Biden’s decision to withdraw from presidential race “an act of heroic humility”
President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek re-election was an act of heroic humility worth a few moments of reflection, according to Michael J. O’Loughlin, writing in the Jesuit review “America”. He says: “There may be more Catholics elected president after Joe Biden. But a Catholic politician, raised in a church energized by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, who sees the Democratic Party as the best means to serve the poor, feels unlikely to be repeated anytime soon”. The article considers that the decision to withdraw was costly and painful, and an acknowledgment that he had been wrong in his determination to stay.
Faith and beliefs of Kamala Harris
The Christian Post delves into the beliefs and voting record of vice president Kamala Harris, widely tipped to replace Biden in the presidential election. It points to her support for abortion rights, same sex marriage, Medicare for all and opposition to the death penalty. It doesn’t mention that Kamala Harris attends services at the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, her father is a Christian and her mother a Hindu, so when she was growing up, she attended both a black Baptist church and a Hindu temple.
Jewish Telegraph report on the Democrat presidential candidates
The Jewish Telegraph has published a report outlining the opinions of seven Democrats who could replace President Biden as candidate in the presidential election. The article charts how each has handled unrest since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October and prints their comments on Israel and Palestine. It tells the story of the vice president Kamala Harris, and her Jewish husband, Doug Emhoff, and re-prints a comment he made two years ago on the way his religion had been widely reported when his wife took up her role: “I didn’t realise what a big deal it would be not only to the Jewish community and to faith communities but to myself. It’s actually driven me closer to faith. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things.
US evangelist Franklin Graham resumes full support for Trump
The US evangelist Franklin Graham, who was invited to address the Republican National Congress, asked the audience to stand and pray, thanking God for saving Donald Trump’s life. He said he had found Trump to be a man of his word, and praised his work on religious freedom worldwide. Franklin Graham, son of the US evangelist Billy Graham, was a keen supporter of Trump when he was president, leading a prayer at the inauguration. But last year when he was in the UK, he appeared to have cooled, admitting: “Of course he lost the election. There’s no question about that”. That uncertainty appears to be over now. In his prayer at the Congress, the evangelist asked God to give Trump wisdom, strength, a clear vision for the future of America and continuing protection from his enemies.
Other news
Bishop of Chelmsford says sharing the gospel is “inherently political”
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, has robustly defended the responsibility of Christians to speak “steadfast, prophetic words”, into the political life of the nation. Speaking at the conference of the Catholic based National Justice and Peace Network in Swanwick, she said the distinctive function of the church – seeking justice and peace and sharing the good news of Christ – is inherently political: “Christ came to free the captive and bring good news to the poor – that was a political act”. The bishop has been at the forefront of the Lords Spiritual interventions against the Rwanda bill and in their discussions on the provision of housing. She said it was a Christian responsibility to give voice to the voiceless and vulnerable, continuing to offer hope and find the resonance of the Christian faith in society. Quoting Bishop George Bell, who spoke out against bombing in the Second World War, she said politics and the church must remain distinct and independent, recognising that the moral conviction of the MPs is just as solid as the opposing convictions of bishops. She highlighted low levels of voting in the general election and posed a question to the audience of how they could transform disengagement and apathy into the pursuit of “truly just” politics, “to heal division, to pursue peace and to seek justice”. Her speech can be found here.
MCB and Christian Aid demand action to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories
The Muslim Council of Britain has welcomed the ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is in breach of international law. It is urging the British government and the international community to work for an end to the occupation and is calling again for an end to the supply of arms to Israel. Christian Aid’s programme manager, Jule Mehigan, is quoted saying the government should immediately ban all goods from illegal Israeli settlements to UK markets; and review all agreements and arms export licenses to ensure the UK is not complicit in maintaining a situation defined as illegal.
Archbishop visits West Indies and addresses reparation for slavery
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is on a three-day visit to the West Indies to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. He said a £100m fund, allocated by the Church Commissioners, would benefit communities which still bear the scars from slavery. Two years ago, an investigation by Church Commissioners found that its predecessor fund, Queen Anne’s Bounty, had contributed significant amounts to the South Sea Company, which was engaged in the slave trade. It also received numerous donations from individuals who had profited from the trade. The archbishop, who is chair of the Church Commissioners, described this historical revelation as a “source of shame”. During his visit, the archbishop received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from The University of the West Indies.
50,000 US Catholics take part in five day Eucharist Congress
An estimated 50,000 Catholics have taken part in the five day “National Eucharist Congress” in Indianapolis, an event designed to unite believers through prayer and worship and enthuse them in their faith. It is the tenth such event in the US. The first was in 1895 and the last in 1941. The events are designed to emphasise the real presence of Christ in the eucharist, the sharing of bread and wine, and have taken place in many countries from the 19th century to date, attracting huge crowds. In Indianapolis, they gathered in a stadium with more than 1000 priests 200 cardinals and bishops, 500 deacons, 550 seminarians and 900 religious. Each day there was a full programme of events including worship, speakers and presentations. Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the US, spoke at the opening event saying he hoped those present would gain a deeper spiritual understanding of the Eucharist. At the final service yesterday, the papal delegate Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, urged the thousands present to take their faith out into the world. The next, eleventh US National Eucharistic Congress will be held in 2033, the 2000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Delay to Louisiana schools displaying the Ten Commandments
A judge has blocked the US state of Louisiana from displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools until November, after parents from five districts took legal action. The Guardian reports that the parents believe the bill violates the first amendment, separating religion and state. The bill was signed off last month by the Republican governor, Jeff Landry, who has said that the Ten Commandments will help students’ moral behaviour. He said if they had been hanging on the wall of the school attended by Thomas Crooks, who tried to kill Donald Trump last week, “maybe he wouldn’t have taken a shot”.
Muslim roots of Spain’s football star Lamine Yamal
The Muslim roots of Spain’s 17-year-old football star, Lamine Yamal, are explored in a film on the Islam Channel. It says his name is a Spanish adaptation of the Arabic names Amin (meaning devoted) and Jamal (meaning beauty). His pre-match ritual, shown during Euro24, is to hold his hands open and palms facing upward, reminiscent of Muslim prayer practices. The film describes how his father is from Morocco, and it shows pictures of his “proud hijab-wearing grandmother”. He was 16 when he played for Spain in the Euros, scored against France in the semi finals becoming the youngest goal scorer in the tournament’s history, the youngest player to be on the winning team in the finals, and he was named Euro 24’s Young Player of the Tournament.
