Government report on faith and society published today
A wide ranging 60,000 word government report on how faith groups engage in society is published today, which charts their contribution supporting vulnerable communities, and concludes that the notion that faith is dying, is a myth. “Does the Government Do God?”, written by faith engagement adviser Colin Bloom, is intended to re-set relations between the government and people of faith. The Times reports that the report outlines issues which need addressing such as preventing forced marriage, tackling religious extremism and nationalism, properly regulating religious organisations that operate like schools, preventing radicalisation in prisons, challenging the Cinderella status of Religious Education and urging the need for greater religious literacy across all government departments and in society as a whole. The report makes 22 recommendations and says more needs to be done to aid greater understanding.
The RMC is holding a briefing on the report with Colin Bloom and guests at 1030 today. Details from [email protected]
90 dead and 213 missing at site of religious cult in Kenya
Police in Kenya have continued with the exhumation of bodies on land owned by the pastor and leader of a religious cult, teaching that followers must starve and get to heaven to meet Jesus. The death toll has now reached 90, with the bodies of three children found in one grave. Kenya Red Cross Society’s latest figure on the number of missing is 213. A further 34 people were rescued at the site when police moved in. Pastor Paul Makenzi, who heads the Good News International Church, remains in police custody. Associated Press story here
Diane Abbott asks to see local rabbi
The Jewish Chronicle reports that Diane Abbott, the MP who lost the Labour whip after writing a letter to The Observer about Jews and prejudice or racism, has asked to meet Rabbi Herschel Gluck, an ultra-orthodox leader in Hackney, who has known her for 30 years. He said he was shocked by her letter as she had helped the local Charedi community in her constituency. But he told the JC that she “needed to be aware of the pain and suffering of other communities too”.
Minneapolis allows call to prayer five times a day
Islam Channel reports that Minneapolis has become the first major US city to allow mosques to publicly broadcast the call to prayer five times a day. In the past, the call was allowed until 10pm due to the city’s noise regulations. But now that restriction has been lifted and the call to prayer will be heard sometimes from 3.30am to 11pm in the summer.
“Devout Christian” mother loses school LGBT parade case
The Times reports that the mother of a four-year-old boy has lost a legal case against his school in south London, after it refused to let the boy opt out of a LGBT parade. Izzy Montague, 38, described as a devout Christian, was concerned “with him being involved in a public display of adherence to views which she did not accept”. She sued the school for violating equality and human rights legislation, but judgment went against her. She will appeal.
CofE report urges support for permanent family relationships
A Church of England report “Love Matters” calls on all institutions to priorities family life and urges support for permanent, good quality family relationships, single, paired, in groups, or separated. It says these are the bedrock of a fair and kind society. The report was commissioned by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to help the church support families and households.
Irish Catholic parents opting children out of new sex education syllabus
Irish papers are reporting that a Catholic parents’ association has drafted ‘legally tight opt-out’ letters for those who do not want their children to participate in a new sex education curriculum addressing gender identity. The report says that the new syllabus follows a Government-commissioned review of the sex education at primary and second level, which found that it did not reflect the reality of young people’s lives or LGBTQ issues. The new syllabus would help build life skills that young people need growing up in a fast-changing and complex world and was produced after a full consultation.
300 year old gravestones smashed in Croydon church yard
Vandals have smashed dozens of churchyard graves , at Croydon Miinster some of which date back 300 years. The Express reports that 30 stones were uprooted and then broken into pieces. Some tombs were entered and damaged too. The graves include someone who died in the Napoleonic wars and local people from the 1700s. The congregation said th desecration was devastating, disgusting and disrespectful.
