The Bishop of Liverpool quits and Bishop Bev Mason reveals she made the harrassment complaint
The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, has quit after public pressure following media reports that he had faced allegations of sexual abuse against a woman in Essex, and sexual harassment against a woman bishop. In a statement, he said he had done nothing wrong and there had been a rush to judgment and trial by media which made his position untenable. He said he had taken a decision to retire and will stop his ministry immediately, but added: “This is not a resignation occasioned by fault or by any admission of liability”. Hours later, the Bishop of Warrington, Bev Mason, issued a statement in a letter to clergy, saying she was the bishop who complained of sexual harassment, raising concerns in March 2023. Her focus had been one of due process, saying “A bishop cannot be above the law.” Warrington is in the Diocese of Liverpool. Channel 4 news revealed that after Bishop Bev complained, she was on study leave for 18 months. The report also included an anonymous account of the appointments meeting that chose Perumbalath, which accused the Archbishop of York of bullying members to push through the bishop’s name despite safeguarding concerns. The Archbishop of York denied this. Statements, reports in full and links here
Advice to faith groups on creating neighbourhood health service
A report from Theos and the Church Works Commission outlines the role of churches and other faith groups in health care and offers guidance on how they can increase their work to create a “neighbourhood health service”. The report’s authors, Dr Marianne Rozario and Esther Platt, say one in five GP appointments are not for medical reasons, and already faith groups are acting as “anchors of the community”, offering practical help alongside pastoral and spiritual care, in buildings which are at the centre of communities, The report ‘s practical guidance is around how to create effective collaborations, communicate services to GPs and the local community, raise funds and create lead workers looking after health and well-being programmes. The report is here
Calvin Robinson sacked from church after ‘pro-Nazi’ salute
Calvin Robinson, a priest known for his right-wing views, has been sacked by the Anglican Catholic Church based in America, after he mimicked Elon Musk’s “nazi salute” at a pro Trump event in Washington DC. The church issued a statement saying his action “appears to have been an attempt to curry favour with certain elements of the American political right”. He had been warned about previous outspoken behaviour and told to desist, but because he did not, his license had been revoked. Mr Robinson, aged 39, trained at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, was denied a CofE curacy, joined the Free Church of England, the Nordic Catholic Church and then the ACC, a conservative group which split from the Anglican communion. In a tweet, he denied he was a Nazi and said his arm gesture was a joke.
Big tech leaders tell World Jewish Congress they are tackling rising antisemitism
Global leaders of Meta, X and TikTok told the World Jewish Congress meeting in Krakow, that they were committed to challenging the rise of online antisemitism since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October. Their discussions included using new technologies and AI to moderate content and tackle automated hate speech. Meta said it redirected searches about the Holocaust or Holocaust denial to the World Jewish Congress/UNESCO website. TikTok said it had connected more than three million people on its platform to facts about the Holocaust. The Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) forum included government officials, Jewish community representatives and global experts.
Police investigate seven hate crimes on Muslim buildings in east London
Met police are investigating a series of seven anti-Muslim hate crimes in east London this year. Vandals have spray painted graffiti on the walls of mosques, community centres and a primary school in Leyton, West Norwood and Stratford, with words including “Stop Islam” and “Remigration” and outlines of Christian symbols. The Metropolitan Police say the cases of criminal damage are being treated as hate crimes. Islam Channel suggests the attacks were orchestrated through a Telegram group that offered £100 for acts of vandalism against Muslim institutions. The Newham Recorder reports that local police have reassured the public, saying they are stepping up patrols and working with community leaders on a thorough investigation.
Orthodox leader who revived Christianity in Albania, dies aged 95
Thousands of Albanians gathered around the Orthodox cathedral in Tirana for the funeral of Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country’s Orthodox Church after the fall of the Communist party in 1990. He died after a short illness last weekend, aged 95. Anastasios was the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania and led the Albanian Orthodox Church for nearly 33 years, a period which saw more than 400 parishes re-open and several churches newly built. Seven per cent of Albania’s population is Orthodox.
St Bride’s celebrates feast day of St Brigid, its matron saint associated with peace
The journalists’ church, St Bride’s Fleet Street, will celebrate the feast of St Brigid, its matron saint, tomorrow at noon. St Brigid is also the co-patron saint of Ireland, with St Patrick, and is closely associated with peace, so there will be a one minute “pause for peace” in the service, which is held in collaboration with the Irish chaplaincy in London. Our factsheet explains the stories about Brigid and how she has come to be understood, with her saint’s day coinciding with the pagan festival of Imbolc, which ushers in light and spring. The day also marks poetry, healing, fire, metalwork and the celebration of women in politics, sport and music.
