BBC Director General apologises to Jewish staff over Glastonbury
The BBC says it will no longer broadcast high risk performances live, after the controversy over the live streaming of Bob Vylan’s performance at Glastonbury where he encouraged the crowd to chant “Death, Death to the IDF”. In a message to staff on Thursday, director general Tim Davie said: “I deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC and want to say sorry – to our audience and to all of you, but in particular to Jewish colleagues and the Jewish community.” The BBC board’s chair, Samir Shah, said the decision not to pull the live feed was “unquestionably an error of judgement”. A small number of senior staff have stepped back from their day-to-day duties on music and live events.
Not the Nine O’Clock Service court case: Day 3
Yorkshire Live reports on the third day of evidence in the trial of Christopher Brain, the leader of the Nine O’Clock service in Sheffield, a nightclub style worship event held in an Anglican church in the 1980s and 90s. The report says that the former Archdeacon of Sheffield, Stephen Lowe, told the court he had been asked to keep an eye on the church. He confronted Mr Brain about reports of inappropriate sexual relations with 20 or 40 women from the Nine O’Clock Service, to which Mr Brain replied that it was maybe double that number. Stephen Lowe told the court: “that blew me over”. Mr Brain’s barrister said he denied making any admission. Mr Brain, now aged 68 and living in Wilmslow, is on trial at Inner London Crown Court accused of one rape and 36 indecent assaults against 13 women between 1981 and 1995. He denies all charges. The trial continues.
Church divisions ‘may block selection’ of next Archbishop of Canterbury
Tim Wyatt reports for The Tablet on the tortuous process in the Church of England to select the next Archbishop of Canterbury. He details the division between conservative evangelicals and liberals, with deadlock in recent bishops’ selection procesdures: “Although the Crown Nominations Commission deliberations are supposed to be confidential, it is widely assumed that conservatives opposed to the Prayers of Love and Faith – as the liturgical resources developed by the Church of England for use in same-sex blessings are known – are vetoing candidates they deem insufficiently orthodox”. He says: “there is every chance the same tribal divisions will cripple the deliberations of the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission”. The article suggests that the three top contenders appear to be the Bishops of Chelmsford, London and Bath & Wells. Article is here
Methodists prepare for conflict amid growing global security concerns
A report to the Methodist Conference meeting in Telford, calls on the church to support its military chaplains as the “global security situation gives serious cause for concern”. It says ecumenical work is underway, with the Church of England, to provide resources for congregations on what it is to “be church” in a time of conflict. This will involve material on scripture and church teaching about war, peace and conflict, and practical suggestions for supporting military personnel and their families. The Rev Kevin Highfield, chair of the Methodist Forces Board, said: “Our processes are currently designed for periods of stability and peace. It may become necessary to discern a call to chaplaincy from a wider range of ministerial experience than at present.”
Increased demand for peace education in schools over the last five years
“Peacemakers”, a West Midlands organisation offering peace education in schools, is preparing to expand nationwide after an increased interest over the past five years, as conflicts have raged across the world. Heather Rowlands, who is a Quaker and the organisation’s programme manager, says there is a more positive attitude towards peace education amongst school leaders who see its value in helping create a peaceful school environment and healing community rifts. She has written about her organisation’s work in the latest edition of the “Peace Prospects” magazine, which also includes reports on peace education in conflict zones around the world such as Nigeria and Pakistan.
Diverse chaplaincies offer ‘dynamic’ expression of spirituality
Chaplaincies in secular institutions which have moved from religious monopolies to greater diversification and cooperation, are proving to be a dynamic form of expression for religion and spirituality. That’s according to the organisers of an international conference on chaplaincy arranged by the Swiss Centre for Islam and Society at the University of Fribourg, in partnership with the Islam-UK Centre at Cardiff University. Academics and chaplains from 15 countries shared their experience of working in hospitals, prisons, universities, armed services and asylum centres, explaining that their work includes counselling, understanding doubt and dealing with moral issues. The conference aims to develop an international network for research on Muslim chaplaincy and to identify future research priorities.
UK Gurdwara Alliance launched to liaise with government on Sikh issues
The UK Gurdwara Alliance, representing more than 200 Gurdwaras nationwide, has been officially launched in Parliament during the 20th anniversary celebration of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs. Its purpose is to liaise with the government, addressing what it sees as a disconnect between central government and Gurdwaras. Speakers at the launch on Tuesday, said the government must change the way it engages with the Sikh community. The Alliance includes 25 leading Gurdwaras across 12 regions which will be responsible for consulting and co-ordinating all Gurdwaras in their region and across the UK. It says gurdwaras are recognised by civic society and have a massive reach into the community. Guests at the launch included the Faith Minister, Lord Khan, who addressed the meeting, and Ramesh Singh Arora, the Minister for Minority Affairs in the Government of Punjab. The Alliance says it will liaise with similar organisations across the globe. The APPG was formed in 2005 with the support of the Sikh Federation (UK), which continues to be its secretariat.
Gurdwara Aid launches handbook offering gurdwaras advice and support
More than 200 people attended a launch conference event in Derby for “The Gurdwara Handbook”, designed as a practical tool to help Gurdwaras operate legally, ethically, and with Sikh values at the heart of all decision-making. The conference last weekend entitled “Empowering Gurdwaras for the Future”, was hosted by Gurdwara Aid, a social enterprise set up to provide guidance to gurdwaras through advice, collaboration and training. The handbook offers informatioon on policies, safeguarding, finance, youth inclusion, and trustee responsibilities. Attendees from across the UK explored how Gurdwaras can strengthen their internal governance and community impact.
World theologians urge church to stand against far-right nationalism
Fifty theologians from across the globe have issued a stark warning about the rise of far-right nationalism and its association with Christianity. Their communique followed a World Council of Churches conference in South Korea, to discuss the global phenomenon of far-right politics in North America, Europe, and Asia. They warned that right wing ideologies, anti-democratic movements, inequality, racism and militarism, pose urgent threats. They urged governments of all nations to overcome inequality, and pay close attention to human rights violations”.
Welcome to a rich and unexplored terrain: Muslim arts and heritage:
Whether it’s the grand domes and sharp turrets of Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, the intricate geometrical designs, the poetry of Hafez and Rumi and the influences on William Morris and the Romantic poets, Islam has a rich and diverse cultural heritage that is often left unexplored or underappreciated in the West. Maira Butt reports on efforts to shed light on the culture and history of Britain’s Muslims and the interaction with Islamic heritage. This includes a project by the founder of Everyday Muslims, Sadiya Ahmed, to archive and document Muslim heritage here in the UK. And the emergence of new artists such as Samir Malik, who is a calligrapher, inspired his study of Quranic texts and the history of the art form that conveys the Arabic text in line with aesthetic practices. Read Maira’s report here
Religion Media Festival: Reporting Religion
Journalists who specialise in the reporting of religion explained the challenges of their work in a panel discussion at the Religion Meida Festival. This has been an extraordinary year, with religious angles to all the main stories of today – the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, the riots in the summer of 2024, community relations and the response to the needs of people in poverty. The religious organisations themselves have been making headlines with the first resignation of an Archbishop of Canterbury, the death of one Pope and the election of another, and multiple sex abuse stories and cover-ups. Rosie Dawson chaired the discussion, with guests: Christopher Lamb, CCN Vatican Correspondent; Catherine Pepinster, author and journalist ; Francis Martin, Church Times; Kaya Burgess, Religious Affairs Correspondent and Science Reporter at The Times; and Maira Butt, RMC specialist reporter on Islam. View the film of the panel discussion on our YouTube channel here
