Cottrell condemns Israeli action as ‘callous and unnecessary’
The Archbishop of York, Stepehen Cottrell, has condemned the recent action by Israel on Gaza, as callous and unnecessary, and a devastating and reckless blow. In a statement, the Archbishop, who is the interim leader of the Church of England, said: “It is so clear that there is no military solution to this situation: only dialogue and diplomacy will lead to justice and peace. This was a callous and unnecessary act of violence which showed scant regard for the sacredness of human life or the principles of international humanitarian law. This offensive must end, and it must end now. It is imperative that the ceasefire agreement be respected by all sides, unimpeded humanitarian assistance be re-established and the remaining hostages released immediately. I appeal to the British government to look again at the steps that can be taken to ensure the Government of Israel upholds the ceasefire agreement and abides by its responsibilities under international law”. Full statement here
Eco-friendly, community based Ramadan season in Britain 2025
Ramadan in the UK this year continues to emphasise community engagement with a renewed commitment to an eco-friendly festival, stewarding the earth’s resources. The central place of the moon, determining start and end dates and timekeeping, roots the season in nature and there are popular moves this year to persuade people to observe an eco-friendly Ramadan, with minimum waste and checks on the use of the earth’s resources. The importance of community is observed in all mosques and there are iftars arranged for groups within the community and sharing with others outside in interfaith events. Read Maira Butt’s report here
Church leaders discuss climate change in Brazil, ahead of COP30
A diverse group of around 50 church leaders, representatives of various faith traditions, ecumenical organisations, indigenous communities, and climate experts have gathered in Brazil to discuss climate change concerns, in preparation for COP30, to be held in Brazil in November. The group has been working on a “Call to Action” to be presented to the COP30 presidency, highlighting the threat to the Amazon region and the impact of climate change on indigenous peoples. The event was hosted by the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, Christian Aid, Anglican Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Internationalis, National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, and the Conference of Bishops of Latin America. Story is here
Myanmar Cathedral set on fire on latest attack on Christian communities
Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that soldiers in Myanmar set fire to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Banmaw, Kachin State, on the evening of 16 March, the day before St Patrick’s Day. It is said to be now a pile of ashes and the latest in a series of attacks against Christians. Weeks earlier, the priest’s residence, diocesan offices, and a high school located on its grounds, were demolished; airstrikes destroyed a church and monastery; and a pastoral centre was attacked and destroyed. CSW says the escalation follows the launch of Operation 1027 against the military by ethnic resistance groups, and now ethnic and religious groups are targeted.
Teacher who said LGBT+ is a sin loses challenge to unprofessional conduct ruling
A Christian teacher who told year seven pupils that being LGBT+ was a sin and transgender people were confused, has lost a High Court challenge over a finding of unprofessional conduct.Glawdys Leger made the comments in a religious studies lesson at Bishop Justus Church of England School in Bromley, in February 2022. She was suspended in March that year and dismissed two months later but not banned from teaching. The BBC reports that her professional conduct hearing was told that her comments were recorded by an 11-year-old pupil, who had been advised by her mother to note down any “transphobic” remarks. The mother complained. Ms Leger argued that the panel had failed to put her comments in context, but at the High Court, the judge said it was a “justifiable and proportionate sanction for her unacceptable professional conduct”.
Jewish Chronicle action to publish police advice in Imam hate crime case
The Jewish Chronicle is promising to ensure the publication of advice given to the police, which persuaded them to drop a case of hate crime against an East London Imam. It reports that a sermon was given soon after 7 October 2023, where an Imam “urged Allah to destroy Jewish homes”. But last week the JC was told the case was being dropped, a decision which the Government’s former independent adviser on political violence and extremism, Baron Walney (John Woodcock), described as a “shocking failure”. The JC now says that if the authorities do not publish all advice given to police, it will file a Freedom of Information Act request to see the documents.
‘Muslim, transgender and whole’, how a transgender man found peace
Hyphen Online has published the personal account of a transgender Muslim, who started life as a girl and was “born again” as a man aged 19. Jaheim Karimis describes his family’s reaction and the peace he has now found as Muslim, transgender and whole. He says: “I have found that to be transgender and religious is to live a life of tension — constantly negotiating between what you believe and who you are. The mosque may tell you that you are wrong and immoral, but your heart says you are the most divine thing of all. Some friends have told me to quit my faith. Sometimes, it is a tempting idea as remaining in a religious belief system that seems to condemn you can feel as painful and confusing as being in a relationship where love and rejection are equally intertwined. Still, a distinctly Muslim shape exists in my life, not least because of my honesty about the contradictions of my religious beliefs, but because it is in navigating those very tensions that I feel like every other Muslim and believer in God.” Article is here
Brits might not think they are happy – but they are kinder than they think
Scandinavian countries are the happiest places on earth, according to the World Happiness Report. The UK ranks at 23 on a list of 100 countries. The rankings are based on answers to questions around attitude to life, health, giving donations and helping a stranger, with the litmus test question: Would you return a stranger’s wallet if they dropped it in the street? Here the UK is deeply pessimistic, with people thinking very few would be returned, a ranking of 27 on the international chart. But it turns out that Brits are kinder than they think. The BBC tested it out on the streets of Belfast and dropped ten wallets to check reaction – all ten were returned.
