Church leaders welcome budget’s help for the vulnerable
The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has announced £25billion in tax rises among measures to plug a reported black hole in the public finances up to £60 billion. Headlines of his autumn statement include pension, benefits and tax credits rising in line with inflation at 10.1 per cent; the National Living Wage increasing from £9.50 to £10.42; and extra funds for education and the NHS. The UK was told the economy is in recession and will shrink by 1.4 per cent next year and the standard of living will go back to pre-2014 levels.
The Church of England bishops of St Albans and Durham welcomed the measures, especially decision to increase benefits in line with inflation, but warned this would be a hard winter for many.
Nigel Parker, the director of the Catholic Union which represents lay people, welcomed the increase in the National Living Wage and help to vulnerable people but said the complete lack of reference to the homeless or refugees was deeply concerning.
Gareth McNab, from Christians Against Poverty, said that despite welcome elements, the government had missed opportunities to help those on low incomes as the cost of living outstrips incomes. Households on means-tested benefits will receive £300 less in cost of living payments next year compared to this year and people are dangerously exposed to the terrible impact of poverty.
EU bishops call on Russia to suspend the war in Ukraine
European Union Catholic bishops are calling on Russia to suspend the hostilities in Ukraine and encouraging all parties to work toward a solution. Their statement was issued as they met for their second annual meeting., which followed the attack within Poland near the border. They said the entire world fears a major global conflict after the incident in Poland and is a “reminder of how this war bears the risk of uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences for the whole of humanity.” They urged the European Union to step up diplomatic efforts to halt “this spiral of violence.”
Report into sex abuse allegations against Catholic priests in Italy
Catholic bishops in Italy have released the first national study into sex abuse in the church. It found cases against 68 alleged sex abusers, priests and lay people, over a two year period from 2020-2021. It identified 89 victims, many of them children, who made allegations received by people working in counselling centres. The Guardian reports that victims’ groups are disappointed the study only considered two years of evidence and they are pushing for an independent inquiry by the Italian state.
Academics on a mission to explain atheism
The John Templeton Foundation is funding the “Explaining Atheism” programme, which includes academics from five UK universities and partners abroad. It will look at the causes of atheism and other forms of non-belief across diverse cultural contexts. Surveys will be undertaken in Brazil, China, Denmark, Japan, the UK, and the US determine the reasons why individuals become non-theists. An analysis of interviews with non-theists from seven countries will look at their beliefs and non-beliefs and how they arrived at them And data from the internet’s early years to date will be mined for information shedding light on why people become atheists and whether the internet itself is a cause.
Mitzvah day of social action led by faith groups this weekend
Mitzvah Day, a Jewish led day of social action which has expanded to include all faith groups and many countries around the world, takes place this Sunday. More than 40,000 people are expected to take part in social action projects, addressing needs, building communities across faith divides and offering a variety of acts of kindness. These range from making toys for rescue dogs and planting trees, to cooking meals for night shelters, giving blood and organizing food banks. This year, MPs joined in to support the homeless charity The Passage.
