Catholic lead bishop on the environment says decisive action needed at COP 28
The lead bishop for environmental issues, Bishop John Arnold, has written to the Prime Minister asking political leaders to take decisive action at the Cop28 summit on climate change, which opens today. He says energy transition targets must be monitored and enforced so that any agreements made at the summit are meaningful, adding:. “It is vital that the governments of the world overcome their divisions and work to promote real healing as well as effective co-operation to reduce carbon emissions”. The Pope was due to speak at the opening assembly but he has a lung inflammation and his visit was cancelled to allow him to recover. Yesterday the Vatican said he is getting better and is on antibiotics.
Anglicans appeal to world leaders at Cop28 to act with urgency
The Anglican Communion, which represents 85 million members in over 165 countries, is calling for world leaders at Cop28 to prioritise energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables and to do so with urgency. In a statement it says: “COP28 should take a decision to phase-out fossil fuels, fastest in the highest polluting countries, ensuring dialogue with affected sectors and overcoming barriers to transitions in emerging markets”. It adds that “countries that have done little to cause climate change should not have to pay for the damage it causes”.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, outspoken critic of the Pope, is evicted
Pope Francis is evicting the US Cardinal, Raymond Burke, from his Vatican apartment, and stopping his salary, after years of being at the receiving end of the Cardinal’s sharp criticism over his actions on social justice, liturgy and church governance. The Cardinal is 75 and is regarded as a leader of an organised so called “regressive” US movement against the Pope. Earlier this year, the Pope rode the storm describing his US detractors as “a rash”. But earlier this month, he sacked another arch critic, the bishop of Tyler in Texas.
Maeve Sherlock appointed shadow faith minister
Baroness Maeve Sherlock, a member of the House of Lords and priest in the Church of England, has become the shadow minister for faith, in a reshuffle caused by resignations over Labour’s position on a ceasefire in the war in Israel / Gaza. She takes over from Sarah Owen, MP for Luton North, who was one of the MPs to resign. Maeve Sherlock was chief executive of the National Council for One Parent Families and the Refugee Council and held many other public appointments until she was created a life peer in 2010. She trained for the ministry from 2016-2018 and is a non-stipendiary priest at Westminster Abbey and an honorary fellow and tutor at St Chad’s College, Durham, where she studied for a doctorate in Theology. She is also co-chair of Christians in Parliament.
Bishop proposes a plan to counter small boats immigration
The Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani, has published a private members bill in the Lords to provide a safe and legal route to the UK for asylum seekers, permitting an annual number of humanitarian travel visas to the UK. They would allow people to safely enter the UK where there is a high chance that their asylum claim will be granted and their claim would go through an accelerated process. The bishop said the scheme would assist refugees fleeing conflict, persecution and disasters and would “help to undercut the business model of people smugglers encouraging refugees to take dangerous journeys across the Channel and the Mediterranean, by providing a safe, accessible and controlled route”.
Research suggests people fear revealing their religious life at work
Yet another poll about religion in the workplace, with the publication of research from the Oxford based consulting firm, Pearn Kandola, which surveyed 6,000 people in the UK and US from six different faiths: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. The research suggests that people with faith are in the minority at work and many do not feel comfortable expressing their religious beliefs to their colleagues, fearing judgment and exclusion. It says that religion is often overlooked within diversity and inclusion strategies, which may lead to managers being unaware of their employees’ needs. Christians are more likely than other faith groups to think that their faith is a taboo subject at work. UK employees were more likely than Americans, to have requests for religious holiday leave rejected. Full research details here
Taking bodies away for cremation without any ritual likely to create mental problems
“Take-away” funeral companies, which take the body away for cremation without any ritual or service, are becoming increasingly popular after heavy marketing on daytime TV in front of an elderly audience. But panellists on our recent RMC briefing wondered what the impact of this would be in future years on families who have not held any kind of ritual to say goodbye or honour their loved one, a kind of “death denial”. They suggested more research is needed and a greater awareness of the depth of bereavement requiring spiritual help. Another area for future exploration is what happens to the digital presence of a person when they die. There is a growing area of work called “grief-tech”, looking at how to preserve or even re-create a person’s presence through their digital content. Our briefing on the Theos report: Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying, is on our YouTube channel here
Rabbi Jonathan Romain is new convenor of Reform Judaism’s Beit Din
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, minister of Maidenhead Synagogue and high profile campaigner, has been appointed as the new convenor of the Reform Judaism’s law court, the Beit Din, which gives advice on issues requiring a judgment in Jewish law, such as conversion, adoption or obtaining a Jewish divorce (a Get). He is known for progressive views on mixed faith marriage, same sex marriage and assisted dying. He succeeds Rabbi Jackie Tabick, who is retiring after 11 years.
Every CofE cathedral to benefit from 95-year-old’s legacy
Every Church of England cathedral is to benefit from the generosity of one man who so loved cathedrals he spent ten years of his life on pilgrimage visiting each one and has left them £4,000 each in his will. Frank Buzzard, who died last year at the age of 95, wrote his own guide to each of the cathedrals and his daughter is honouring her father’s wishes by writing cheques and photocopying every “guide” to send to each cathedral. There is one exception – Lichfield, which was his favourite and to them, he is giving £5,000 and his own “epic poem.” Mr Buzzard was an accountant who took on the cathedrals project in his retirement. His daughter said cathedrals were her father’s passion “and maybe just reading his guides might inspire a new generation of cathedral lovers”.
