Teachers urged to keep church schools open during strike
The education secretary, Gillian Keegan, has appealed to teachers in Church of England schools to keep them open during the strike action expected this week. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) have voted to strike on seven days in the next two months in a pay dispute. In an address to the CofE’s national education conference in London on Friday, Ms Keegan said she understood the pressures people were under with economic challenges, but for teachers to have an impact, they needed to be in school: “My ask of all of you is that you now work with me to keep as many schools open and as many children in schools as possible during the disruptive strike action”. She was one of four speakers. The children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, said schools should be like a family, providing love and support and would like to see local authorities wrap their services around schools. Lord Boateng, who chairs the Church of England’s Racial Justice Commission, said it had been profoundly shocked to hear their testimony of discrimination against Roma, gypsies and Irish travellers and he appealed to schools to create partnerships to address the issue. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, spoke of the difficulty of leadership and the important pastoral and spiritual role of a local vicar within a school, and particularly with the adults: “This, surely, is one of the great joys and advantages of a church school.” Full story on our website here
Faith leaders protest for justice after death of Tyre Nichols
The Religion News Service reports that faith leaders have expressed grief and offered prayers for the family of Tyre Nichols, whose brutal assault at the hands of police officers was captured on film and has traumatised the nation. Nichols, aged 29, was stopped for a traffic offence in Memphis, Tennessee but was reportedly pulped like paper mâché and died later in hospital. The five black officers concerned have been sacked and charged with murder. Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry appreciated the protests for justice, Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber urged Christians to become police officers and Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson, said a society that did that could not be called “pro-life”.
Synagogue shooting kills seven in Jerusalem
Seven people were shot dead outside a synagogue in Jerusalem on Friday evening. They included a couple who went to help, a 14 year old boy on his way to a Torah class and a woman caretaker from Ukraine. It was the deadliest attack against Israelis since 2008. Last week, the Palestinian leadership severed security ties with Israel following a raid in the West Bank that left nine Palestinians dead. Today, the US Secretary of State starts a planned visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank. The World Council of Churches general secretary, Jerry Pillay, said there is a particular horror in any attack which takes place at a place of worship.
“Unprecedented” South Sudan peace mission for Archbishop, Pope and Moderator
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has outlined his ambitions for the “Pilgrimage of Peace”, the joint visit to South Sudan later this week, when he, Pope Francis and the moderator of the Church of Scotland the Rev Dr Iain Greenshields talk to religious and political leaders to work towards peace. In a statement the archbishop said the South Sudanese people suffer because of conflict, devasting flooding, widespread famine and intensified violence. He said the communities of South Sudan have worked together, and in their unprecedented joint visit they hoped to review and renew the commitments made by South Sudanese leadership at the Vatican in 2019. The RMC is organising a zoom media briefing on the visit tomorrow (Tuesday 31 January) at 1200. Further info here
Victorian church, an historical treasure, destroyed by fire
St Mark’s church, St John’s Wood, a grade II listed Victorian church, an “architectural and historical treasure” completed in 1847, has been destroyed by fire. 80 firefighters took three hours to bring the blaze under control, but by that time, only a shell was left, though some artefacts were saved. The National Churches Trust said it hoped mosaics and metal work could be salvaged and re-used if the church is rebuilt. The congregation and vicar the Rev Kate Harrison, held their Sunday services outside. Their message was “We are heartbroken. St Mark’s has been a beacon of hope and light in a dark world for 175 years. We don’t yet know the full extent of the damage, but we will rebuild”. And their Twitter feed was full of people saying their own church had burned down but they had indeed re-built.
Canada appoints anti Islamophobia champion
Canada has appointed its first representative to fight Islamophobia and discrimination. CBC news reports that Canadian Muslim human rights advocate Amira Elghawaby has been nominated to be a “champion, adviser, expert and representative” to support and enhance the government’s efforts. Ms Elghawaby will provide policy, legislative advice and projectsto promote inclusivity. She said Muslims are caught between being perceived as a threat or as representing a problem to solve, but there should be a national conversation about the value of Canadian diversity, “including the richness of Canada’s Muslim communities.”
Rainbow flag on CofE altar needs legal permission to stay
The Telegraph reports that the positioning of a rainbow Pride flag on the altar of St Nicholas church in Leicester has been referred to a church court. It says the flag was placed in September but removed in October because it needed a “faculty”, legal permission, to place it there. The Rev Canon Karen Rooms told the court that the Pride altar “is about pastoral care and a simple statement of welcome and safety”. But there was an objection from synod member Sam Margave, and the Rev Dr Ian Paul joined the debate telling The Telegraph that the altar was not a place for political protest.
