Trump’s evangelical supporters make people “walk away” from Christianity
The granddaughter of the evangelist, Billy Graham, said when evangelical leaders supported Trump, “a man who bragged about assaulting women”, she saw people curious about Jesus and his teachings walk away. Jerushah Duford, whose mother is Billy Graham’s oldest daughter Virginia, is endorsing Kamala Harris for president and spoke during an “Evangelicals for Harris” zoom call last week. She said she is watching for faith leaders to support her grandfather’s favourite verse, Micah 6:8: “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” , and to rebuke actions that are the antithesis of that. Christian Post article here. Billy Graham’s son Franklin, who has followed his father to become a global evangelist, is a Trump supporter and said his father also appreciated Trump’s conservative values and policies.
Tomorrow, Tuesday 20 August 1400 UK time, our RMC briefing is on US vice president Kamala Harris, who will be formally nominated as the Democrat’s presidential candidate at the party’s convention in Chicago this week. With a Hindu mother, Baptist father and Jewish husband, we ask whether her broad interest in religion and strong stands on social issues, make her more or less appealing to constituencies of faith, or non-religion. To get the zoom link: [email protected]
British Jewish and Muslim leaders’ solidarity a “blueprint” for alliance against hate
Imam Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, has written an opinion piece in Jewish News, saying that in a summer of riots highlighting divisions, it has been “reassuring to see that not only lay members of Jewry but also faith leaders from across the Jewish tradition and the Board of Deputies have expressed solidarity with British Muslims during this time of immense intimidation, anxiety, fear and violence”. He welcomed comments from the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, saying “now more than ever, our communities must stand together against those peddling hatred and division. The Jewish community stands shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community”. Imam Asim said this is a blueprint for a powerful alliance between British Muslim and Jewish communities to stand together against the alarming rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred in Britian: “Our ability to thrive in our diversity is inextricably linked. Perhaps through working together in easing the pain caused by hatred and violence in this country, we can understand better the pain, suffering and devastation that the Palestine-Israel conflict brings to our respective communities, and provide a renewed momentum to play our part in bringing an end to that complex humanitarian crisis”.
Irish army chaplain stabbed outside barracks
Army chaplain Father Paul Murphy was stabbed multiple times at Renmore barracks in County Galway late on Friday night. He underwent surgery and is recovering in hospital, posting on Facebook as he awaited treatment, to thank people for their prayers. A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with assault and was remanded in custody to appear in court again tomorrow (20 August). Police say “one line of enquiry is to establish if this attack had a terrorism motivation”. Galway Bishop Michael Duignan said in a statement that the news was “deeply shocking and upsetting” and he prayed that Fr Murphy would make a full recovery.
Former Leeds university Jewish chaplains tell story of violent threats
Rabbi Zecharia and Nava Deutsch, former Jewish chaplains at the University of Leeds, have given an interview to the Times outlining the campaign of hate and violence against them, after film of Zechariah serving in the IDF was leaked online. They were brought up in Israel and had worked in Leeds for two years when Zechariah, a reservist, was called up after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. His wife was alone with two small children when she received vicious phone calls threatening rape and murder, including 400 in one night, a campaign that lasted weeks. They had a 24-hour guard and moved out of Leeds for a short period. In The Times report, Zechariah explains that when he returned from Israel he found his university email address, and access to the library, internet and printer had all gone due to “security concerns”. The university is quoted in the article saying the university was involved in the work that was done to protect the Deutschs: “The University of Leeds remains deeply saddened at, and continues to condemn, the public threats that were made to the safety of Rabbi Zecharia and Nava Deutsch. We are grateful for the support they have provided to Jewish students at Leeds and universities across the Yorkshire region”. Times report is here
New Jewish community in Devon, with deep bonds to nature
A new Jewish organisation, Miknaf Ha’aretz, aiming to build an “earth-based, radical, diasporist Jewish community in the UK”, has been launched near Totnes in Devon. The Jewish Chronicle reports that its founders are Sara Moon and Samson Hart, in their 30s, who grew up in the same Jewish synagogue, Hale in South Manchester. Both were influenced by Adamah, the biggest ecological Jewish organisation which believes that people and planet are one, and holds retreats exploring earth based Jewish farming life in the diaspora. Their new venture came out of a retreat studying Shemittah, a whole year of rest in the farming cycle and spiritual reflection, observed every seven years. Miknaf Ha’aretz is based in Devon and will include a family camp in Gloucester with activities for their youth movement Beenu and a Yom Kippur retreat in Wiltshire. Spirituality is at the core of the new community, with Sara a “Kohenet”, Hebrew Priestess, and Samson seeing the venture as part of a wider shift within the Jewish community, re-imagining identity.
Miracles and healing at Twickenham Stadium
The Nigerian pastor Jerry Eze, and his New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations church, held a “prayer conference” at Twickenham Stadium earlier this month, which attracted 80,000 people. Premier Christian News reports that last year, he held a similar event at the Excel Arena which attracted 70,000 attendees. The services are passionate events, with speaking in tongues, flamboyant preaching, gospel singing, prayer and “miracle healing”, with people previously unable to walk, filmed walking. Pastor Eze runs daily prayer events on YouTube and has more than one million followers in the UK. Legit, a Nigerian news website, says he earns N1billion (£486,000) monthly from the website. The NSPPD company is listed at Companies House, based in Birmingham.
Norman churches in north Kent re-opened together for first time since Black Death
Two ancient churches in Kent, dating back 1000 years, have been re-opened together for the first time since the Black Death in 1349, with visitors invited to walk the 1.5 miles separating them. Dode church stood in a village now disappeared, in Luddesdown; and Paddlesworth church stands in a small hamlet near Snodland, both are in an area south west of Rochester. Dode has been restored after centuries of disrepair and is open for weddings, naming ceremonies and burials in a Neolithic-style underground burial chamber. Paddlesworth is on the Pilgrim’s Way, close to a farmhouse and barns, a simple building with a chancel and nave. BBC story here
