Three US cardinals appeal for ‘moral foreign policy’
Three US cardinals have issued a joint statement calling for a renewed moral framework for American foreign policy, drawing on Pope Leo’s recent appeal for multilateral cooperation. Cardinals Blase Cupich, Robert McElroy and Joseph Tobin say the US is facing its most serious moral debate on foreign policy since the Cold War, amid conflicts in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland. They warn that respect for national sovereignty, peace and human dignity is being eroded, while questions of war and peace are increasingly framed in polarised, partisan terms. They cite Pope Leo’s address to diplomats, where he said that “war is back in vogue” and where a diplomacy seeking consensus is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force. He observed that peace is now pursued through military dominance rather than being sought as a gift in pursuit of “the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God with a more perfect form of justice among men and women.” The cardinals “embrace this vision for the establishment of a genuinely moral foreign policy for our nation”, renouncing war for narrow national interests. They insist military force must be a last resort, and they commit to promoting a foreign policy centred on the right to human life, religious liberty, economic support and human dignity.
‘Full force of the law’ after protesters disrupt Minnesota church service
The US Department of Justice is investigating a protest at a church in Minnesota, when around twelve demonstrators disrupted a service, chanting and shouting against the round up of immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. One of the pastors at Cities Church St Paul, is said to be a local ICE official. The disruption filmed on social media, lasted around 20 minutes, when it was taken outside. The pastor leading the service and several church members attempted to engage with the protesters as most of the congregation dispersed. The office of Governor Tim Walz said he does not support interrupting a place of worship. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the incident would be met with “the full force of the law”.
US churches highlight non-violence on Martin Luther King day
US churches have issued messages on Martin Luther King day, a public holiday in America, which honours his legacy and remembers his vision. The Methodist Federation for Social Action says his idea of a “beloved community” standing together for a better future is needed again, as decades of progress is being undone. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged Catholics to reflect on how they are called to be “drum majors for justice” in their own communities, drawing on the Civil Rights leader’s words and the church’s gospel mission. Alveda King, a gospel singer, evangelist, and niece of the late Martin Luther King Jr., told The Christian Post that if her uncle were alive today, he would be stressing the importance of unity and non-violence amid ongoing unrest against ICE officers.
Church leaders in Jerusalem condemn Christian Zionism
The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have issued a letter condemning “damaging ideologies” such as “Christian Zionism”. In a statement, they say: “Recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism, mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East”. They raise concerns that these supporters have been welcomed at official levels, locally and internationally, but say this constitutes “interference in the internal life of the churches” and disregards the pastoral responsibility of the church leaders in Jerusalem, who alone represent the churches in the Holy Land. The Church Times has published an article explaining Christian Zionism, a movement rooted in the belief that the return of the Jewish diaspora to Israel will herald the Second Coming of Jesus.
Board of Deputies president says extremist settler violence must end
The President of the Board of Deputies, Phil Rosenberg, has called for “an immediate end to the extremist settler violence we see in the West Bank.” He was speaking at an event in London with the Palestinian–American Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, on the topic of “How we can help to make peace possible”. Jewish News, which partly organised the event, reports that Phil Rosenberg said his personal hopes for a two-state solution “existed because of, rather than in spite of, his Zionism, and he wanted to see how British Jews could play our part”. He said British Jews wanted to see an Israeli government free of “racists and bigots” who were “a stain on the Zionist project”. Israel is not wrong to want security or Hamas disarmed and removed from power, he said, and he believed a reformed Palestinian Authority is needed “worthy of governing a new state and a true partner for peace with Israel”. He also called for the body of the final Israeli hostage to be returned. Jewish News report here
150 people abducted from church services in Nigeria
The Associated Press reports that gunmen in Nigeria have abducted more than 150 worshippers in simultaneous attacks on three separate churches. Its source is an elected state representative. The report says the attacks occurred in Kurmin Wali, a community in the Kajuru area of Kaduna state, during church services at the Evangelical Church Winning All, another belonging to the denomination Cherubim and Seraphim, and a Catholic church. 177 people are said to be missing, but 11 have returned. Police have confirmed the abductions but the details have been hard to find as the area is so remote. Troops and other security agencies have been deployed to track the abductors and rescue the captives. No group has taken responsibility
Nuns in Sweden accused of being Russian spies
The Telegraph reports that the Church of Sweden has warned congregations to stop hosting and buying goods from representatives of the St Elisabeth Convent in Belarus, after the nuns were accused of having ties to Russian military intelligence and raising funds for the war against Ukraine. The report says the Church of Sweden warned that the nuns were from a convent which supports the invasion of Ukraine and has links to GRU, Russia’s military intelligence unit. They were said to be present in more than 20 churches and were charged with spreading propaganda. The convent has denied supporting the war, saying money collected goes to meals for the needy and elderly care. Euronews has separately reported that a Russian Orthodox church 300 meters from Stockholm Västerås Airport, is said to be used as a platform for intelligence gathering and other hostile activities, another charge rejected.
Incoming archbishop defends £100m impact of slavery scheme
The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullaly, has defended the scheme “Project Spire”, which will distribute £100 million in grants to communities which continue to experience the impact of slavery. In an open letter to 27 Conservative MPs who urged her to scrap the scheme and spend the money on parishes instead, Dame Sarah said “Project Spire does not diminish the Church’s support of or investment in parish ministry or clergy… Our calling to confront historic injustice and our commitment to sustaining parish life therefore both flow from the same Gospel imperative: to love our neighbour as ourselves and to enable all to flourish.” The Church Commissioners said the scheme sought to bring a more equitable future, adding: “A church that ignores our links with a fundamental historic wrong cannot credibly claim moral leadership in the present or the future”.
Armenian church provides prayers for week of prayer for Christian unity
A service for the week of prayer for Christian unity is taking place this afternoon at Westminster Cathedral. It will be led by Cardinal Nichols, with choristers joined by choirs from St Paul’s Cathedral. The address will be given by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Rowan Williams. The week was launched in 1908 and involves local churches gathering together for prayer and worship. Under the title “One Body, One Sprit”, churches will share resources prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has been under pressure since Azerbaijan’s takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh.
