US Council on American-Islamic Relations denounces New Orleans attacker
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has “strongly denounced” the attack by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, on a crowd in a New Orleans street on New Year’s Day, which killed 14 people and injured at least a further 35 people. Jabbar was US born and an army veteran, who experienced marital and financial problems and was radicalised in recent years. A homemade Islamic State flag was found in his pickup truck, and improvised explosive devices were found nearby. The Guardian reports recordings he had made on Soundcloud, with religious references, saying that music, intoxicants, sex and other pleasures were “evils deserving of destruction”. The Council issued a statement saying: “If reports that the perpetrator was a man with a history of drunk driving and spousal abuse who plotted to kill his family before supposedly experiencing dreams telling him to join Daesh are true, then his crime is the latest example of why cruel, merciless, bottom-feeding extremist groups have been rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Muslim world – from Islamic scholars, to mosques, to organisations, and to individual Muslims”.
Rosary podcast goes straight to number one in Apple charts
Ascension, the company behind a string of Catholic podcasts and books, says the show released on 1 January for the New Year, “The Rosary in a Year”, with Franciscan Friar Mark-Mary Ames, has gone straight to number one in the religion and spirituality category of Apple podcasts, attracting hundreds of thousands of listeners. It says the figures have beaten the popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience”. In the ten-minute podcasts, Father Mark Mary takes listeners through prayers of the Catholic rosary, leaving new thoughts for contemplation, ideas also found in an accompanying booklet. The company, based in Newark, New Jersey, has scored similar earlier success with “The Bible n a Year”and “The Catechism in a Year”. Ascension President and CEO, Jonathan Strate said: “The success of our podcasts reflects a growing desire in our culture to seek spiritual connection and purpose”.
The future of AI and its power to change people and the world
The global organisation “AI and Faith”, set up around five years ago “to bring the fundamental values of the world’s major religions into the emerging debate on the ethical development of Artificial Intelligence and related technologies”, reports on a recent US conference suggesting developments to look out for in AI in 2025. Melanie Dzugan reports that such is the interest in AI among religious traditions, that there was an “explosive growth” in the number of talks and events on AI at the conference. She says that debates around the sentience of AI and the rise of robots, have given way to how it impacts personal and social formation, political elections and global justice. Her report is here. The organisation has led to the formation in the UK of “The AI Faith and Civil Society Commission”, which has held high level meetings on ethical concerns.
Notre Dame will welcome the next annual Taizé gathering
Notre Dame and the region around Paris will welcome the next European meeting of the Taizé community at this time next year, from 28 December 2025 to 1 January 2026. The annual gatherings attract thousands of young people for prayer, workshops, discussions and cultural exchange, concluding with a prayer for peace and a celebration to welcome the New Year. The last time the gathering was held in Paris in 2002, 80,000 people turned up. The Paris meeting is being organised at the invitation of Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, along with all the Catholic bishops of the Paris province, as well as Protestant and Orthodox leaders of the region. He was present at this week’s event in Talinn, Estonia, and told the crowds of young people: “Notre Dame will welcome you”.
Australian lawyers consider fallout from church sex abuse decision court decision
Australian Attorney-Generals, from states and territories, are meeting to consider urgent legislative reforms after the High Court ruled that the Ballarat diocese, in regional Victoria, could not be held liable for the abuse of a five-year-old boy in 1971, by former priest, Father Bryan Coffey, because he could not be legally considered an employee of the church. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that this has “upended” thousands of legal cases against religious orders nationwide, including more than 1800 civil claims currently before courts in Victoria. The survivor’s lawyer, Sangeeta Sharmin, said in an open letter that the ruling meant religious orders, among others, could argue that “they are not vicariously liable for the abuse perpetrated by its members where they are not employees, such as Scout leaders, sporting coaches, religious teachers in schools, volunteers and other non-employment based roles”. This would leave thousands unable to pursue legal action for compensation. She is due to meet representatives from the nation’s Attorneys-General offices on Tuesday 7 January.
