Dr Edna Adan Ismail, Somali Muslim nurse, awarded Templeton prize
Nurse and midwife Dr Edna Adan Ismail, has become the first black African woman to receive the Templeton Prize. She founded a hospital and university in her home city of Hargeisa, Somaliland, and championed women’s health in East Africa for 40 years, including campaigning for an end to female genital mutilation. The citation says she drew on her Muslim faith, harnessing the power of science to affirm the dignity of women and help them flourish. The £1.1million prize is now in its 50th year.
Justin Welby speaks of “profoundly painful” impact of Soul Survivor crisis
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken for the first time about the story around Soul Survivor, an evangelical organisation within the Church of England, whose founder Canon Mike Pilavachi has been suspended pending an investigation into safeguarding issues. In a statement issued last night, Justin Welby said he was deeply conscious of the impact that the reports are having on many people and knew it to be profoundly painful for all concerned. He said the investigation led by the CofE’s National Safeguarding Team and the Diocese of St Albans, is independent from Soul Survivor and had his full support and he encouraged people with information to come forward. The story broke last month when Pilavachi stepped away from his role in the organisation, which runs a large church in Watford and until recently organised large summer festivals. The Telegraph reported that he had given full body massages to young men and engaged in wrestling matches with them. Soul Survivor started in 1993 and many converts and early supporters have gone on to be ordained in the Church of England. The story has shocked the evangelical world.
National Conservatism Conference hears that Christianity is in a state of accelerated collapse
Day two of the National Conservatism Conference in London, born out of the Christian conservative movement in the US, started with the organiser saying Christianity was in a state of “accelerated collapse”, Dr James Orr, associate professor of philosophy of religion at the faculty of divinity, University of Cambridge, said there was a new public faith emerging, with a new priesthood policing the dogma. He appealed for an emphasis on “faith, family and flag” and called for a conservatism based on freedom, constrained by commitment to religion, family and the nation. No government, no society can afford to be indifferent to the moral fabric of the nation, he said. Praising the ”intact family” he said sex education had been outsourced to “rainbow activists” and criticised transgenderism for inflicting irreversible physical harm on the young and vulnerable. At a gala dinner the evening before, author Douglas Murray said it was recognised there was a problem with nationalism in a German context, but there was no reason why every other country in the world should be prevented from feeling pride in itself “because the Germans mucked up twice in a century.” The remark was applauded by the audience in the room but slammed as outrageous on social media.
Nadine Dorries MP says CofE ignored her complaint of abuse by a priest
The Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has told the Daily Mail that the Church of England ignored her complaint against a priest, now dead, who she said abused her as a child. She said when she raised the case in 2015, she was invited to speak to two bishops who offered counselling and said an investigation would be launched. But then she heard nothing. The Church of England said she should have received better treatment at the time, but it had reached out in 2018 and again in 2022 and is still offering to speak to her to learn lessons.
Trial begins of Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan
The trial has begun of Tariq Ramadan, former professor of contemporary Islamic studies at St Anthony’s college, Oxford, accused of rape, beating and insulting a woman in Geneva. The Times reports that he denies sexual contact and told the court in Geneva that the woman had set out to seduce him after meeting at a book signing in 2008 and then accused him of sexual misconduct to blacken his name. He left his job in Oxford in 2017 after a number of other women accused him of assault and he was held on remand in a French prison for 8 months before being granted bail in 2018.
Saddleback mega Baptist church appeals against expulsion
The Associated Press says that Saddleback Church, the Southern California megachurch founded by evangelist Rick Warren, is appealing the decision to oust it from the Southern Baptist Convention. The expulsion happened after Saddleback appointed women pastors, in contravention of the Baptist reading of the Bible that only men can be in authority. Saddleback is asking the annual meeting of the SBC, which takes place next month in New Orleans, to overturn the decision.
Jameel scholarships available to study Islam in the UK
The Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK is offering three sponsored “Jameel scholarships” for research and teaching about Islam and Muslims in Britain. One is an international PhD and the other two are in British Muslim studies. The areas of research covered by the grants are designed to be of relevance to Muslims in the UK, such as various issues of Islam and public life, or aspects of Islam and religious life. The scholarship is funded by the Jameel Foundation, which supports education, scientific research and the arts.
Five French Muslim footballers refuse to play over wearing LGBT colours
Five football players from Ligue 1, France’s top division, have reportedly refused to play on Sunday in protest at a campaign to insist players wear rainbow colour numbers on their shirts in a campaign to combat homophobia. Seven players for Toulouse are involved, with one, Mostafa Mohammed, who plays for the Egyptian national team, tweeting: “Given my roots, my culture, the importance of my convictions and beliefs, it was not possible for me to participate in this campaign. I hope that my decision will be respected, as well as my wish not to argue about this and that everyone is treated with respect.” Toulouse Football Club issued a statement saying it would exclude the players for this Sunday’s match.
US whistle blower says Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints still owes taxes after false accounting
A former investment manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has claimed that funds supposed to be used for charity work were spent on for-profit initiatives as a tax-dodge and that taxes are still due. In an interview with 60 minutes on CBS, David Nielson said false records and statements were used to masquerade as a charity, misleading church members whose tithes produced an estimated $7 billion a year. He resigned in 2019 and made a whistle-blower complaint which resulted in the LDS paying a $5 million fine. He said he gave the CBS interview to show taxes were still due. Christopher Waddell, one of the church’s three bishops overseeing finances, defended the LDS saying Mr Nielsen did not have the full picture and money was transferred from the investment arm to the church to fund church operations. Watch the full interview here:
Country church safe blown open in “very professional” burglary
The Church of England is warning churches to be vigilant after a series of thefts in Dorset, Suffolk and Lancashire. Last weekend in Wareham, Dorset, a safe in the vestry of the Priory Church of Lady St Mary was broken into using angle grinders and explosives, and 25 pieces of silver were stolen, including a 450-year-old Elizabethan chalice worth £30,000. Canon Simon Everett, team rector of Wareham churches, told The Times that this was a “very professional crime”. Police believe this may be linked to two other church burglaries reported in recent weeks.
Coastal chain of prayer around the south west to pray for communities
More than 4000 Christians across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset will gather along the coastal path this weekend in a “chain of prayer”, to pray and worship for their friends, families, towns and villages in the south west. The event has been put together by a number of different churches to bring people together in a common cause to help their local communities. The coastal path is the longest in England stretching from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset
Today’s bulletin is by Angharad Riddoch and Ruth Peacock
