Non Christian religions to feature in the coronation ceremony
Kaya Burgess reports in The Times that non-Christian religions will be represented in the coronation ceremony, with four Lords presenting regalia to the King and other faith leaders forming a faith procession. The report names the Lords as Baroness Gillian Merron, Jewish peer and former Labour MP, who will carry a robe; Lord Narendra Patel, a Hindu crossbench peer, who will carry the ring; Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, a Sikh crossbench peer, who will carry the coronation glove; and Lord Syed Kamall, a Muslim Conservative peer who will carry the armills (bracelets). The news follows mounting speculation as to how other faiths could be included in a Christian ceremony, with widespread recognition that this was the King’s wish, as Defender of the Faith – Christianity – but with a lifelong interest in spirituality and other faiths which led him once to say (now retracted) that he would prefer to be known as Defender of Faith. Last weekend there was a suggestion that the publication of the order of service had been delayed because the inclusion of other faiths had proved problematic, though the Archbishop of Canterbury denied this. Lord Singh told the Times that he didn’t think there would be any readings or blessings, but there would be a faith procession. Lambeth Palace has declined to comment on the story but details are expected to be formally announced this week.
Christians more likely to be pro-royalty
A survey for the Bible Society has found that 31 per cent believe a state royal event should be wholly Christian, while 21 per cent disagreed, 48 per cent said they didn’t know and 15 per cent said they should be wholly secular. The Bible Society concludes that “Britain has little appetite for a secular or multi-faith coronation”. The survey was conducted by YouGov six weeks after the Queen died and found 79 per cent said the presence of Christianity in her funeral was appropriate. The survey found that Christians of all ages are more likely than the general population to be pro-royalty.
Coronation briefing today
Today at 1200 the RMC is holding a zoom briefing on “Understanding the coronation service”, with guests Catherine Pepinster, Rev Prof Ian Bradley and Canon Prof Alison Milbank. To get the link: [email protected]
Global Anglicans opposed to same sex relationships tear up Anglican communion agreements
Anglicans in Gafcon (Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans), a rival group to the global Anglican Communion, released a statement at the end of their conference in Rwanda, rejecting the structures that hold the Anglican Communion together. These are the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates’ meeting. The statement said they had failed to provide a “godly way forward” and Gafcon had no confidence in any of them, but particular mention was made of the archbishop, rejecting his authority and saying he was no longer the first among equals. The latest flashpoint was the Church of England’s decision to bless same sex couples, which the statement interpreted as the CofE determined to “bless sin”. Only eight months ago, the Lambeth conference of bishops reached a harmonious acceptance that the Communion held together people with different views. But this week’s Gafcon meeting rejected the idea that contradictory positions can both be valid. Lambeth Palace responded that “no changes to the formal structures of the Anglican Communion can be made unless they are agreed upon by the Instruments of Communion”.
Gafcon is based in New Malden
Gafcon is based at Kingspark Business Centre, New Malden, Surrey. @churchmouse drew attention to this on Twitter yesterday, pointing out that it is a registered company and a registered charity. Its most recent accounts show an income of £389,061. It has nine trustees, four of whom are British.
Diane Abbott suspended as Labour MP over suggesting Jewish people do not face racism
The Labour MP Diane Abbott has had the whip suspended, pending an investigation into a letter she wrote to The Observer suggesting Jews suffer prejudice but this was not the same as racism. It means she will not be allowed to represent Labour in the House of Commons and will sit as an independent MP. She was responding to an article on Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all suffering from racism. She said: “They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable. It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus. In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships”. Dave Rich, policy director of the Community Security Trust, told the Jewish Chronicle that racism affects different communities in a variety of ways, and it would be better to find their common features rather than creating a divisive hierarchy. Diane Abbott has since apologised but the Board of Deputies said this was entirely unconvincing. Rabbi Herschel Gluck, president of the Orthodox defence group Shomrim in Stamford Hill, which is in Hackney, Diane Abbott’s constituency, told the JC that he had been shocked to read the letter, but her apology was “sincere and heartfelt and I certainly appreciate that”.
More than 40 dead in Kenya after pastor told people to fast to death
The Associated Press reports that thirty-nine bodies have been found on farm land owned by the pastor of the Good News International Church in Kenya. Pastor Paul Makenzi was arrested for telling his followers to fast to death to meet Jesus and he has been on hunger strike for the past four days while in police custody. Police acted after a tip off and found 15 emaciated people on the site – four have since died. AP says the pastor has been arrested twice before, in 2019 and in March 2023, in relation to the deaths of children and these cases are going through the courts.
CofE safeguarding board members blow the whistle
The only two board members of the Church of England’s Independent Safeguarding Board have told The Telegraph that the CofE is “obstructing its own safeguarding panel by denying them their own computers, refusing to share data and treating them with hostility. Jasvinder Sanghera CBE and Steve Reeves MBE told The Telegraph that “there has been clear interference with their work, a lack of transparency and a reluctance to provide information”. Ms Sanghera said the recent appointment to the Board of a new chair, Meg Munn, without consultation, had caused concern because she already holds other CofE safeguarding roles and the appointment is considered too cosy. Victims and survivors felt disregarded and re-abused, she said. In response, the safeguarding lead bishop, Joanne Grenfell, told Premier Christian News that it was vital to have independent scrutiny and she would have conversations with the Board about their concerns.
CofE launches funding for anti racism projects
The Church of England’s dioceses, parishes and other Church networks are being invited to apply for funding for racial justice projects. This is to achieve anti-racism objectives laid out in the report From Lament to Action, two years after it was published.
Jesuit leader visits five centres in England and Wales
Father Arturo Sosa SJ, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, visited five areas in England and Wales last week, meeting fellow Jesuits, lay staff, parishioners, and friends of the Society. In Liverpool, he celebrated Mass at Saint Francis Xavier and unveiled a plaque marking the 175th anniversary of the opening of the church and the departure of the Jesuits as the parish moves back to the Archdiocese of Liverpool. His other visits were to St Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre in Rhuallt, north Wales; Manresa House training college in Birmingham; Campion Hall and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Oxford university and finally the London Jesuit Centre and Farm Street Church in Mayfair.
