Government refugee plans ‘grotesquely cruel’
The government is expected to announce plans today to remove migrants arriving in small boats from the UK, ban them from future re-entry and prevent them from applying for British citizenship. Sarah Teather, director of the Jesuit Refugee Service UK said: “To deny sanctuary to people who need it based on their mode of arrival is grotesquely cruel and cravenly dishonest.” She appealed for safe, accessible routes for people seeking refuge, whilst embedding a culture of protection in the asylum system. The home secretary, Suella Braverman, is said to be ready to announce that the new law will come into effect from the moment she unveils the scheme in the House of Commons today.
Campaign to enlist RE teachers as applications plummet
A campaign to recruit teachers of religious education has been launched after applications plummeted by a third this year. Campaigners from Culham St Gabriel’s Trust, RE teaching organisations, faith groups and MPs say the Department for Education has missed its target for the recruitment of RE teachers in nine of the past 10 years, yet the number of students taking GCSE has risen by 30 per cent over the past decade. The campaign “Beyond the Ordinary” seeks to attract graduates who can enable children and young people to navigate this “complex multi-religious, multi-secular society”.
Scientists launch project to find the origin of life
Kaya Burgess in The Times reports the setting up of a new multinational scientific group, “The Origins Federation”, whose aim is to discover the origins of life in the universe. Astrophysicists and zoologists from Britain, America and Switzerland, believe they could discover clues of extra-terrestrial life in thousands of worlds over the next 20 years. The initiative was announced at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC. The story is here
Catholic women around the world appeal for reform and equality
An international survey of 17,200 Catholic women has found that 79 per cent want women to be included at all levels of church leadership, 78 per cent said women should be able to give homilies and 68 per cent said women should be eligible for the priesthood. The survey was commissioned by Catholic Women Speak, an international organisation, as part of the submissions to the Synod of Bishops and included women from 104 countries. Support for reform was high at 84 per cent expressing deep concern at abuse of power by male clergy.
Evangelicals are not unanimous on view of same-sex relationships
Eighteen Church of England evangelicals who are in favour of same-sex blessings have written to the Church Times pointing out that many evangelicals welcome and celebrate committed same-sex relationships. They are urging the organisations, groups, and individuals holding more conservative views to recognise this reality. They say that words used to defend the opposition to same-sex relationships, implies that those who take an opposite view are somehow unbiblical, which is not the case. “As evangelicals we are committed to the authority of scripture, but we are also acutely aware that we continue to ‘see in a mirror, dimly’ (1 Corinthians 13:12). “ The signatories include three archdeacons and 15 others. The letter is in full here
US evangelical support for Israel declining in generational shift
The Guardian has a long report on how US white evangelicals’ support for the state of Israel is subject to a generational shift. It charts the way evangelicals have been the backbone of support for Israel, with the Texas megachurch pastor John Hagee founding Christians United for Israel, whose membership of 11 million has been a major influence on Republican politics. But the report quotes author Daniel Hummel saying that the “younger, under-40 evangelical community is far less supportive of Israel and far more interested in social justice ways of thinking about the Middle East, which would side more with the Palestinians than the Israelis”. Article is here
Purim festival food for Jewish communities in Ukraine
The Jewish Relief Network in Ukraine has distributed 1,000 food parcel gifts for the Jewish festival of Purim, which is being celebrated today. The packages contain wine, sweets, fresh triangle-shaped biscuits, an illustrated scroll of Esther, a colourful gragger (rattle) and a guide detailing the holiday customs and traditions. The boxes are being prepared and delivered by hundreds of volunteers at Chabad-Lubavitch centres around Ukraine. A report in Chabad News describes the way hundreds of Jews will celebrate the festival in Ukraine, and how they are coping with the constant threat of attack and power cuts.
Drag night at St James’s Piccadilly
“PREACH!”, a drag night in a church, graced St James’s Piccadilly at the weekend and caused consternation on social media. The church’s digital communications officer, Derrie Shurville, explained that drag sometimes pointed to the ridiculousness of gender: “They are not copying women, they are revealing an aspect of themselves or they are sharing their art with other people.” But on social media, people said it was blasphemous, they were horrified, the church was lost, it was an abomination and disgraceful. Undeterred, the church is planning a sequel on 3 June, heralding Pride week.
