Ideal next Pope – a leader, administrator, pastor and great communicator
Catholic cardinals are in Rome, preparing for the conclave when the next Pope is chosen. In our Religion Media Centre briefing, journalists and commentators joined Catholics from England and Wales to give a view on the likely candidates, the key issues they will be required to address and the character they are looking for to take over from Pope Francis. There was some agreement that they were looking for a leader and administrator, but also a pastor, a great communicator, with a passion for social justice and an ability to show the kind of servant leadership modelled by Pope Francis, giving dignity to people on the margins. View the briefing or listen to the podcast through links here
Scottish Episcopal church to discuss closer working with Catholics
A proposed Declaration of Friendship between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Conference of Bishops of the Catholic Church in Scotland will be put before General Synod in June this year. The “Saint Ninian Declaration” encourages joint worship and prayer, shared preparation for baptism and confirmation, common study of faith, co-operation in lay and ordained ministry, and shared witness to the world. on for baptism and confirmation, common study of faith, co-operation in lay and ordained ministry, and shared witness to the world. It follows an earlier declaration between the Episcopal church and the Church of Scotland, outlining commitments to work more closely together.
US Supreme Court battle over publicly funded religious schools
The US Supreme Court is considering a case to allow the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school in Oklahoma. The proposal was unveiled in 2023 when the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa proposed the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, an online school providing faith-based education to students, particularly those in rural areas or with special needs, who might lack access to traditional religious schooling. The proposal was controversial, with one side saying it would violate the US constitution separating church and state, and the other saying that disallowing it would be religious discrimination. The Associated Press reports that Chief Justice John Roberts appears to hold the key vote following legal argument yesterday. US Episcopalian Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe has joined other interfaith denominational leaders in signing a “friend of the court” brief opposing government funding of religious charter schools. The decision is expected to be delivered by June.
Southern Baptists see more baptisms, but continuing decline
In 2024, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, baptised more new members than in any of the previous seven years but still saw an 18th consecutive year of overall membership decline. It has recorded 12,722,266 members, a two per cent decline from 2023. But the 250,643 baptisms in 2024 represent a more than 10 percent jump over 2023 and the most since 2017. The church says it celebrates the upward trend and their focus is evangelism.
Nigeria youth ‘moving away from Christianity’ towards indigenous religion
Chibuike Nwachukwu, writing for Al Jazeera, reports on a growing number of young people in Nigeria, who are said to be moving away from monotheistic faiths towards indigenous African beliefs. There is limited data, but based on evidence from religious leaders and commentators, the report says people brought up in various strands of Christianity are seeking healing and spiritual solace from “dibia”, riests and medicine men. Initiation ceremonies include prayers, rituals of purification and vision, frenzied dances, drumming and initiations. There are beliefs in re-incarnation, a supreme being, ancestors and numerous gods and spirits, represented by effigies and symbols who control the physical and spiritual worlds. The report seeks explanations for people moving away from Christianity, with one suggestion that the prosperity gospel put people off. There is also a trend for people who attend church on Sundays, also seeking advice from a dibia at other times. The report is here
Kissing ban the ‘bizarre’ feature of Covid weddings in Scotland
The Scottish Covid-19 inquiry has heard evidence from faith leaders on the impact on worship and life events. The Free Church of Scotland reported that elopement weddings on the Isle of Skye came to an end. NHS workers, sick and dying people were deprived of pastoral care as churches were forbidden from opening to offer mass. Restrictions on funeral rites was described as a physical pain. But the most bizarre restriction brough to the inquiry’s attention was “a lockdown restriction banning couples kissing at weddings”. Fraser Sutherland, of the Humanist Society Scotland, pointed out that in humanist tradition, “most of those couples would be already living together.” Telegraph report here
