Bishop calls for small grant scheme as churches protect the vulnerable this winter
The Bishop of Burnley Philip North is calling for a simple, locally administered small grant scheme to help churches to support vulnerable people through the cost of living crisis. He told Premier Christian News that he feared two energy price cap increases would bring a winter of destitution for many people. He said: “I think we’ll see malnutrition and hypothermia unless there is really strong coherence and partnership action with government, local authorities, churches, the voluntary sector all really working together. Unless we see that, I think we could see terrible suffering in the fifth largest economy in the world. It’s an unconscionable situation”. Churches had a great deal to offer such as warm spaces and food banks, he said, but they too faced higher bills, so a grant scheme would enable them to achieve a huge amount.
More tolerant Britain still harbours anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and engrained anti-Muslim prejudice
The charity Hope Not Hate has produced a report into how hatred is sown in British society, investigating attitudes towards religious identity, conspiracy theories and trust in institutions. Compared to the first similar survey of ten years ago, Fear and Hope 2022 concludes that society has, on the whole, become more socially liberal, open and tolerant. But among young people, there is a large cohort who hold more reactionary views and they are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. More than a third of young people aged 18-24 agree that Jewish people have “an unhealthy control over the world’s banking system”, compared to just 12 per cent of those over 75 years old. On Islam, the report says there is an engrained and widespread anti-Muslim prejudice, with older people more likely to believe Islam represents a threat to British values. The research also finds Christians are no longer seen in a more positive light than other religious groups, and views of Hindus and Sikhs in Britain have improved.
UN Secretary General denounces hate speech fuelling intolerance of religion or belief
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said that the world must do more to support people who have suffered for simply seeking to exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief. Speaking on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief, he said intolerance and violence is fuelled by hate speech, online or offline. He said states have the responsibility to prevent and address discrimination through promoting inclusion, diversity, tolerance and interfaith and intercultural dialogue.
Pope appeals for dialogue after Nicaragua bishop is seized in dawn raid
A Catholic bishop in Nicaragua, who is a critic of President Ortega’s government, has been arrested in a dawn raid. Reuters reports that Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa in the north of the country has been confined for two weeks in a church house with five priests, one seminarian and a cameraman for a religious television channel. Last weekend, Pope Francis called for an “open and sincere” dialogue to resolve the stand-off between the church and government in Nicaragua. Relations have been strained since the church called for justice for more than 360 people who died during civil unrest. Another bishop has gone into exile, the Vatican’s ambassador left suddenly and seven radio stations linked to Bishop Rolando have been shut down.
Digital exhibition of Hebrew scripts launched by John Rylands library, Manchester
An online catalogue and digital exhibition by John Rylands Library in Manchester, featuring manuscripts in Hebrew script, has just launched after 30 years work cataloguing and digitising books, archives, papyri and manuscripts, spanning 5,000 years. The Jewish Chronicle reports that it includes 15,000 fragments from the Cairo Geniza collection of ancient manuscripts, the Haggadah inscribed 700 years ago in Spain, scriptural works, Talmud and commentaries. The exhibition may be accessed here and here
Disunited Methodists in America consider financial future
The financial implications of the tortuous division in the United Methodist Church in America over same sex marriage and ordination of LGBT clergy, has been outlined at a recent meeting of the UMC’s General Council on Finance and Administration board. Heather Hahn, assistant news editor of United Methodist News, reports that the denomination’s finances are said to be healthy after a multi-million dollar sale of a building in Nashville. But it is expecting to raise less money going forward as disillusioned traditionalist churches disaffiliate. 470 churches out of 30,000 have gone so far. 14 of the 53 UMC conferences have scheduled special sessions this year to deal with disaffiliation agreements. The stalemate with progressives no nearer inclusion and traditionalists stuck in a legal quagmire as they seek to leave, is analysed in an article by Jacob Lupfer for the Religion News Service. He concludes: “The UMC may not be too big to fail, but it is almost too complex to divide”.
Christian fundamentalists demand American libraries remove LGBTQ+ books
The director of a library in Idaho has resigned after “militant Christian fundamentalists” waged a campaign to remove books about LGBTQ+ issues and race. Kimber Glidden said in a Facebook post that nothing could have prepared her for “the political atmosphere of extremism, militant Christian fundamentalism, intimidation tactics, and threatening behaviour currently being employed in the community.” The Independent reports that parents and community members challenged books perceived as “pornographic” and those with LGBT+ themes regarded as dangerous in manipulating the minds of children. Earlier this year, the American Library Association catalogued 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, with most targeted books by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ people. The campaigners say the ALA “has a clear mission statement that does not align with the moral fibre of most in our community”. Independent story here.
