Hopes for peace and security after Middle East ceasefire deal
The ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas yesterday, and the uncertainty around it, is making headlines for religious organisations. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said they hope for all hostages to be returned and that “Israeli and Palestinian civilians will see an end to suffering and work can begin towards a comprehensive resolution that grants peace and security to all”. Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said she was grateful for the ceasefire but felt undeniable sadness for those killed and suffering and hoped for healing. Christian charity World Vision said the ceasefire offered a glimmer of hope for a future free from violence and where peace can truly take root.
End to Israel Gaza conflict tops stories about religion likely to make headlines in 2025
The possibility of a ceasefire and the likely impact on the region and in Britain, was the top story discussed by a panel of commentators and reporters at the first Religion Media Centre briefing of the year. They reviewed concerns over the way the conflict has spilled over to affect community relations in the UK and the hopes for government initiatives to build trust and engage more with diverse communities. Among the other stories on the horizon were the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury and the volatile state of the Church of England; improved relations within faith groups and between people from different traditions; the impact of the war in Ukraine on refugees; the new presidency of Donald Trump, with rising disquiet at populism played out through social media. Speakers included Rosie Dawson, Kaya Burgess, Madeleine Davies, Richard Allen Greene, Sister Gemma Simmonds and Peter Heneghan. View the briefing again or listen to the podcast, via links here.
One in seven Christians persecuted, says report
One in seven Christians around the world now face high levels of persecution and discrimination, according to the 2025 World Watch List. That is more than 380 million Christian, a rise of 15 million from last year and a 140 million increase since 2018. Top of the list is North Korea, where Christians face possible summary public execution if they are discovered. The sharpest rise, says its compilers — Open Doors, an international non-governmental organisation — is in Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan.
Redress for church abuse victims will be delayed
Redress for survivors of church-related abuse will be delayed “in light of the Makin report”, Church House announced yesterday. The Redress Project Board, it said, had “decided to consider whether the scheme’s eligibility criteria sufficiently recognise negligence of church office-holders who have received a safeguarding allegation or disclosure and have not responded appropriately”. The scheme had been expected to receive approval at the General Synod next month. Church Times report here
Welby ‘a failure and destructive force’
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has been accused of being a failure and a destructive force the like of which has not been seen since the Reformation. Canon George Conger, an American clergyman and journalist, who has observed the Anglican church on both sides of the Atlantic for 30 years, told the podcast Merely Catholic: “If you take a critical look at the things he accomplished domestically, internationally, nationally, in the political realm as a member of the House of Lords, he was a failure”. He added: “If you look at the deeper picture of what he represented and what he said, he was destructive in a way that we’ve not seen since the Reformation.” He suggested one way of arriving at this judgment might be to trace the decline in clergy morale in the past 15 years. Catholic Herald report here
Hopes for the future of the St Anselm community
Sister Gemma Simmonds, who chairs the community of St Anselm, based at Lambeth Palace, has expressed her hope that it will continue after Justin Welby’s departure as Archbishop of Canterbury. He was behind the initiative to bring together young people globally, not only within the Anglican Communion, to live in community and undertake intense training in spirituality for a year. They are also trained for leadership roles in faith communities, particularly in places of conflict or where Christians are a threatened or persecuted minority. Sr Gemma told a Religion Media Centre briefing that the community had been a very important part of Anglicanism internationally, in a world of religious conflict where the church was strengthened. The future structure of the community’s organisation is under discussion.
The ‘jihadi lioness’ running Muslim charity in London
The government’s anti-extremism tsar has called for an urgent investigation into the British-registered charity Labaik Ya Zahra (LYZ), based in London. It follows an investigation by The Times and United Against Nuclear Iran, which says Syeda Umme Farwa, who runs the charity, has glorified a terrorist chief, promoted extremists who celebrated 7 October and personally accepted an award from the Iranian leader known as the “Butcher of Tehran”. Farwa, who has been hailed as a “jihadi lioness” in Iran, says LYZ “helps mankind” by advancing the Muslim faith and women’s rights through workshops, conferences and protests.
Details of Kindertransport children uncovered in archive
Historians have uncovered more details of how thousands of Jewish children fled Nazis through the Netherlands to the UK. The records, used by border officials to allow children to pass though Holland by train, list the names and details of almost all the 9,000 children on the Kindertransport between December 1938 and August 1939. The documents were discovered in the archives of Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum, by researcher Dr Amy Williams. She Said: “These lists will allow thousands of people to reconstruct their family units and understand more about their grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ lives before the horror ensued.” Jewish News report here
Plan for 54-storey office block next to St Ethelburga’s peace centre
A 54-storey building is planned next to the 800-year-old St Ethelberga’s Church in Bishopsgate, one of the only remaining medieval churches in the City of London. It survived the Great Fire of London of 1666, and the Second World War; then, in 1993, it was almost reduced to rubble by an IRA bomb. Lord Williams of Oystermouth, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, patron of the St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, said the plan was “wholly undesirable” and the centre’s work would suffer severely. Premier Christian News report here
Orthodox cathedral to the aid of LA wildfire victims
A Greek Orthodox cathedral in Los Angeles has set up as a relief centre for everyone caught up in the wildfires. The Cathedral of St Sophia is collecting food and vital supplies such as bedding and hygiene products and is making donations to the fire relief fund. The Dean Father Gary Kyriacou sad: “Whether you are seeking assistance, looking for a place to rest, or simply need a comforting presence, the cathedral is here for you. We invite the entire community to join us in providing relief and support during this difficult time.” Report here
