Ukrainian bishop: giving away land ‘would be tragic’
The Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic church based in London, Kenneth Nowakowski, says that the giving away of any territorial land by Ukraine would be tragic “given the fact that so many people have lost their lives in defending these territories in this very horrible, unprovoked attack in the war of Russia against Ukraine. I think that it’s not something that can be even contemplated by many people in Ukraine”. Speaking to the Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4, he said it was very difficult for Ukrainians to see a red carpet rolled out for President Putin in Alaska last week. Ukrainians in the diaspora were watching events intensively and trying to support family and friends in their homeland, including clergy who are keeping churches and cathedrals open for prayer and comfort at a time of national trauma, whose impact will be felt for years to come. In services yesterday, prayers were said for President Zelensky as he prepared to go to Washington, but also the Bishop said “faith requires us to pray for our enemies..to forgive those who have harmed us and who are harming us. And it’s difficult”.
The dangers of the Christian ‘Vance Anglosphere crusade’
The US vice-president J. D. Vance has been courting right-wing Christians in Britain, while on his summer holiday in the Cotswolds. His visitors included his friend, Dr James Orr, who experienced a lightbulb conversion and attended Holy Trinity Brompton, and is now associate professor of the philosophy of religion at Cambridge University and chair of the pro-Reform Centre for a Better Britain; Danny Kruger, Conservative MP who recently advocated a Christian restoration in the UK; and Sir Paul Marshall, owner of The Spectator and Unherd, and co-owner of GB News. Sir’s Paul’s Sequoia Trust once helped to fund coverage of the persecuted church on the Seen & Unseen website. Vance is a Catholic convert, influenced by National Conservatism, anti-woke, and on a quest to marry his politics with his faith. But Charles Moore, writing in The Telegraph, speaks of the danger that the “Vance Anglosphere crusade” could all go wrong, partly because “there is usually something unscrupulous about using Christianity as a political weapon” and also because people who disagree are called unpatriotic traitors. He asks: “If perverted liberalism leads to neo-Marxism, could not perverted patriotism lead to neo-fascism?”.
The rise of charismatics in US politics
As J. D. Vance courts Christian right-wing supporters on his summer holiday in Britain, academics in the America are examining in-depth how charismatic Christian nationalists moved into power around the White House, and what this says about the direction of US society. The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) has produced research on the growth of charismatic Christianity in the US, and the way its ideas have swept through American religion and politics over the past 50 years, until its leaders found a place at the centre of political power. In a summer webinar, academics studying the movement say much of the conversation to date has been on the growing influence of white evangelicals on Republicanism, right-wing ideology and Donald Trump. But it’s more accurate to understand this as the influence of charismatics, and their ideas of God-given leaders, warfare against demonic powers and Christian dominion over the world, needs to be understood. The webinar can be viewed here. Read our article here.
YouGov poll suggests belief in God is rising in Britain
A biannual YouGov tracker poll suggests that belief in God in Britain has risen in the past four years, while atheism has declined. More than one third of 18 to 24-year-olds now believe in a God or gods, up from just 16 per cent in the summer of 2021. Amongst the population as a whole, 28 per cent believe in God or gods, compared to 25 per cent in the summer of 2021. The survey also asked about atheism – 32 per cent of 18-24 year olds said they did not believe in God or gods, down from 49 per cent in the summer of 2021. And in the population as a whole, 38 per cent said they did not believe in God or gods, compared to 41 per cent in the summer of 2021. The full YouGov survey is here. The findings have been leapt upon by the Bishop of Lancaster, Jill Duff, who said Britain was undergoing a “spiritual awakening”. They have also been seen as vindication for an earlier YouGov survey for the Bible Society, which found 16 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds were monthly churchgoers, up from just 4 per cent in 2018, a trend called “The Quiet Revival”. Telegraph report here
Quiet revival: myth or reality? The Church Times investigates
The Church Times carries a long in depth review by Madeleine Davies, of the Bible Society’s survey “A Quiet Revival”, discussing, once more, the debate over the contested statistics. There has been a high degree of scepticism over the findings, which suggest there is a rise in church attendance among 18 to 24-year-olds, from four per cent in 2018 to 16 per cent in 2018, especially among young men. The stats paint a different story to the census and internal church data, but the report authors stand by their numbers, with co-author Dr Rhiannon McAleer advising “a posture of humility and learning, trying to work out what’s going on.” The review reports from many parts of Britain on stories of higher numbers of people coming forward for baptism, more students attending church, more growth amongst Pentecostalists and larger congregations reflecting immigration. Gender differences were examined, with a higher proportion of women attending, but also more young men, and new congregants across the board attending churches from many traditions within the CofE. There is also a recognition that people may be drawn in by a ready welcome, or promise of community, but the church has to offer the basics in the sadly lacking knowledge of Christianity. The article is here
Islamophobia definition review delayed til autumn
The Times reports that the government’s plans to come up with a new definition of Islamophobia has been delayed because of the sheer number of responses. The report says that the government attempted to limit public input into the plans by circulating the call for evidence to only a limited number of groups. But the shadow equalities minister, Claire Coutinho, put a link to the form on social media and thousands of responses came in. Dominic Grieve, who is chairing the process, says he needs more time and the advice will; now be given in the autumn. The existing definition has been resisted because it says Islamophobia is rooted in racism. But attempts to re-define it have been criticised as attempts to limit legitimate criticism of Islam.
National Secular Society makes series of complaints about religious charities
The Charity Commission is reviewing a complaint brought by the National Secular Society about homophobic comments on online video content linked to Potters House Church Uxbridge, including a video from five years ago. The NSS says enabling charities to set up for “the advancement of religion” is “enabling faith groups to spread homophobia with impunity”. It has already reported at least two other religious based charities to charity regulators for similar reasons this year. Premier Christian News quotes the church saying it is removing all previous social media from the church’s website and new social media accounts have been created. A pastor involved in one of the videos has now left the church.
Interfaith wellbeing festival planned for Bank Holiday Monday in London
The Faith and Belief Forum is putting on London‘s first ever Interfaith Wellbeing Festival on Bank Holiday Monday, featuring music, meditation, yoga, a football masterclass with QPR professionals, career drop ins, and panel discussions. There are five activity zones running from 11.30am to 4.30 pm at Paddington Recreation Ground in a packed programme organised by the Forum in conjunction with Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Christian and interfaith groups. The day is designed to explore wellbeing – physical, emotional, spiritual, and community. Matthew Gold, London Communities Coordinator at the Faith and Belief Forum said, “Wellbeing is a holistic activity – it’s about having a healthy balance of the physical, emotional, social and spiritual. This is a day for families and individuals to reconnect with themselves, with each other, and experience something new.”
