories of Christians caught up in war and offering encouragement. At the service, he also met people form the London-based Iraqi Christian diaspora, including those who were persecuted and displaced during the Mosul invasion, many of whom are now rebuilding their homes, churches and communities in Iraq with help from Aid to the Church in Need.
Pope reveals British intelligence saved him from Iraqi suicide bomber
The Times reports that Pope Francis was targeted by suicide bombers during a visit to Mosul, in Iraq, in 2021. The story is in his forthcoming autobiography, Hope, a section of which was published yesterday, on his 88th birthday, in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. He said British intelligence discovered that a young woman suicide bomber and a truck packed with explosives, were sent to Mosul to blow up during the visit. The spies tipped off the police who killed the bombers before they could strike. Francis said he was told of the planned attacks on the plane into Iraq. The Daesh invasion in Mosul and northern Iraq led to the displacement of thousands of Christians and a city almost destroyed in the fighting.
Charedi campaigners fear schools bill will bring regulation of Jewish boys’ “yeshivots”
The Jewish Chronicle reports that Charedi ultra-orthodox campaigners are planning to oppose the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which started its passage through the Commons yesterday. They fear it will lead to regulating and inspecting “yeshivot”, unregistered establishments for boys aged 13 – 16, which offer religious but not much secular teaching, supplemented by home schooling. The bill will force local authorities to maintain registers of children who are home-schooled or taught outside school settings, but the campaigners say this will be unwarranted state intrusion into religious education. An estimated 1500 boys are schooled in this way in Stamford Hill, north London. The JC quotes Rabbi Asher Gratt, president of the Charedi British Rabbinical Union, saying the bill will criminalises conscientious parents and will be a dangerous precedent for the erosion of fundamental civil liberties. The report says Chinuch UK representing Charedi schools, fears the introduction of VAT on school fees will lead to private Jewish schools closing and an increase in home schooling.
Three Methodists in Nigeria killed by rival church group
The split in the worldwide Methodist church over LGBTQ relationships, has claimed the lives of three Nigerians. A member of the United Methodist Church, in favour of gay relationships, and two young children were killed by members of the rival breakaway Global Methodist Church in a small community in northeast Nigeria, where both factions had church buildings closed down by the government because of tense rivalry. The United Methodist News service reports that Elisha Masoyi, 27, a United Methodist and brother of the church lay leader, was shot and killed. The fighting spread to the surrounding community, where huts were torched, resulting in the deaths of 4-year-old Abednego and 2-year-old Baby, children of Abraham Kefas, a church member and overseer of a nursery and primary school. Ten church members were injured. The United Methodist Church voted this year to approve of being a Christian and LGBTQ, but the decision was long drawn out and opponents formed a breakaway global group, attracting conservative churches across the world, especially in Africa. Local United Methodist bishops condemned the violence and said they were outraged such an atrocity would occur among Christians. The Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church issued a statement saying it is investigating what happened and called on all Methodists to be agents of peace.
Carols with Pride at Truro Cathedral
Truro Cathedral is holding s “Carols with Pride” service this evening, telling the story of Christmas and celebrating “love, welcome and diversity”. The Cathedral says: “We welcome everyone, including the LGBTQI+ community, their families, friends and allies to join us on this joyous occasion”. The carols, readings, and music will include readings by Matthew Kenworthy Gomes, CEO Cornwall Pride and Kate Kennally, Chief Executive Cornwall Council. The Dean of Truro, Simon Robinson, said Truro Cathedral has a long history of working with community groups across Cornwall during Advent and Christmas and he is delighted that the Cathedral will be working with Cornwall Pride in its first-ever Carols with Pride Christmas service.
