Religion news 23 January 2023

St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle. Image credit: Mike Quinn CCLicense2.0

Vatican investigating lockdown sex party at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle

The Sunday Times reports that allegations of a lockdown “sex party” in a building adjoining the Catholic St Mary’s Cathedral, in Newcastle, is being investigated by the Vatican. It is part of an inquiry into the events leading up to the resignation of the former bishop of Newcastle and Hexham, Robert Byrne, who resigned in December saying the role had become “too great a burden”.  There is no suggestion the bishop attended the alleged party or was aware of it. The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency confirmed to The Sunday Times that it had started an unscheduled safeguarding review in the Catholic diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, into “reported abuses, alleged abuses, safeguarding concerns and the culture of safeguarding in the diocese as a whole.”

Quran burned in Swedish protest against bid to join NATO

A far right politician in Sweden burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, in protest at Turkey and Sweden’s bid to join NATO. The Turkish foreign ministry condemned the “vile attack on our holy book”, calling it an act against Islam, insulting sacred values. The Swedish Foreign Minister said that Islamophobic provocations were appalling. A separate protest took place in Stockholm, supporting Kurds and objecting to Sweden’s bid to join NATO.

Guidance on charities’ use of social media raises issues on freedom of speech

Law and Religion UK draws attention to a consultation on the Charity Commission’s draft guidance for the use of social media. It summarises the main points as: having a social media policy with internal controls over appropriate posts; only use social media to help achieve the charity’s purpose; comply with relevant laws; ensure rules are observed over campaigning or political activity; keep people safe online. The consultation closes at 5 pm on 14 March 2023. Law and Religion points to a warning from lawyer Rosamund McCarthy in “Civil Society” that the draft guidance “encroaches into the private lives of trustees, staff members and employees” and that its recommendation for trustees to set rules on workers’ personal accounts “raises fundamental issues in relation to protected philosophical beliefs under the Equality Act 2010 and Article 10 freedom of speech rights”.

Move to get CofE Synod to vote on support for same sex marriage

LGBT campaigner Jayne Ozanne has told The Times that she is intending to introduce an amendment at the next General Synod meeting, asking for a vote on whether Synod supports same-sex marriage. It follows the publication of bishops’ proposals which continue to ban same sex marriage, but allow blessings instead, partly based on the judgment that there is not the necessary two thirds majority in favour of a change to marriage doctrine. Campaigners suggest that an amendment to a motion would require only a simple majority, not a two thirds majority. The  amendment would bring forward immediate legislation to provide for equal marriage in church, allowing priests to conduct same-sex weddings if their beliefs permit them. Kaya Burgess article in The Times here

Illegal church wedding blessing for the Rev Richard Coles

The Rev Richard Coles, broadcaster and priest, has revealed that he his partner David had a blessing for their marriage, conducted by a cleric without permission in a locked church with two witnesses. He told The Times they wanted a church service to which the Holy Spirit was invited: “There’s a lot to be said for a small wedding but not an illicit one”. He left parish ministry after his partner died aged 42, telling The Times that he could no longer stand the hypocrisy of the Church of England’s refusal to celebrate same-sex marriage.

Sandi Toksvig’s coffee with the Archbishop of Canterbury

Sandi Toksvig, comedian and TV presenter,  is to meet the Archbishop of Canterbury for coffee next week, five months after he agreed to meet her to talk about the Anglican church’s stand on same sex relationships. She had issued the invitation in August during the Lambeth conference of global Anglican bishops, where they maintained their historic position that gay sex is a sin. She tweeted at the time that she and her wife were due to attend a church for a charity concert, but she would not set foot in a  church again until it treated all people equally. In the invitation made public on Twitter, she said: “Call me, Justin. Let’s have coffee. Let me talk you round. You never know, I might even forgive you.” Now  it’s taking place, days after CofE bishops agreed to same sex blessings but will continue to ban same sex marriage.

Lunar New Year celebrations herald the Year of the Rabbit

Millions of people celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year this weekend, the date fixed to coincide with the second new moon after the winter solstice. In many cities and countries, the largely secular festival was celebrated with firecrackers, dragon dances and red lanterns. The traditions are steeped in myths about banishing evil spirits, with ideas adapted through Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Prayers are offered at temples. This is the Year of the Rabbit, one of twelve zodiac signs in China, perhaps derived from the Buddhist text Mahāsaṃnipāta Sutra, with the story of 12 deities protecting the world, each with an animal. Washington Post explainer here

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