Muslim Council of Britain says UK guilty of moral failure in UN vote on Gaza

The Muslim Council of Britain has issued a statement on the UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire in Gaza, which was lost because the USA voted against. The UK abstained. The MCB statement says: “The US veto is utterly shameful, obstructing global efforts for peace and facilitating the killing of thousands of more innocent lives by the Israeli state. Over 17,177 civilians have been killed, of them 7,112 children, 46,000 wounded, an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The UK government’s abstention is a moral failure and does not reflect the call of the vast majority of Britons who are urging for ceasefire now. This moment will be a stain on the conscience of humanity. We will continue to urge our government to call for ceasefire. we must end this ceaseless violence and killing on innocent Palestinian civilians.” After the vote, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the security council was “paralysed by geostrategic divisions” and he would not give up seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.

Christian climate justice campaigners join forces to end fossil fuels

Christians staged demonstrations throughout the UK yesterday to mark the Climate Justice Coalition’s Global Day of Action, advocating structural change to save the planet.  The protests took place two days before the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai is due to end. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has returned to the summit with an urgent message to make progress on ending fossil fuels, amid fears that there will be no agreement. He warned that the world is on the brink of disaster and the conference must mark a turning point. There is an Anglican delegation at the conference including the Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Dr Hosam Naoum. The Church Times quotes him saying conversations about climate change will contribute to reconciliation, as they seek to find common ground.

Home office minister tells CofE to pay clergy more in visas dispute

The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, has asked the government if it would consider exemptions for religious workers in the new immigration plans, which would only allow visas to people earning over £38,700. The average salary for a vicar is between £28,000 to £31,000. He also raised concerns about the impact of the policy on social care and the horticultural and agricultural sectors, and appealed for a “family test” so immigrants could maintain strong family bonds. In reply, Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom, said he did not think the £38,700 limit was unfair or unreasonable in relation to church appointments. Later, the Bishop of Worcester raised the same point and Lord Sharpe went further, suggesting the CofE should pay its vicars more.

Macron criticised for attending Hanukkah ceremony at the Élysée Palace

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has come under criticism for attending a ceremony at the Élysée Palace, where the menorah, a candelabra with nine branches, was lit for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Politicians said it defied the law which separates the state from religion. Even the president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France called it a mistake to choose that location to light the candle. The French prime minister said it was meant to send a signal to the Jewish community that it is protected and supported in France.

Intensely religious musical genius Shane McGowan honoured in death

Celebrities, Irish politicians and hundreds of Dubliners turned out to honour the life of Shane MacGowan, lead singer of the punk band The Pogues, whose funeral was held in County Tipperary. The service at St. Mary of the Rosary church in Nenagh, was a tribute to his music and a life lived on the edge, making no secret of his infamous alcohol and drug taking. What became clear through the eulogies, was his lifelong interest and wrestling with the Catholic faith, and his constant exploration of the idea of God and religion. His widow said he was intensely religious and prayed daily, was unable to hold a grudge, forgave everyone and was a man for whom the person of Jesus was central.

Man from Carlisle reaches high office in the global Mormon church

A man from Carlisle, who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in his 20s, has been appointed to one of the highest positions of governance in the church, the “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles”. Patrick Kearon, aged 62, has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the United States in various industries, including health care, food, transport and the motor industry. He also ran his own communications consultancy. The Associated Press quotes an academic saying it is rare that the LDS church president selects an apostle who converted rather than someone whose family has been in the church for generations. The report says that Mr Kearon has been promoted from a senior role leading the “Presidency of the Seventy”, often a stepping stone to higher office.

New tune for “The First Nowell” enticing people into church to sing

The First Nowell is sounding different this Christmas in cathedrals and Church of England churches. A new version of the carol, written by the composer Bob Chilcott, has been released online with congregations encouraged to invite people to come and sing, celebrating Christmas. The CofE says performances are planned at cathedrals including Chichester, Lincoln and Winchester. In addition a live performance will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Eve from Portsmouth Cathedral, featuring musicians from the Royal Marines. More than 5,000 churches have promised to feature the new tune.