Board of Deputies says the Green party has become a racist party
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has voted to declare that the Green Party of England and Wales has become a racist party by adopting a resolution that Zionism is a form of racism. At the Board’s meeting yesterday, deputies voted to call on the Greens to withdraw the policy and urged other parties not to enter into alliances with the Greens. Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg said: “No political party has the right to tell Jews that a central part of our identity, rooted in thousands of years of history, faith and peoplehood, is racist. The Green Party’s policy brands much of our community, including our synagogues and communal organisations, with that slur. It gives prejudice against Jews a political licence.”
£400k payout to BBC producer after complaints of antisemitism
The Telegraph reports that the BBC has agreed a £400,000 payout to Jewish documentary-maker Lucie Kon, who says she was subject to antisemitism following the October 7th attacks. She has given an interview to The Telegraph saying a colleague told her that Zionists such as her were “evil”, and “if you want to call Hamas terrorists then you have to call Israel terrorists, too”. Her grievance and appeal were unsuccessful, and her role was later made redundant. After being rejected for a replacement position, she brought unfair dismissal proceedings. The BBC agreed to the payment without admitting liability. The BBC said in a statement that antisemitism in any form is not tolerated. There were robust procedures in place to deal with behaviour contrary to its values and there was a thorough grievance and appeals process.
Nuns rebuke 12 Catholic bishops who prayed over Trump
Sisters of Charity from New York, have signed an open letter calling on the 12 bishops who prayed over Trump in the White House to apologise publicly to the people of God and Pope Leo. The letter, which has attracted 2,500 signatures, was initiated by the “Letters from Leo” newsletter written by Christopher Hale. Photos show the bishops circled round the president’s desk and bowing in prayer, while next to him was Paula White Cain, the televangelist who leads the White House Faith Office. The letter says the bishops “let a political operation stage your prayer” as early ballots were already being cast, in contravention of a bishops’ conference document which says the church cannot champion any candidate or party. The Sisters have also taken to Instagram to make their point, saying: “Our first allegiance is not to a president, a political party, or even an institution. It is to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
St George’s Chapel Windsor gives Pope Leo honorary title of spiritual friendship
Pope Leo has accepted an honorary title as the “Papal Confrater of the College of St George at St George’s Chapel, Windsor”. The Dean and Canons conferred the title, approved by the King, which signifies a relationship of spiritual fellowship and friendship between the Pope and the College of St George, the Anglican religious community at Windsor Castle. This follows a title conferred on the King on his recent visit to Rome, where he was welcomed as the “Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls”. Buckingham Palace says: “These reciprocal acts of confraternity are tangible expressions of spiritual fellowship and a shared commitment to Christian unity”.
St George’s Chapel Windsor gives Pope Leo honorary title of spiritual friendship
The Times reports research by the National Churches Trust which indicates that more than 90 per cent of applicants to the government’s Places of Worship Renewal Fund have been rejected. The fund replaced the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme in May, which had paid VAT on repairs and maintenance for listed churches or other places of worship since 2001. The new scheme caps the total funding available at £23 million a year, compared with an old scheme budget of £42 million. The article cites St Sampson’s Church in South Hill, Cornwall, which needs £150,000 to repair a leak in the roof, as well as an unexpected £23k VAT bill for the side chapel, and Holy Trinity in Sunningdale whose plans to create a community hub have escalated in costs with a £275k VAT bill. Its vicar, the Rev Jon Hutchinson, said the changes effectively raise taxes on voluntary contributions. The Times quotes a spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport saying: “The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will prioritise heritage faith buildings in areas with the most need, where funding can have the greatest impact.”
Bishops of Durham, Bath & Wells and Rochester introduced to the Lords this week
Three Church of England bishops will be formally introduced to the House of Lords this week as Lords Spiritual: the Bishop of Durham on Monday 26 October, the Bishop of Bath and Wells on Tuesday 27 October, and the Bishop of Rochester on Thursday 29 October. There are 26 places reserved in the House of Lords for the Lords Spiritual. Five seats belong automatically to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester. The other 21 seats are filled by eligible diocesan bishops as vacancies arise. Bath and Wells and Rochester are entering on grounds of seniority, because all eligible women diocesan bishops have already entered the House.
Christian groups challenge government over conversion practices bill
Premier Christian News reports that three conservative evangelical Christian organisations, The Christian Institute, Greater Love Declaration and Affinity, have written to Bridget Phillipson, Minister for Women and Equalities, voicing concerns over the bill to ban conversion therapy. They say the bill contains insufficient safeguards for prayer and pastoral care, and that the definitions could criminalise expressions of Christian belief. The bill is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny by a joint committee of MPs and peers, which will report to the government by January 2027. The organisations held an online webinar to outline concerns, available on YouTube here.
Jordan church shooting leaves nine dead and 40 injured
Nine people were killed and 40 people injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, Jordan. The interior minister, Mazin Al Farrayeh, said the attackers were “extremists”, but no group has claimed responsibility. Security camera footage shows three people firing from a pavement, before running towards the church and firing indiscriminately. King Abdullah of Jordan visited the scene and said the attackers would be punished “with an iron fist”. The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) condemned the attack and sent condolences to those affected. It said: “Attacks against these sacred spaces are an offence on human dignity and the fundamental right that everyone holds to practise their religion or belief freely and without fear”. The Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab Region also condemned the attack, calling for sacred sites to be protected.
Muslim Council of Britain launches leadership programme
The Muslim Council of Britain has launched a leadership programme “designed to empower the next generation of British Muslim change-makers”. Aiming to attract people over 18 working in community impact, public advocacy, or digital influence, the course will offer practical experience, mentoring and access to national networks. People will join on a voluntary basis and they will be offered a leadership retreat, monthly online sessions, and quarterly in-person gatherings. The aim is to “nurture faith-inspired leaders who illuminate society with purpose, voice, and action”.
Egypt detains six young Christians over TikTok video
Six young Coptic Christian men, aged 17 to 23, have been held in detention in Egypt for three weeks, after they posted a TikTok video that authorities say mocked Islamic prayer. The clip recreated a scene from the 2018 Egyptian comedy Khalawis, featuring prisoners struggling to recite Quranic verses. According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), the men deleted the video within hours, but a villager later reposted it, triggering hostile comments and threats. Community leaders and church representatives attended a reconciliation meeting, but prosecutors accused the men of contempt of religion and promoting extremist ideas, and they were jailed. EIPR has called for their immediate release, warning that the case threatens freedom of expression and risks worsening sectarian tensions.
