Religion news 6 February 2023

Image credit: @ctrlamb

Same-sex marriage decision week at CofE general synod

The Church of England general synod will discuss proposals on same-sex marriage this week, with the bishops proposing a continuing ban but allowing blessings of same-sex couples. Social media is awash with campaigning from both sides in a discussion which has become increasingly acrimonious.

… MPs preparing to take action over continuing ban

The Guardian reports a meeting held between MPs and the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss the bishops’ proposals. The report says that MPs are considering options to bring the church in line with the law of the land by repealing the 1919 act that allows the Church of England to govern itself, stripping the CofE of its exemption from the Equality Act, or passing a law permitting individual parishes and priests to conduct same-sex marriages. Alternatively, the ecclesiastical committee, which reviews CofE legislation, could take direct action and refuse to recommend approval of any new measures until the church offers equal marriage to same-sex couples. The Guardian had earlier reported that the Archbishop of Canterbury, told the MPs he would rather see the church disestablished than risk the global Anglican Communion splitting over the issue. Lambeth Palace said the conversation was “more nuanced and complex than how it has been described”.

… Pope, Archbishop and Moderator denounce criminalisation of homosexuality

The BBC reports that the Pope told journalists on the plane back from South Sudan, that the criminalisation of homosexuality was a sin and “an injustice”. The reports quotes the Pope saying people with “homosexual tendencies” are children of God and should be welcomed by their churches. Archbishop Welby said: “I entirely agree with every word he said there” and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland said: “There is nowhere in the four Gospels that I see anything other than Jesus expressing love to whoever he meets, and as Christians that is the only expression that we can give to any human being in any circumstance.” They were travelling back to Rome after a three-day “peace pilgrimage”.

… Sandi Toksvig campaigns for bishops to be removed from the Lords

The comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig has launched a petition to remove Church of England bishops from the House of Lords, prompted by its continuing opposition to same-sex marriage. In three days it has achieved almost 40,000 signatures. In a film posted on Twitter, she said there are only two countries in the world where representatives of the state religion automatically get a seat in the country’s legislature — Iran and the UK — and it was time to make this a club of one. A week ago, she had a cup of tea with the Archbishop Welby on the issue, following fury at the Lambeth Conference decision to uphold a resolution that homosexual practice is incompatible with scripture and it cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same-sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions.

… Bishop Guli Dehqani defends role of the Lords Spiritual

In response, Guli Deqhani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, who fled Iran with her family after an attempted assassination, tweeted that Iran and the UK were not comparable — “one based within an established and historic democracy, the other with unchecked powers upholding an autocratic theocracy”. The bishops in the Lords “work very hard indeed” to shape laws on social issues such as housing, immigration or gambling, she said, and they often spoke on behalf of other faiths and with “grassroots knowledge of and care for the regions they represent”.

Prominent Sikh barrister and campaigner comes out

Beyond Belief on BBC Radio 4 tells the story of Jasvir Singh, chairman of City Sikhs, a regular contributor on Thought for the Day and family law barrister, who has come out as gay despite death threats, intimidation and name-calling from within his faith tradition. He told the BBC religion editor Aleem Maqbool that he was speaking out after a video of his wedding last summer circulated on social media. He said he had never seen his faith as being in conflict with his sexuality because a central tenet was equality, but he knows Sikhs who have been kicked out of their homes, beaten and called paedophiles, for being honest about their sexual orientation. Beyond Belief is on BBC Radio 4 at 1630 GMT today, Monday 6 February.

Church leaders’ visit to South Sudan a ‘push for peace’

The visit to South Sudan of Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland ended with a mass where the Pope urged the people to resist the venom of hatred and find hope, peace and prosperity. Up to 100,000 people are reported to have attended the service, in a country where 60 per cent of the population is Christian and Catholics form the largest denomination. The Associated Press reports that Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, said the visit of the three leaders was an important push to the peace process. He called it a “critical exposure of our political leaders towards their personal responsibility for making peace and stability prevail in the country”.

Truro Cathedral in special measures

The Bishop of Truro, Philip Mountstephen, has published his conclusions on a report about discord at Truro Cathedral which gave rise to a “visitation”, a review of its work. His “determinations” list “serious concerns in regards of vision, mission, engagement, discordant leadership, conflictual working relationships, underperformance and an unhealthy culture” at the cathedral. It recommends a list of strict adherence to rules on all aspects of cathedral organisation including strategy, governance, HR, safeguarding and discipleship. The Dean, Roger Bush, retired in September, and the report expresses full confidence in his interim replacement.

Appeal for UK to observe International Day to Combat Islamophobia

 Islam TV reports that the Aziz Foundation has launched a campaign to enshrine the International Day to Combat Islamophobia — 15 March — into UK law. The UN says the day aims to create a dialogue that promotes tolerance and respect for all religions and beliefs. The foundation says it would be a way for the government to celebrate the contribution the British Muslim community brings to the UK. Asif Aziz, founder of The Aziz Foundation is quoted saying that Islamophobia is a type of racism and observing this day would “allow us to begin peeling back the layers of misunderstanding and mistrust that have built up over the years, so we can teach our children not only to be respectful of each other, but to celebrate our differences.”

Challenge to India’s ban on BBC Modi film destined for Supreme Court

The Supreme Court in India is due to consider a challenge to the government’s ban on the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question”. It will also consider moves to censor the film by ordering a block on tweets with a link to YouTube videos. The documentary is on Modi and his then state government’s response to Muslims and the 2002 Gujarat riots. It has caused protests across England with demonstrations by Hindu groups outside BBC buildings. Indian government officials ordered Twitter and YouTube to take down links, said the programmes “undermined the sovereignty and integrity of India” and had the potential to impact friendly relations with foreign states and public order within India. The BBC has defended the documentary saying it had adhered to the “highest editorial standards.”

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