Pain, anguish and anger to be expected at the General Synod this week
The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has given two interviews to the press this weekend, on the eve of the General Synod. the church’s parliament. In an interview with the Church Times editor, Sarah Meyrick, he said the church was facing deep systemic challenges and he expected there would be a lot of pain, anguish and anger expressed at the synod, but hoped to focus on change. He also revealed that at a recent bishops’ meeting, there were “tears and penitence and a deep sharing with each other”, adding that there was also pain and a sense of the whole Church being humbled. Speaking to Kaya Burgess at The Times, he said the general public is disgusted by the Church of England and its deeply shameful failures to tackle abusers in its ranks. This was bound to have an impact when church leaders speak out about moral issues. He said making the church’s safeguarding process independent, which synod will vote upon this week, would really make a difference. The Archbishop is the interim leader of the CofE after Justin Welby resigned, and has attracted criticism for his handling of safeguarding issues. He was distressed at things said about him but insisted he would stay and be part of the commission electing the new Archbishop. He said the King cared very much that the Church of England flourishes. View our briefing on the impact of the crisis in the church on Liverpool, the church and the nation here
Bishop of Warrington issues clarification on her study leave and safeguarding
A letter has been made public from the Bishop of Warrington, Bev Mason, who made a complaint about sexual harassment against the former Bishop of Liverpool, and who was on study leave from her job for 18 months. Her letter says that she did not seek to take leave of absence from the diocese of Liverpool, but it was suggested by the Archbishop of York’s office as a pastoral response to her formal safeguarding disclosure. She says: “With regard to the safe recruitment of the Bishop of Liverpool, I was made aware in February 2023 that the Bishop of Liverpool had ‘bombed’ on safeguarding questions at interview. I was advised to retain safeguarding responsibility for Liverpool at least until the Bishop of Liverpool did some training. This was unsolicited”. Full statement is here
Only a quarter of the British public has a favourable view of the CofE
Only a quarter of the public have a favourable view of the Church of England, according to a YouGov poll of 2,000 people taken this month, days after the Bishop of Liverpool quit. The number had declined by 7 per cent since a poll in November, which was taken before Justin Welby resigned. Almost half those polled – 49 per cent –had an unfavourable view of the Church, a rise from 39 per cent in previous polling. Even among Anglicans, the numbers with a positive image of the church dropped from 66 to 54 per cent.
Justin Welby still living at Lambeth Palace
The Times reports that Justin Welby has been allowed to live at Lambeth Palace with his family for up to six months after his resignation, as he looks for a new home. It quotes a church source saying it is common practice for the Church Commissioners, who control the church’s assets and investments, to ensure clergy have accommodation after leaving their post until they can arrange somewhere new to live. Times report here
Gluten free and non-alcoholic communion possible but not yet
A plea for communion in the Church of England to include gluten free options and alcohol-free wine, has been denied, for the moment. The proposal came in a question to the general synod, and was replied to by the Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave. He said a change could be made, but it would have to overturn a rule saying bread is from wheat and the wine should be the fermented juice of the grape, and to change the rules so that receiving Holy Communion in a different way still counts. Guardian story here
Jewish Labour Movement ‘appalled’ by Andrew Gwynne comments
The Jewish Labour Movement says it is appalled at the antisemitic comments by Andrew Gwynne MP on a WhatsApp group, which led to him being sacked as a health minister and suspended from the Labour party. He is reported to have said the Jewish-American psychologist Marshall Rosenberg sounded “too militaristic and too Jewish. Is he in Mossad?”. In a statement, the Jewish Labour Movement said: “JLM is appalled by the vile antisemitic, racist and discriminatory comments made by Andrew Gwynne MP. The Prime Minister is right to have taken swift and tough action in sacking him and suspending his Labour membership. There must be no room for hatred like this in our party.” Jewish News story here
King and Queen to visit the Pope in April for the 2025 Year of Jubilee
Buckingham Palace has announced that the King and Queen will visit the Holy See and Italy in early April 2025. A statement said: “The King and Queen will join His Holiness Pope Francis in celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year. Traditionally held once every 25 years, the Jubilee is a special year for the Catholic Church; a year of walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.” Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, welcomed the announcement, saying it was an opportunity to celebrate the close relationship between the UK and the Holy See.
Trump’s ‘train wreck’ appointment of televangelist Paula White
Donald Trump’s decision to appoint televangelist Paula White to lead the White House Faith Office, has been met with derision and alarm by Christian leaders, including conservative evangelicals. Paula White is a charismatic preacher associated with the prosperity gospel, where material benefits are rewarded to those who donate, an ideology condemned as heresy elsewhere. She has led large churches in Florida and runs a thriving TV show broadcast on nine networks. Trump came across her after watching the show and she is said to be one of his spiritual advisers, meeting for Bible studies, with one report suggesting she converted him. She lives a flamboyant life, married to rockstar Jonathan Cain, and is praised by the White House for “fighting for religious freedom and humanitarian rights, and advocating for the voiceless”. Critics have said the appointment is an abomination, dangerous and a train wreck.
Aga Khan buried in Egypt near his grandfather
The Aga Khan IV, Prince Karim, was laid to rest on Sunday at a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, near his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah, and his grandmother, Om Habiba. This followed a private funeral service at the Ismaili community centre in Lisbon. He was regarded as a head of state, and the mourners included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The Associated Press reports that Ismailis lived for many generations in Iran, Syria and South Asia before also settling in east Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, North America and Australia more recently. They consider it a duty to donate up to 12.5 per cent of their income to the Aga Khan as steward.
Employment tribunal rules Voodooism is a religion
An employment tribunal in Birmingham has determined that Voodooism is a protected religious belief, because it has a spiritual belief system and tries to explain mankind’s place in the universe with concepts of spirits and divinity. Therefore, it should fall under workplace equality laws, meaning its followers cannot be discriminated against. The ruling came in the case of a council worker, Carlo Wint, who was working at a home for vulnerable young people, when a colleague said “I’m like a voodoo doll with needles in her eyes.” She told the tribunal it was a remark about herself being exhausted after a night shift. But Mr Wint took it to be a jibe at him. He told the tribunal he is Jamaican and a Christian and was offended to be associated with voodoosim. He sued Walsall metropolitan borough council for racial and religious harassment, but lost his case after the panel found it was a “poorly judged throwaway comment” that was not directed at him. Telegraph report here
