Catholic school reopens in Gaza after nearly three years of war
Holy Family School, attached to Gaza’s only Roman Catholic Church, has re-opened after three years of war, providing places for around 1,000 pupils, including 130 Christian children. Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, told a conference in Rome: “we still do not have desks and pencils, and children study on the ground”, but amidst the rubble this is “a glimmer of life that no war can erase”. The parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, said they had worked hard to make the school a clean environment where children can feel safe. Before the war, five Christian schools operated in Gaza: three Catholic, one Orthodox and one Evangelical. Christian pupils were spread among these schools. Now, for the first time, all Christian students will attend the same school. Aid to the Church in Need report here.
Middle East conflicts ‘tests’ relations between Christians and Jews
A Vatican document says that recent conflicts in the Middle East have tested relations between Jews and Christians. The document on inter-religious dialogue, prepared by three Vatican departments, said “many channels of communication have been strained and continue to be tested by differing interpretations of the events that have unfolded”, but the pillars of dialogue built over 60 years of common effort, have remained firm. The document, “A Journey of Hope”, was issued to mark the anniversary of a 1965 church document which set out to improve centuries of acrimony between Jews and Christians. It says there has been a radical transformation in interreligious relations since then, with sincere dialogue, respectful encounter and fraternal cooperation. It re-affirms solidarity with Jewish people in the “shared struggle against antisemitism”. And it points out that incidents of Islamophobia fail to distinguish between fundamentalists and violence on the one hand, and peaceful lives of Muslims who ar integrated into society.
LDS world leader says creating common good is key purpose of US constitution
President Dallin H. Oaks, president and senior leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has made history by becoming the first LDS president to deliver an address at Washington National Cathedral. Speaking at an event last night, on the eve of Constitution Day, he called for Americans to rediscover the Constitution’s role in bringing together a divided country, at a time when the US political system is under strain. The LDS church, known as the Mormons, believes the Constitution to be divinely inspired. The President said: “Creating common ground is a key purpose of the Constitution”, which compels divided people to build coalitions through mutual respect, shared understanding and good faith negotiations, with all participants respecting the rule of law. In the midst of disunity and tension, he said the United Sates was founded and built by people of different nationalities, ethnicities and beliefs, who sought to be unified by a new constitution and laws. He said: “A desire to understand and help one another is at the core of peace making and fairness for all”. Aged 94 and drawing on his experience as a lawyer, judge, government official and church leader, President Oaks said the US needs to find a better way forward to resolve differences through negotiation, without compromising core values. View the recording of his address here.
The funeral of David Winter, former BBC head of religious broadcasting, is on Friday
A funeral service is to be held on Friday (18 September) for Canon David Winter, the former head of religious broadcasting at the BBC, who died peacefully at home on 23 August. He was a teacher and then the editor of the evangelical magazine “Crusade”, before joining the BBC where he stayed for 20 years, beginning as a producer and eventually becoming Head of Religious Broadcasting for Radio. In 1973, he founded the Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4, at a time when religious programmes had a larger presence in broadcasting. Towards the end of his BBC career, he trained for ordination and became priest-in-charge of St Bartholomew’s, Ducklington, later serving as the Bishop of Oxford’s officer for evangelism, becoming an Honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1995. He wrote around 40 books and, alongside Cliff Richard, he established the Christian Arts Centre Group, bringing together Christians working in arts, entertainment and the media. He continued writing, speaking and leading retreats well into retirement. Paying tribute, the Religion Media Centre chairman, Michael Wakelin, said: “David managed to combine a profound intellectual grasp of theology with great humour and an ability to navigate BBC politics with grace and skill. He nurtured many younger talents who went on to become successful producers, journalists and creators of excellent religious programming over many years”. The funeral is at St Mark’s Church, Cold Ash, Berkshire.
New research into CofE links to the slave trade
New research published in The Guardian has uncovered evidence of deeper Church of England links to the transatlantic slave trade. The report by Chris Osuh, community affairs correspondent, says historians working on the Register of British Slave Traders have found 45 CofE clergymen invested in the Royal African Company, which trafficked more enslaved Africans than any other single organisation in the history of the slave trade. The article reports documents showing profits from enslavement filtered down to parishes from Cumbria to the Cotswolds, indicating that the CofE gave the funding its blessing. In 2023, the Church Commissioners committed £100m to Project Spire, an investment programme aimed at communities affected by the legacy of historic slavery. Prof Alan Lester, from the University of Sussex, is quoted saying that this represents a “sliver of church complicity”.
21 year old charged after graffiti sprayed on five Islamic buildings
A 21 year old man from east London has been charged after offensive graffiti was sprayed on five Islamic buildings in the Leyton area in January. Illia Bilyk has been charged with racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage on mosques, a school and buildings belonging to a Muslim organisation. He is due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Two million people in stampede for henna to find a partner
Two million people caused a near stampede at a temple in India after it offered henna that was said to help find a life partner within six months to a year. Police blew whistles in a vain attempt to control the crowds in the streets around the Moti Dungri Ganesh temple in Jaipur, as single young men jostled for position in the queue to claim a packet of the henna. The Times quoted a psychiatrist saying social media had propelled local traditions into nationwide sensations: “People used to think superstition was confined to illiterate people in the villages, but we’ve been seeing that the so-called educated class is no different”.
Methodist preacher and magician uses magic to evangelise
A Methodist preacher is combining sermons from the pulpit with performing spellbinding illusions as one of the UK’s top magicians. Bronwyn Coveney, who works under the stage name Bron Ivy, is a member of the prestigious Magic Circle and has performed on some of Britain’s biggest stages. But she is also a local preacher in the Teddington Methodist Circuit in Surrey, and she has been telling the Methodist press team how she uses magic in the pulpit. In a technique called “Gospel Illusion”, she uses magic to enhance a Bible story, citing the example of coins that disappear, “a great illustration for Jesus taking away our sins”. There are concerns, however. She said: “There are things I am very careful not to do – I won’t turn water into wine for example. I won’t ever replicate any of Jesus’ miracles because I don’t perform miracles, I perform magic.” She says there’s a lot of crossover between preaching and magic, especially the interaction with an audience: “In magic, I don’t mind going off-script a bit, but in my preaching I like to be concise. People at a magic show are happy with the extra patter but if you overrun on Sunday morning, people are thinking ‘I want to get home for my roast dinner.’”
