Church of England delays fully independent safeguarding process
The Church of England general synod has “missed an opportunity” to make its safeguarding operation fully independent, according to Bishop Joanne Grenfell, who tried to get the proposal through. Instead, the general synod voted for a halfway house, where national safeguarding officers are transferred to an external organisation, but in dioceses and cathedrals, safeguarding officers remain employed by the church. The push for change followed multiple safeguarding failures, including cover up over abuse by John Smyth, the resignation of the Bishop of Liverpool after sexual harassment and abuse allegations and calls for the Archbishop of York to resign over his handling of a vicar in the Chelmsford diocese once jailed for sex abuse. The decision not to adopt the fully independent safeguarding process, meant synod ignored advice from the entire senior leadership and adopted a measure proposed by the Bishop of Blackburn Philip North, who promised afterwards that the option for full independence will come back to synod, after more work on how it can be implemented. Survivors’ representatives said they were furious and hugely disappointed, describing the vote as “a punch in the gut” and accused synod of kicking the can down the road. Explainer here
Jewish-Muslim declaration presented to the King
King Charles received a deputation of Jews and Muslims at Buckingham Palace yesterday and was presented with a signed declaration of reconciliation between the two faiths. Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, and Dr Sayed Razawi, and the chief imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, had both signed the Drumlanrig Accord, which establishes a constructive framework for sustained interfaith solidarity amid rising tension in the UK. It was drawn up following a series of interfaith meetings over the past year, ending in a private retreat at Drumlanrig Castle in Scotland. Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, the senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism, acknowledged the accord was “not a silver bullet” in resolving differences between the faiths, but added: “We don’t have time to lose”. Dr Razawi said: “We have seen so much hatred, so much demonisation throughout Britain and on our streets, and in the aftermath of the horrific murders in Southport, it has become patently obvious that something needs to be done.” Jewish Chronicle report here
Churches sue White House over immigration raids
More than two dozen religious groups in the US are combining forces to sue the White House over President Donald Trump’s policy to allow immigration officers to storm churches to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. The groups, which include the Episcopal Church and the New York-based Rabbinical Assembly, claim the policy violates worshippers’ rights. The legal document says: “Congregations are experiencing decreases in worship attendance and social services participation due to fear of immigration enforcement action.” Report here
Boateng: CofE’s ‘pervasive culture of denial’
Lord Boateng, the former civil rights lawyer and Labour MP, let rip at Synod yesterday, comparing the Church of England’s “disturbingly pervasive culture of denial and silence” over dealing with “unpalatable truths” in its history with its attitude to racial justice. Boateng, who chairs the Archbishops’ Commission on Racial Justice, was presenting Synod with the commission’s sixth and final biannual report. He spoke of frustration at the lack of co-operation by the Church in supplying information to the commission. The report calls for action to address “gaping wounds of racial injustice” and to “welcome all comers”. Church Times report here
Gen Zers: Why we have turned to God
The Times has spoken to dozens of young people in Generation Z — from mid-teens to the age of 28 — to test recent research suggesting they are more spiritual than their parents. The research, conducted by OnePoll to publicise a book launch, says they are half as likely as their middle-aged parents or boomer grandparents to identify as atheists, with 62 per cent identifying as either “very” or “fairly” spiritual. In 2023, a third of them said that they believed in the existence of God or a higher power, up from a quarter in 2021. The Times interviews and phootgrapsh a broad selection of Gen Zers, who talk about their need for community, interest in spirituality and “being a new kind of Christian”.
Trump’s mass deportation will end badly, says the Pope
Pope Francis has rebuked President Trump’s plans for mass deportation of migrants, saying it will “end badly”. In a letter to US bishops, Francis says the policy deprives migrants of dignity and calls on the administration to follow the Bible and “welcome the stranger”. In response, Trump’s “US border czar”, Tom Homan, said the Pope should leave enforcement to his office, commenting that the Vatican was a city state surrounded by fortress-like walls. AP report here
Nicaragua attacks Vatican ‘prophets of falsehood’
The government of Nicaragua has attacked the Vatican as “allied with forces of darkness”. The 800-word rant accuses Catholic leaders who have spoken out against Nicaragua’s regime of being “prophets and merchants of falsehood, [who] know nothing of Christ”. It adds: “The Vatican State … allies with forces of darkness, barbarism, genocide, and evil” and it says the church has no political authority over Nicaraguans. Protests against Catholics have become increasingly violent in recent years, following criticism by the church in the aftermath of anti-government protests in 2018 that left hundreds of people dead. In 2023, a convent of the Poor Clare Sisters was seized and the nuns accused of “supporting terrorism”. No one knows what has happened to them. Catholic Herald report here
