Ruth Peacock

Ruth is the leader of the Religion Media Centre project and oversees its work. After studying theology and teaching RE, she trained as a journalist on a local paper, freelanced in print and radio and then joined the BBC, working in many news departments, including the main newsgathering desk. She also worked on the BBC’s move into the new W1 building and studied organisational change.

Written Content

Religion news 17 December 2021

Places of worship open as vaccination centres; Archbishop says lockdown rules must be obeyed; Suspended jail sentence for 79 year old vicar and climate change protester; Nativity camels on the loose in the state of Kansas

Religion news 16 December 2021

BBC appoints Aleem Maqbool as religion editor; Church leaders in Jerusalem fear attempts to drive them out of Israel; US approves measure to monitor and report global Islamophobia; #TeamBelieve M&S jumper goes viral

Religion news 15 December 2021

CAFOD joins DEC Appeal for Afghanistan; Dean of Christ Church Oxford accused of being “mad and unfit to govern”; Americans are becoming less religious; Romuva on verge of becoming Lithuania’s state religion

Religion news 14 December 2021

Pope to meet authors of a report on French clergy sex abuse; Chief Rabbi expresses concern at BBC report on Oxford Street bus attack; Indian authorities crack down on egg sales

Religion news 13 December 2021

Pope urges de-escalation of  tensions on Ukraine border; Churches destroyed in the Kentucky tornado; Jake Wallis Simons, new Jewish Chronicle editor; Italian bishop “crushes children” saying Santa doesn’t exist

Religion news 10 December 2021

Singing carols is a reasonable excuse to remove your face mask in church; China committed genocide against the mainly Muslim Uyghurs; Notre dame redesign passed despite objections; 500,000 antisemitic tweets in English each year

Religion news 9 December 2021

Titus Trust apologises for response to John Smyth sex abuse complaints; MPs to consider Bill to end religious school assemblies; Future of British mosques under discussion this weekend; Drag Queen United Methodist minister “relieved of his pastoral duties”

Religion news 8 December 2021

Pope Francis says European Commission “acting like a dictatorship”‘; America announces partial boycott of winter Olympic “genocide games”; Evangelical “Affinity” group may break the law in protest at conversion therapy changes; M&S “Believe” Christmas jumper is a hit with clergy

Religion news 7 December 2021

Archbishop “sickened” by gun toting US congressman’s Christmas card; Andy John, the new Archbishop in Wales; Rohingya Muslims take legal action against Facebook for fomenting genocide; Church of England digital team sweeps the board

Religion news 6 December 2021

Pope says global indifference to refugees is “shipwreck of civilisation”; Weekly church attendance is one third down since pandemic; Hanukkah candles lit at site of antisemitic abuse in central London; Billions engage with religion on TikTok and Instagram