King calls for ‘spirit of unity’ on 20th anniversary of 7/7 London bomb attack
Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, King Charles has called for a “spirit of unity”, saying the attacks had shown the importance of “building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding”. Four suicide bombers, carrying rucksacks with explosives, detonated bombs in three underground trains and on a bus, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700. The Islamist terrorists, supporters of Al Qaeda, caused the worst single terrorist attack on British soil. King Charles condemned the “senseless acts of evil” and called on people to stand united “against those who would seek to divide us”. He said his “special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer’s day”, including those who carried the “physical and psychological scars”. He praised the emergency services and others who rescued survivors, saying that “while the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination. It is this spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal”. A service of commemoration will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning.
Former Archbishop of Wales says decision to retire was painful but necessary
The former Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, has given an interview to BBC Radio Cymru’s religious programme, Bwrw Golwg, about his recent announcement that he is to retire immediately as archbishop and at the end of August as bishop of Bangor. He said the situation was painful, but the decision was the right one for himself and the church. It followed the publication of two reports which described weak governance of finances, a culture where “sexual boundaries seemed blurred” and excessive drinking. The Telegraph published a story on Saturday quoting a former chorister who described a drinking session named the “seven shots of Christ” after a Good Friday service. The central management body of the Church in Wales, the Representative Body, met two weeks ago and ordered more reviews and investigations of Bangor Diocese and Cathedral, as well as calling for a change in leadership. The former Archbishop told Radio Cymru: “Being present at the meeting and [to] have people more or less calling for your resignation was like being in a nightmare. I know the people who were in that meeting. I don’t think I had a chance to explain the changes we’ve made and how complicated things are, but having heard from them I don’t want to be a problem for them either. I think it’s a good decision for the future.” He went on: “It has been very painful and my mental health has suffered in a way I’ve never experienced before, but that’s a consequence of having to make big decisions”. Read the report of the interview here. Listen to the interview in Welsh here
The Christian foundation of Camp Mystic, swept away by flash floods in Texas
Camp Mystic, the Texas summer camp where girls were swept away in flash floods with 11 now missing, has been widely reported as having a Christian foundation. It was founded by the son of a Methodist minister and University of Texas football coach, “Doc” Stewart, in 1926. But it is not associated with any one denomination and offers a broadly spiritual programme alongside sport and creative activities. Sunday is a day of rest, relaxation, and worship, offered on the banks of the Guadalupe River and at a scenic “Chapel Hill” overlooking the camp. The girls sing songs, listen to Bible readings, a devotional time is held after breakfast and at night-time, all with the purpose of spiritual growth. Catholic Mass is also offered on Saturday evenings and once a term, there is a sunrise Holy Communion service on Chapel Hill. Pope Leo spoke about the tragedy yesterday, offering his sincere condolences to “all the families who have lost loved ones – in particular their daughters who were at summer camp. We pray for them.” Texas Public Radio article here
Crown Nominations Chair: No all-white, Oxbridge, male shortlist
Lord Evans, the chair of the Crown Nominations Commission charged with selecting the next Archbishop of Canterbury, has given an interview to The Times and the Church Times on the task ahead. The former head of MI5, brought up a Baptist and now Anglican, told The Times that he aims to avoid a shortlist of candidates “all of whom are white, Oxbridge, male and come from the southeast of England”. He said it had “not been ruled out that the Church of England could have its first female leader” . The Times lists top contenders and betting odds, which put the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, as favourite. Lord Evans told the Church Times that a number of names had come up quite often, and that age was not “an absolutely key issue”. He observed that: “the level of ill-tempered and polarised debate is very high” and the church is difficult to lead. His own church has people from different traditions who worship together, and he said the next Archbishop “needs to be somebody who can accommodate and help to thrive the diverse traditions within the Church.” He urged the 17 CNC members to approach the process with an open mind and spoke of a widespread desire for a leader who can offer genuine spiritual direction, speak with a Christian voice into national affairs, and take the lead on safeguarding. Commenting on the rarity of such interviews, Kaya Burgess reflects: “Never before has a CNC chief spoken publicly during the recruitment of a new archbishop. It is the Anglican equivalent of getting a glimpse behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel during a papal conclave”.