New Zealand New Year honours for advocates of care homes sex abuse survivors
In New Zealand, 16 people have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list for their work in bringing to light and supporting survivors of abuse in care, following a Royal Commission of Inquiry report which found at least 200,000 people were abused, and more neglected, by state and faith-based institutions since 1950. Radio New Zealand reports the findings that abuse was rife in state and faith-based care settings and the state failed to respond to signs of systemic abuse and neglect. Sexual abuse was commonplace and abusers groomed children, young people and adults in care. Those in care were often treated without compassion and some were wilfully neglected. In the honours list, nine people were made companions of the King’s Service Order for services to survivors of abuse in care, while seven received the King’s Service Medal. The NZ Catholic church acknowledged the findings and said progress was being made on safeguarding. The Anglican church in the region took full responsibility for failures and said it is committed to implementing recommendations.
Jailed Hindu leader refused bail in Bangladesh
A court in Bangladesh has rejected a plea for bail by Krishna Das Prabhu, a Hindu leader jailed for sedition after leading large rallies demanding better security for minority groups in this Muslim majority country. Hindu groups say there have been thousands of attacks against them since early August, when the secular government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown and replaced by a government led by Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, rewarded for his work on economic and social development for working people. The prosecutor in the case told the Associated Press reporter that if Prabhu got bail, it could create anarchy and violence on the court premises. Prabhu’s lawyers came from India and were protected by security teams in and out of the country.
Richard Dawkins resigns from atheism foundation
Richard Dawkins has resigned from the US based “Freedom From Religion Foundation”, which campaigns for the separation of church and state, seeks to educate the public on matters relating to non-theism, and says “most social and moral progress has been brought about by persons free from religion”. The Telegraph reports that he objected to its withdrawal of an article on its website, written by fellow board member Prof Jerry Coyne, supporting the belief that gender is biological. Coyne and Steven Pinker, another board member, have also resigned, accusing the foundation of imposing an ideology with the “dogma, blasphemy, and heretics” of a religion. Ms Laurie Gaylor, the FFRF president, told The Telegraph: “We do not feel that support for LGBTQ rights against the religious backlash in the United States is mission creep. This growing difference of opinion probably made such a parting inevitable.” Full story here
Spurs fans to release balloons for release of British Israeli hostage
Jewish News reports that a group of Tottenham Hotspur fans will continue their efforts to raise awareness of the plight of Gaza hostage Emily Damari, by releasing yellow balloons during the club’s home game against Newcastle this weekend. Emily Damari, aged 28, was born to a British mother in Israel and has lived there ever since, while also spending time in Britain and becoming a Spurs fan. She was seized from a kibbutz by Hamas on 7 October and is one of 97 hostages still held in Gaza. The balloons will be released in the 7th minute of the game.
Mars is coming to Rochester Cathedral
A seven-metre-wide diameter sculpture of the planet Mars is to be suspended in Rochester Cathedral from 11 February – 8 March, inviting the public to consider how Mars, the blood red planet named after the Roman god of war, invokes contemplation for peace. The dramatic artwork, with detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface, is by Luke Jerram, entitled “War and Peace”. It is accompanied by a sound composition by Dan Jones, featuring the sounds of seas, deserts and clips from the NASA missions to Mars, alongside distant bombing and people marching as if to war. Luke Jerram said: “I hope that visitors will feel transported to the inhospitable desert wasteland of Mars, whilst also reflecting on the realities of war for ordinary communities of people on our planet.” This is one of five Cathedral installations announced by the Association of English Cathedrals, alongside a 25 million stitched embroidery of ideas in the Bible at Liverpool, Luxmuralis light show at Exeter and a light and sound show at Truro. And in Durham, for three months, dogs will be allowed to accompany their owners, so long as they are well behaved.
