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| The downfall of the Bishop of Liverpool: Tuesday 28 January: Channel 4 reports that two women have made complaints of sexual assault and sexual harrassment against the Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, one of them a bishop >>. Wednesday 29 January: Channel 4 reports CofE leaders in Liverpool calling for Perumbalath to step aside as his position is untenable >>. Thursday 30 January: Bishop of Liverpool quits saying he is retiring and denying he had done anything wrong. His statement said: “This rush to judgment and my trial by media has made my position untenable”, The Bishop of Warrington, Bev Mason, reveals she was the bishop who made the harrassment complaint >> Channel 4 reports account of Crown Nominations Commission meeting where Perumbalath was appointed, alleging bullying and coercion, immediately denied >> Round up report with statements and links is here >> Our briefing next week is on the implications of the Bishop of Liverpool’s downfall for the Church of England. The panel includes commentators and representatives of the church nationally and in Liverpool. Tuesday 4 February 1200 Zoom link from: [email protected] Dr Wajid Akhter, a medical doctor from Essex, has been elected the new Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, promising major reforms to the organisation >> Baroness Syeeda Warsi told a Muslim awards event that the government’s failure to engage with the Muslim Council of Britain is ‘appalling’ >> Sir Stephen Timms was reprimanded for attending the event >> Buildings across Britain were lit in purple on Monday evening, to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the ceremony in London, seen as passing the Holocaust memorial flame to the next generation >> A poll of 10,000 people suggests Gen Z teens and twenties in Britain are more likely to say they are “spiritual” than older people, and less likely to identify as atheists than their parents or grandparents >> At least 30 people died and 60 were injured after a crowd surge at the Kumbh Mela festival in northern India,when large numbers of devotees fell and were crushed as they moved forward to bathe in the rivers >> St Bride’s celebrates the feast day of St Brigid, its matron saint, in a service tomorrow. 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. |
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| Charity Commission warns synod members safeguarding is legal responsibility >> Bishop says Welby was ‘chewed up and spat out’ by the CofE >> Bishop calls for £2.6bn to halt ‘degradation’ in parishes >> Female church worker in court over her behaviour towards boy,14. Report here Pope warns against brain rot by constant social media scrolling >> Vatican warns of AI ‘enslavement’ >> Cardinal Vincent Nichols to speak to staff at The Sun and The Times >> Jake Wallis Simons steps down as Jewish Chronicle editor >> Big tech leaders tell World Jewish Congress they are tackling rising antisemitism >> Australian explosives find marks escalation in antisemitic attacks >> Police investigate seven hate crimes on Muslim buildings in east London >> Cardiff University axes Religion and Theology department >> Government rejects calls for definition of extremism to be expanded >> Assisted Dying decisions could be made by panel instead of a judge >> Advice to faith groups on creating neighbourhood health service >> The Year of the Snake celebrated across Britain >> Calvin Robinson sacked from church after ‘pro-Nazi’ salute >> Persecuted Christians affected by US halt of refugee admissions programme >> Holy Land pilgrimages ‘should include towns in the West Bank‘ >> Christian agencies warn of serious humanitarian situation in Goma >> Legal tussle in Delhi over ‘offensive’ paintings of Hindu gods >> German churches condemn anti-immigration law as likely to stir up prejudices >> Orthodox leader who revived Christianity in Albania, dies aged 95 >> Ten foot painting of Jesus found in Cornish barn >> Council forced to apologise for killing moles in a church graveyard >> |
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