Bishop of Sheffield contender for Archbishop of Canterbury job
The decision as to who will be the next Archbishop of Canterbury has been made, with Downing Street set to announce the appointment on Friday morning. According to the Telegraph, Times and Mail, the Bishop of Sheffield, Pete Wilcox, has emerged as a contender. The Mail headlined that he’s a football fan, a self-confessed “Newcastle United nut”. Other names consistently linked to the role include the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani; the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Michael Beasley; and the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally. The Telegraph also reported that “a foreign primate was sounded out for the role and refused.” The Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek, whose name was floated by Channel 4 news last week, has also been mentioned.
Former faith minister Lord Khan urges government to tackle hate crime against Muslims
The former faith minister, Lord Wajid Khan, who lost his job in the recent government reshuffle, has given an interview to Hyphen Online urging the government to tackle hate crime against Muslims. He said there has been a huge increase in racism, and he is worried about the demonisation of communities of colour, dismissing Reform UK’s “simple solutions to complex problems”. Governments have to control borders, he said, but the public debate around migration needs to recognise migrants’ contribution to the UK. Lord Khan said he had contacted his old department after reports that the proposed re-definition of Islamophobia might be rejected, adding that he would be disappointed if there were no action on religious hate crime. He told reporter Samir Jeraj, that he made 220 visits to different faith communities during his 14 months in post and it was “humbling” to hear people’s everyday experiences and challenges. He said he is hopeful of a return to government, and he will “always be happy to support and help the government”. His departure from office surprised many. The new faith minister is Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Bishop calls on asylum hotel protesters to swap megaphones for conversations
The Church of England’s joint lead bishop on racial justice, Arun Arora, has called for megaphones and placards to be put aside, and for asylum hotel protesters to start talking, to build bridges between communities. Speaking at a conference for UK minority ethnic clergy and ordinands, he said not all those who take part in the demonstrations are racist, and “there is a need to listen to the voices of people taking part who feel ignored and are struggling to pay their bills, while speaking up against the ‘exploitative’ voices of people who suggest it is the fault of migrants”. He urged the Church of England to “embrace St George’s Day next year and celebrate a positive patriotism rooted in Gospel values and the love of God for all.” He is Bishop of Kirkstall in Leeds and revealed he had offered cup cakes and prayers to protesters outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, inviting the organiser for a meal and bringing together six people from each side for private meetings in a church. His address is here.
Pope Leo: Climate call of Laudato Si’ more urgent than ever
Pope Leo has marked the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’, the encyclical published by his predecessor Pope Francis, on caring for the planet. He said the challenges of global action on climate change are even more relevant today than ten years ago. Addressing the “Raising Hope” international conference on climate justice at Castel Gandolfo, he recalled that some world leaders had chosen to “deride the evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them most.” He re-affirmed the message that environmental concerns are not only political and social, but also spiritual, repeating Pope Francis’ call for a “conversion of heart”. In front of an audience of 1,000 environmentalists and representatives of communities under threat, he said the impact of Laudato Si’ “has extended to summits, interreligious initiatives, economic and business circles, as well as theological and bioethical studies.” He noted that the phrase “care for our common home” has become a standard expression, used in academic work and public discourse across peoples and continents, and advised: “when the time comes, God will ask us if we cared for our common home”.
Muslim Council of Britain welcomes long jail sentence for Rochdale grooming gang leader
The assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Naomi Green, has welcomed the sentencing of the grooming gang ringleader, Mohammed Zahid, who has been jailed for 35 years for raping two schoolgirls in Rochdale. He was one of seven men convicted of sexual offences against girls between 2011-2006. In a statement, Dr Green said that the MCB always made it clear that “sexual violence against women and girls in any form is unacceptable, and has no place in any community, no religious justification and no room for excuses. We must never allow the actions of a few to tarnish entire communities nor allow fear of prejudice to silence our responsibility to act. We continue to call for stronger safeguarding measures to protect our youth and for all child sex abusers from any ethnic, religious or other background to be swiftly brought to justice. This is a shared duty.”
Ozanne Foundation for LGBT+ rights has closed down
The Ozanne Foundation, led by gay evangelical Christian Jayne Ozanne, is closing down after eight years. In a statement on Twitter / X, she said the organisation sought to “work with religious organisations around the world to eliminate discrimination based on sexuality or gender in order to embrace and celebrate the equality and diversity of all”. She said she was “immensely proud” of its achievements especially over “highlighting the harm that conversion therapy inflicts on LGBT+ people, most often at the hands of religious leaders”. She said “the need for LGBT+ people to be treated as equals is now a mainstream issue amongst nearly all the major world religions”. The charity’s assets have been dispersed and Jayne Ozanne has moved back to Guernsey where she grew up, now serving as an elected local politician, and as vice-president of the Committee for Employment and Social Security.
World Jewish Relief wins contract to help refugees from Ukraine and Hong Kong
World Jewish Relief has won a government contract to supply training and employment opportunities for Ukrainians and people from Hong Kong. The programme, in partnership with the British Council, will offer sessions with employment advisers and assistance with CVs, cover letters, job applications, and interview preparation. English classes will be taught online by British Council teachers. World Jewish Relief has successfully delivered similar projects for 14,000 Ukrainians and 500 other nationalities, with 65 per cent of Ukrainians finding employment since completing the programme. Jewish News report here
Templeton pays tribute to Dame Jane Goodall
The Templeton Foundations and Trust have issued a statement mourning the death of Dame Jane Goodall, who was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2021 for a career “sustained by a keen scientific and spiritual curiosity”. Dr Goodall came to public attention for her studies of chimpanzees in Tanzania, and then founded the Jane Goodall Institute, to help protect them. Templeton says that throughout her life, she studied and spoke about the interconnectedness of nature and the importance of preserving the natural world. She died peacefully in her sleep aged 91.