Bishops reluctant to be considered for ‘impossible’ Canterbury job
In The Sunday Times, Ruth Gledhill, once the Times religion correspondent and now assistant editor of The Tablet, describes the difficulty the Commission faces in finding candidates who want the” “impossible” job, and have no safeguarding issues in their background. She reports that the field of candidates is so thin, that suffragan bishops – less senior than diocesan bishops – are also being looked at. Drawing on her extensive experience of covering the Church of England, she says: “The Anglican church has a longstanding tradition of would-be archbishops claiming nolo episcopari: I do not want to be bishop. On this occasion, however, most of them actually mean it”. Once more, Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, is named as favourite for the job. The article is here
Indulgences, banned by Henry VIII, return to England’s Anglican cathedrals
Once banished by Protestant churches as part of the sweeping changes wrought by the Reformation 500 years ago, indulgences — a Roman Catholic means of ensuring the remission of sins — are now making a comeback in English cathedrals in a symbol of ecumenical friendship. Today, Canterbury Cathedral is to host a Roman Catholic mass celebrated by the papal nuncio, the Pope’s ambassador to the UK, which marks the feast of the translation of Thomas a Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered in the cathedral. It commemorates the move of his remains from the crypt to a new shrine, which was then destroyed in 1538. Some relics are still held in the nearby Catholic parish church of St Thomas of Canterbury and some of Becket’s bones will be brought to the Cathedral to be displayed during the mass. Pope Francis designated 2025 a holy or jubilee year, which means Catholics can secure an indulgence for those who are truly repentant and meet certain conditions, including going to confession and holy communion, praying for the Pope’s intentions, and visiting a pilgrimage site. The earning of indulgences at post-Reformation Canterbury is a first, but similar visits are possible to relics in Lichfield, Hereford and St Albans. Read Catherine Pepinster’s article here.
Retired priest arrested in Palestine Action protest
The Rev Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old retired priest from Bristol, was among 29 people arrested in Westminster on Saturday, at a Palestine Action protest in Parliament Square. The group is proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, which means that showing support for Palestine Action has become a criminal offence and could lead to up to 14 years in prison. Sue Parfitt estimates she has been arrested around 30 times at various protests, including over climate change. Last autumn, the Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull, declined to grant her permission to officiate after she was charged with criminal damage from a Just Stop Oil protest at the British Library.
‘Inflammatory’ sermon leads to Charity Commission disqualification
The Charity Commission has disqualified Harun Abdur Rashid Holmes, a trustee of the Nottingham Islam Information Point, from serving as a trustee or holding any senior management position in a charity in England and Wales for three years, following a sermon judged to be inflammatory and divisive. The Commission opened a compliance case in 2023 after concerns were raised over a sermon he delivered on the charity’s premises six days after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel. The statement says: “The regulator reviewed the sermon and found that it contained language such as ‘the hour will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims will kill them until a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree’. The sermon also included statements on politics which could be interpreted as encouraging people not to vote or to disengage from the democratic process, calling on attendees not to “busy yourselves with politics and voting”. The Commission says it recognises some of the content had been taken from a specific Hadith, but it lacked “appropriate context to its source material and as such was inflammatory and divisive. There was no consideration given to how appropriate it would be to deliver such a sermon just six days after the events in Israel of 7 October 2023”. The Commission also issued the charity with a formal warning.
Statutory inquiry opened into The Outreach Ministry
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into The Outreach Ministry, a charity based in northwest London, which “works to advance the Christian faith through ministry and events”, predominantly in London. In a statement, the Commission says it opened a “regulatory compliance case into The Outreach Ministry in November 2024 after concerns were raised about its financial controls and use of charity funds. On inspection of the charity’s bank account, the Commission noted several payments referencing the trustees and potentially related parties that cannot be adequately explained. Additionally, there were payments referenced that may not be furthering the charity’s stated purpose”. As a temporary measure, the Commission has restricted the trustees from certain financial transactions without its prior approval”. Full statement here
Baha’is report recent increase in arrests and imprisonment in Iran
The Baha’i International Community is reporting an increased number of arrests of its members in Iran since the beginning of June. 44 Iranian Baha’is were arrested, brought to court or jailed in June and hundreds more await summons to court or prison. A member of the Baha’I community told The Telegraph that Iranian authorities often increase pressure on Baha’is during times of international distraction. The Baha’i faith was founded in the 19th century by Baháʼuʼlláh, who is seen as a messenger of God, but they have been persecuted as heretics by Iranian authorities.
Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light seeks charitable status
The Guardian and The Telegraph have run stories on the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, whose leader is based at the group’s headquarters in Crewe. Both articles say the group has applied for charitable status in the UK, with the Charity Commission currently considering the application. They describe how the group chose an abandoned orphanage in Crewe as its UK base, persecution of its supporters in Muslim majority countries, the home schooling of children living in its community in Crewe and slick films appearing on the You Tube channel “The Mahdi has appeared”. Read our factsheet on the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light here
