Iftar meals springing up all over the UK in burst of community energy
Public iftar meals have become a popular feature of Ramadan in the UK in 2023, with gatherings breaking the day of fasting held in a cathedral, library, open air squares and football clubs. Messenger, published by Newsquest, says “there have never before been so many organisations and companies opening their doors to Muslims and the wider community”. It reports a “real burst of energy from community groups and charities to reach out to non-Muslims” with people bringing their neighbours and work colleagues to join in.
The Jewish festival of Passover begins today
The Jewish festival of Passover is observed from today until Thursday 13 April, commemorating the exodus of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. Customs include the Seder meal, with candles, rich food minus grains and retelling of the story. Chabad.org explains that the matzah bakery in Dnipro, Ukraine, has continued to make and export high quality flour for matzah unleavened bread, a feature of Passover meals. Read our factsheet here
Number of over-65s saying they have no religion has doubled in a decade
The number of people in England and Wales aged over 65 claiming “no religion” in the census, has doubled since 2011. The details are listed in another tranche of results from the 2021 census released by the Office of National Statistics. It shows that the number of “nones” increased from 8.5 per cent to 17.5 per cent – a 100 per cent rise in this age group. But among the general population, the increase was just 41 per cent. But, 72.2 per cent of the population in this age group identified as Christian – a drop of 8 per cent on 2011.
Bishop appeals for action to prevent loneliness after story of woman’s body discovered after two years
laid dead for The shocking story of a 58-year-old medical secretary whose body lay undiscovered in her Peckham flat for two and a half years has triggered a story about loneliness and isolation. Sheila Seleoane’s body was discovered when police entered the flat after complaints of smells and a maggot infestation. Her flat is in the area covered by the Diocese of Southwark, and the bishop Christopher Chessun told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 that it was a tragic wake up call to create caring communities. Many people cherish their own space and being single, but it goes wrong when it sinks into isolation and loneliness, he said, and it was important to co-ordinate individual and group efforts to avoid such an occurrence in the future.
Calls to abolish Bible oath in court
Humanists UK is calling for an end to the use of the oath on the Bible in court cases, after research found defendants who don’t ‘swear by Almighty God’ are more likely to be found guilty by jurors who do. The research is published in The British Journal of Psychology and was led by Professor Ryan McKay of Royal Holloway, University of London. The research found people associate the religious oath with credible testimony but biased judgments could number “potentially in the hundreds every year’. Humanists UK favour changing the words to: “I solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Shortage of Muslim families offering to adopt
A shortage of Muslim families coming forward to adopt or foster children is highlighted in a feature for Hyphen Online. Shamim Chowdhury reports the experience of a mixed-race couple who adopted one son in Pakistan and another in England, where a local authority had a policy of matching children in care with people of the same or similar ethnicity – it placed less emphasis on shared religion, the couple said. It’s suggested that reasons for a shortage of Muslim adopters include a lack of fluency in English, not having a separate room for the child, and “mutual distrust between communities and authorities which prevents potential carers from coming forward”. The report says one adoption agency had a lot of Muslim children waiting for homes and some were adopted by people of different faiths, which was “a big problem.” Hyphen report is here
Church of Scotland minister considers becoming a Catholic over church closure plans
A Church of Scotland minister, the Rev Brian Casey, is considering converting to Catholicism in protest against plans to cut the number of ministers and churches in some of the country’s most deprived areas. The Herald reports his objection to plans to reduce the number of ministers in an area of Glasgow covering 18,000 people, where churches are involved in front line social action such as food banks, financial advice and services for drug addiction. The Church of Scotland has embarked on a cost cutting programme following a 34 per cent drop in church membership over the last ten years and fewer ministers, which has led to church closures to create a “lean and fit mission for the 21st century”.
Nuns and religious support trans people in the US
A coalition of Catholic nuns, representing over 6,000 religious and nearly 30 religious organisations and congregations in the United States, has published an open letter declaring that trans people are beloved and cherished by God. It follows a recent statement from U.S. Catholic bishops discouraging Catholic health-care groups from performing various gender-affirming medical procedures. Writing for The Washington Post, Jack Jenkins says the coalition’s letter, published on the International Day of Transgender Visibility, has been released following concerns around “anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, harmful rhetoric from some Christian institutions and their leaders, including the Catholic Church, and daily discrimination and violence”.
Professor in dispute over medieval painting of the Prophet Muhammad, is retiring
The president of Hamline University in Minnesota, who was criticised after an art history lecturer lost her job for showing a medieval painting of the Prophet Muhammad, has announced her retirement. Fayneese Miller said her departure was a bitter sweet moment but she defended her earlier action. University staff had called on her to resign saying she was trampling on academic freedom to teach issues without fear. The lecturer is suing for religious discrimination and defamation. Religion News Service story here
Former Catholic bishop of Plymouth has died
Christopher Budd, the retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, has died aged 85. He was at the centre of a Panorama documentary on the ordination of a priest found guilty of child sex offences. Budd had advised against his ordination, but he was ignored. He won a reputation for humility and honesty, served as rector of St John’s Seminary at Wonersh, Surrey, and was once spoken of as a future Archbishop of Westminster. Telegraph obit here
Scottish community church bidding to set up in a converted pub
The Herald reports that plans are being submitted to convert a village pub in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, into a church. Mintlaw community church says having its own place will allow it to serve the local community better than renting a room for Sunday services once a week.
Newton’s theory for solving problems of religion, up for auction
A manuscript by Sir Isaac Newton with his “plea for peace” to “solve problems of religious dispute” is being auctioned by Bonhams in New York. The auctioneers are quoted by The Times saying Isaac Newton thought he could solve the problems of religion in much the same way as problems of the physical world. The pages are drafts from Newton’s Irenicum, left in the scientist’s personal papers when he died. They were sold after 200 years in 1936 and are up for auction now with a guide price of up to $90,000.
