Jehovah’s Witnesses allow blood products – but not transfusions
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced that it will allow individual members to decide whether they can accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood, although the long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds is unchanged. This is based on Bible verses interpreted as a ban on taking blood into the body intravenously. Announcing the change, Paul Gillies, international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at their World Headquarters, said. “We recognize that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.” The statement made clear: “The adjustment follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures. Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.” Statement here. RMC factsheet on Jehovah’s Witnesses here.
Chief Rabbi’s special prayer for peace on Yom Kippur
The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, has issued a special prayer on Yom Kippur, the first anniversary of the Heaton Park synagogue attack when two members of the congregation died. He said the lives of Melvin Crevitz and Adrian Daulby were cruelly taken and he prayed for their perfect rest and that their memory is a blessing. He asked for renewed strength for those who were injured and who have suffered trauma. And he prayed for protection of people in synagogues, peace for the whole community and for Israel, and tranquility for all people on earth.
Warning of renewed Christian persecution in Pakistan after Lambeth award mistake
The former Bishop of Rochester who converted to Catholicism, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali, has told The Spectator that Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following Lambeth Palace’s mistaken award to a Pakistani cleric. Lambeth Palace withdrew an award presented to Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after it came to light that in 2007 he said he would grant Osama bin Laden “Saifullah”, meaning the sword of God, for “serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels”. Msg Michael Nazir-Ali, an authority on Islamic relations, told The Spectator that there is a question as to why there was not due diligence, and Pakistani Christian leaders now fear a backlash from extremists. He believes that the Foreign Office needs to give a signal that Christians in Pakistan are not responsible for what has happened.
Leeds Minster removes Gaza tapestry over Hamas names
A tapestry exhibit in Leeds Minster, with the names of people who have died in Gaza embroidered on fabric panels, has been removed after some of the names were found to be of Hamas fighters. In total, 73,670 people have been killed in Gaza since the 7 October attack on Israel. The fabric in total had 50,000 names, from the UN approved list, but only a portion was displayed in the Minster, with 16,800 names. The Leeds Jewish Representative Council told the Minster that 18 of these were Hamas fighters and so the Minster closed the exhibition two days early. In a statement, Canon Paul Maybury acknowledged “that by hosting this exhibition we have harmed our relationship with some in the Jewish community for which we apologize and now seek to rebuild trust”. The “Stitch Their Names Together” project was curated by Mary Evers who issued a statement saying: “This attack on our exhibition is a brazen attempt to smear and delegitimise the love and empathy of hundreds of stitchers and thousands of followers for their fellow human beings. Once again, we are witnessing an attempt in this country to silence compassion and humanity.” BBC story here.
British mosques combat ‘toxic hate’ with tea and conversation
More than 100 mosques in Britain opened their doors to members of the public this weekend for tea, conversation and information, in the 11th year of the “Visit My Mosques” campaign, organised by the Muslim Council of Britain. Its secretary general, Dr Wajid Akhter, said too many people are getting their knowledge about British Muslims “from an algorithm and foreign funded billionaires fuelling toxic hate towards faith communities both online and on our streets in Britain. To truly understand who ordinary British Muslims are, what we value and what 6% of the population live like – it has to be experienced, in person, over a cup of tea, tasty samosas and an honest conversation”. Ten flagship mosques were given resources to provide more in depth information. Guardian report here.
Mass Quaker silent vigil for peace held in Westminster
Six hundred people joined a Quaker-led, silent four hour “Walking Vigil for Peace” along Whitehall this weekend. They came from Quaker meetings and communities across Britain, joined by Buddhists, Mennonites and Lutherans. It took place on the United Nations International Day of Peace, and expressed “solidarity with those affected by violence, conflict and war, while affirming a vision of peace for individuals, communities, the world and the planet”. Vigils and meetings for worship also took place around Britain and online, enabling those unable to travel to London to participate in the witness for peace.
Rabbis for Human Rights protect olive groves from Israeli settlers
Rabbis for Human Rights, an organisation based in Israel that promotes the rights of the vulnerable, minorities, Palestinians and migrant workers, has built fences round the olive groves of a Palestinian farmer in Jenata, on the West Bank, to protect his crop against hostile settlers. The Rabbis have partnered with progressive action groups Standing Together and Bnei Avraham to secure the groves, promising to return to help pick the crop. Further north, in the village of Burqa, they built a fence and put up flashlights to protect a family after settlers assaulted a farmer’s wife and traumatised their daughter. They say that the goal of their support is to defend the rights of Palestinians in “Area C”, a large part of the West Bank, and provide ”protection from Jewish terror”.
Billy Graham’s grand-daughter lined up for religious freedom ambassador role
The Religion News Service reports that President Donald Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of Billy Graham, and daughter of his son Franklin, to serve as the next US ambassador at large for international religious freedom. In a post on X, she said: “President Donald Trump has asked me to serve as the US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. I would consider it a great honor and privilege to do so. If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right—and one that far too many people around the world still live without—freedom of religion”. Cissie Lynch, aged 40, is a spokesperson and a senior adviser for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse. She was on Donald Trump’s Faith Advisory Council during his first term as president, from 2017 to 2021.
Wayne Rooney wants to visit site of Jesus’ baptism
Wayne Rooney has said his dream holiday destination is the River Jordan. In an interview for the podcast “Stick to United”, he said: “That’s where John the Baptist baptised Jesus, it would be really interesting to go.” Rooney comes from a practising Catholic family. The site where Jesus is said to have been baptised, has been unearthed by archaeologists and is destination for tourists and religious retreats.. Documentary here.
TikTok Vicar calls time on dating apps
The Rev Pippa White, whose social media posts have earned her the title TikTok Vicar, has written a book including details of her dating life now that she is ordained. An extract in The Times tells the story of how she used dating apps until the experience of hostility, indifference, questions about sex before marriage, and need to travel at least 40 minutes away and out of sight of the parishioners, was all too much: “I just can’t be bothered. The men can’t be bothered. Not only with dating apps but also generally”. Not a Priestess: Tales from Beyond the Pulpit, is published on 8 October.
