Justin Welby wins Lords backing for 10 year strategy on refugees and trafficking
The House of Lords has backed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s proposal for the government to include a 10-year strategy on refugees and trafficking, as part of the Illegal Migration Bill. It was one of 20 amendments approved by the Lords and the bill will go back to the Commons for final votes. On the eve of the Lords vote, the Archbishop spoke about refugees in an event organised by the Board of Deputies at Bevis Marks Synagogue, in Aldgate. He said:“They are not refugees, they are people. They are not just a category”. The Jewish Chronicle reports his wide ranging views at the meeting, on antisemitism in British universities. He said: “No one is entitled not to be offended – but everyone has the right not to be abused`”. He spoke of the need to reward vice-chancellors for taking action which he understood took courage. Full report here
“Eid with Refugees” events showed that “no human being is illegal”
Mosques and community centres across Britain have hosted Eid events for refugees in a campaign run by the Muslim Council of Britain. Eid with Refugees events were held in Manchester, Nottingham, Luton and London, sometimes in partnership with refugee campaign groups, and always with Eid festival food. Secretary General Zara Mohammed said the campaign drew attention to the importance of welcoming people, especially from conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria, and to make the point that no human being is illegal.
Removing bishops from the Lords debate attracts few MPs
The day after the Archbishop’s’ win on the Illegal Migration bill, thirteen MPS attended a Westminster Hall debate in parliament, calling for bishops to lose their place in the House of Lords. The debate was proposed by Tommy Sheppard, SNP MP and co-chair of the all-party parliamentary humanist group, and was backed on social media by comedian Sandi Toksvig. Mr Sheppard said the level of interest in the issue is wide, even though there were so few in the room, because the bishops’ presence gives democracy a bad name. Conservative MP Andrew Selous said the issue probably didn’t make even the top 100 things his constituents were interested in. A full running commentary was provided on Twitter by the CofE’s Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Richard Chapman. Responding on the government’s behalf, Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said removing bishops from the House of Lords was “not something that the government will be engaging in”.
Ukrainian Cathedral hosts prayers on 500th day of conflict
Tomorrow, Saturday 8 July, marks 500 days since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London will hold a prayer service to remember those who have died, to pray for peace and to give thanks for the British welcome to Ukrainian refugees. Dr Krish Kandiah, director and founder of Sanctuary Foundation, which has helped to house and help refugees in the UK, said in these 500 days of war there have been 6,341,700 refugees, representing millions of lives disrupted as well as thousands of casualties. But he said stories of courage and resilience, hope and hospitality have emerged and this work continues.
Local councillor warns extra tax required to maintain full church graveyards
A Swale borough councillor in Kent has warned that the local authority could be forced to levy an extra tax to care for church graveyards that are full. A council report explains that under the terms of the Burial Act 1853, where a Church of England churchyard is full and closed to further burials, responsibility for maintenance may, at the request of the Church, be transferred to the relevant local authority. The transfer is compulsory, not dependent on the condition of the churchyard in question nor on the local authority’s ability to meet the additional maintenance costs. Kent Online reports that Swale councillor Richard Palmer said the situation is a “ticking time bomb” with 21 full church graveyards, and the situation has the potential to become “cripplingly expensive”. He warned it could cost up to £1million and said the authority could consider raising a special one-off tax to help maintenance costs, branding the law which make local authorities responsible, as “unfair and totally out of date”.
One fifth of US Methodist congregations have left over same sex marriage dispute
The Associated Press reports that more than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the US total — have received permission to leave the denomination in a dispute over same sex marriage. The figure has been calculated by United Methodist News from the results of annual regional conferences. Church law forbids the marriage or ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals,” but individual churches and conferences have defied the rules, and conservatives have protested. A national conference to resolve issues has been delayed for four years but the tension has caused congregations to breakaway. Those that have left have joined alternative groups such as the Global Methodist Church or the Methodist Collegiate College, others have gone independent or joined different denominations.
Methodist church for addicts in recovery
Woodlands Methodist church in Glasgow is starting a “recovery church” for ex addicts, called “New Place for New People”, funded from the sale of a church building in east Glasgow and donations from fund raising. It will offer Bible recovery, Bible studies and worship and follows a similar venture in Newcastle. The Rev Laurent Vernet said: “We want to offer a Christian community, working with them but not judging them and not telling them what to do”. Woodlands already sees 400 to 500 people per week come through the doors seeking help for various addictions. Its specialist work started about 40 years ago and now includes Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Two new projects have started – an arts project, “Recovart”, for recovering addicts and another where ex-offenders learn to become recovery coaches themselves. Its work was so crucial that Woodlands was the only church in Glasgow that stayed open at all times during the pandemic. Story is in a Methodist blog here
MPs publish bill to force the CofE to allow same sex marriage
A group of MPs, incensed at the Church of England’s reluctance to move on same sex marriage, have produced a draft text of legislation which would force the CofE to shift. The proposal is led by Sir Ben Bradshaw, who said it was unsustainable for the church to continue to discriminate against a significant minority in the country it purports to serve. The Church Times reports his view that parliament may wish to explore legislative solutions if the synod continues to block change.
HTB leaders speak out in same sex marriage debate
Holy Trinity Brompton leaders have come out against proposals for same sex blessings for couples following a civic marriage. The Rev Nicky Gumbel and Rev Archie Coates added their names to a letter to the bishops opposing the process, which is due to be debate again at the General Synod in York this weekend. The signatories include evangelicals and others, who say the moves are unconstitutional because any change requires a two third majority at Synod. Their letter says any prayers or service must not include a departure from the doctrine of the Church of England on marriage “We consider this situation has arisen here”. Full letter in Church Times here
Wedding fees and incense
The Times reports two stories that might be raised this evening, the opening night of the General Synod. One is a proposal to abolish £500 wedding fees, and the other is to warn that incense could cause lung disease.
Leadership programme to find new generation of Christian communicators
The Centre for Cultural Witness, a project based at Lambeth Palace which seeks to explain Christianity to society, is launching a leadership programme to train people under the age of 35 in how to communicate their faith. The Emerging Leaders Programme is seeking applications from 10-15 younger people who will be offered training in “speaking, writing, and presenting Christian faith and ideas to a secular audience”. It is envisaged they will develop a profile in public life and publish articles on the Centre’s website Seen and Unseen, creating a new generation of “Christian apologists and communicators of the faith”.
CTVC is hiring
CTVC, an independent production company producing content on religion and ethics, social issues and education, is looking for a senior producer to join its radio and podcast team. One of its flagships is “Things Unseen”, a podcast for people of faith and the spiritually curious. Its programmes are commissioned by BBC Radio 4 and the World Service among others. Further details from CTVC
