Archbishop condemns Church of Uganda for supporting the “Anti-Homosexuality Act“
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has called on the Church of Uganda to reconsider its support for new laws which criminalise LGBTQ people. In a statement, he spoke of his grief and dismay at the Church of Uganda’s support for the Anti-Homosexuality Act. The issue of same sex relationships has deeply divided the Anglican Communion, with churches in the global south starting an alternative Anglican group. The Anglican Communion in London has tried to keep the divided sides together, but the CofE’s decision to bless same sex marriage was the final straw for opponents who publicly withdrew support from the Archbishop as head of the Communion. This statement is his hardest, clearest judgment on the issue. He said “there is no justification for any province of the Anglican Communion to support the criminalisation of LGBTQ people: not in our resolutions, our teachings, or the Gospel we share. I make this public statement with sorrow, and with continuing prayers for reconciliation between our churches and across the Anglican Communion”.
The Archbishop is speaking at the Religion Media Festival today (Monday) at the JW3 centre in north London. Details here
Kate Forbes: there is a fear about discussing faith in public life
The SNP leadership contender Kate Forbes, whose “wee free” Christian views against same sex marriage lost her support in her campaign, says there is a fear about any discussion about faith, which she says is a cause for concern. She was speaking in an interview with BBC religion editor Aleem Maqbool, which will be the centrepiece of a forthcoming edition of Beyond Belief, a programme to be recorded at the Religion Media Festival today. In an excerpt played on the Radio 4 Sunday programme yesterday, Kate Forbes said “We live in a world where it’s our duty and responsibility to coexist in a compassionate, caring, loving way. There is no doubt – people put this to me all the time – that if I had perhaps not been honest, and not been truthful, if I had tried to make certain things more palatable, or politically correct, then would I have been more successful? Perhaps”. Details of today’s festival are here.
MP says UN report suggesting ban on religious selection for schools is “intolerant”
Nick Fletcher, Conservative MP for Don Valley, has taken issue with a report from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which said schools in England should be banned from selecting pupils on the grounds of religious belief. It also recommended repealing legal provisions for compulsory attendance in collective worship and establishing statutory guidance to ensure the right of all children to withdraw from religious classes without parental consent. The Christian Institute reports that Mr Fletcher, a member of the Legacy Church in Doncaster and an MP since 2019, said the UN report came from a position of intolerance. He was confident that the UK would continue to respect Christianity alongside other major religions, recognising “the huge benefit” they bring to society.
Yorkshire Cricket signs Muslim Athletes Charter
Yorkshire Cricket has signed the Muslim Athletes Charter, committing the club to recognise Muslim players and supporters through providing spaces for no alcohol, halal food and consideration when fasting. It follows an association with Nujum Sports, which promotes the charter among all sporting clubs. They started working with Yorkshire Cricket following allegations of bullying and Islamophobia by former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq. The club has admitted four charges relating to the scandal and is awaiting sanctions; six players have been sanctioned by the Cricket Discipline Commission and Michael Vaughan has been cleared of using racist language. Stephen Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer at Yorkshire Cricket, is quoted by the Telegraph and Argus: “By understanding the faith and cultural needs of our Muslim players, staff and fans, we can help to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated”.
One in four Muslim women rarely visit a mosque as their needs are overlooked
A survey of Muslim women in Britain has found that one in four rarely visit a mosque. And only one in four have a mosque local to them that provides facilities for women, such as separate prayer rooms, toilets with sanitary bins and areas for breast feeding. The survey found that women have resorted to praying in changing rooms, street corners and car parks or miss prayer completely. Overall, 70 per cent of those surveyed felt some level of positive connectedness to Islam, but only 32 per cent felt connected to the wider Muslim community. The survey of 1200 women and a further 24 in focus groups, was by Muslim Census in collaboration with the Ta Collective, which advocates for Muslim women. It was designed to test the social and spiritual implications of overlooking the needs of women. More details here
India’s plan to renovate old Hindu temples and build new ones across the world
The Statesman, an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published in several cities and online, reports that a department for cultural conservation has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in India, to renovate old Hindu temples abroad. The report quotes a conversation with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, who was in Varanasi to chair the G20 meeting this weekend. He said a temple being built in Abu Dhabi will be completed by the end of this year, permission has been granted for temples in Bahrain and France and there are plans for a temple in New York. He is reported as saying that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to hold the G20 in Varanasi, a holy city in Hinduism, to take its message and cultural heritage across the world.
French Catholic pilgrim is a hero in shocking attack on children
The man who attacked children in a playground in Annecy, in the French Alps, had claimed asylum in Sweden saying he was persecuted for his Christian faith. Witnesses said he wore a crucifix and shouted “In the name of Jesus Christ” twice as he went on the attack. One of his victims was a 3-year-old British child on holiday with her parents; the other children were two cousins aged 2 and a Dutch girl aged 22 months. They are in hospital, but their lives are not in danger. Two adults were also attacked with one seriously injured. A French Catholic pilgrim named Henri , who was on a nine month pilgrimage of cathedrals in France, chased after the attacker swinging his backpack to lure him away from the children and he has since been hailed a hero. The suspect is being held on charges of attempted murder.
Bishop says Illegal Migration bill will not protect vulnerable people
The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, has questioned whether migrants with serious health conditions, who cross the channel in small boats, should be detained. In a marathon debate in the House of Lords, which went into the early hours on Friday, the bishop said vulnerable people, for example those with pre-existing mental illness or survivors of torture, would suffer “disproportionate detriment from being detained”. The bishops have taken a robust line against the bill as it goes through its committee stage in the Lords, with the Archbishop of Canterbury tabling two amendments calling for a 10-year strategy to find multi-lateral solutions to people trafficking and the refugee crisis.
Pope reported to be doing well after major abdominal surgery
Pope Francis was advised not to deliver his Sunday blessing from a hospital balcony yesterday, as it was only three days since major surgery on his abdomen. The Associated Press reports doctors saying that the Pope, aged 86, is doing well but he will stay in hospital all next week and his abdominal scars will take three months to heal completely. He is due to visit Portugal in August and Mongolia in September.
