Churches push back against Christian nationalist agenda this Christmas
Churches in England are launching a counter campaign to challenge Tommy Robinson’s Christmas event in central London next Sunday. The event follows on from the Unite the Kingdom march last summer, where Christian symbols were present alongside speeches denouncing mass immigration. Next weekend’s “Put the Christ back into Christmas” will include the same clerics, with carols, testimonies and Bible readings. In response, the churches’ campaign has posters declaring “Christ has always been in Christmas” and “Outsiders welcome”, which will be put up in public places. The posters are in a resources pack produced by the Joint Public Issues Team representing the Church of England, Baptist Union, Methodists and the URC, offering theological guidance on Christian nationalism and promoting a Christmas message of “love your neighbour”, resisting “agendas of division and hostility”. Churches Together in England has backed the message. The Bishop of Kirkstall in Leeds, who is also the Church of England’s co-lead on racial justice, Arun Arora, is quoted in the Guardian, Independent and Telegraph, saying faith cannot be used to exclude others and Christians should remember the Holy Family’s experience as refugees. Last night, Bishop Cei Dewar of the Confessing Anglican Church, who opened the Unite the Kingdom rally with a prayer, delivered an “open rebuke” to the Church of England for supporting the counter campaign, saying it should “stop posturing” and return to the gospel.
Christmas tree returns to Manger Square in Bethlehem
A Christmas Tree has been put up in Manger Square, in Bethlehem, for the first time in two years, as thousands gathered with Christmas celebrations, lights, an appearance by Father Christmas and lively restaurant trade. The Associated Press reports that crowds cheered after a prayer calling for peace, while armed police stood by. The Gaza war had a devastating impact on the local economy, with unemployment at 65 per cent and 4,000 people leaving looking for work, but according to the Mayor, residents are seeking a comeback and, amid a shaky ceasefire, are trying to “reignite the spirit of Christmas and to reignite hope”.
Tallest menorah in Europe installed at Trafalgar Square
An eight metre high menorah has been installed in Trafalgar Square giving off beams of light hundreds of metres high, so far up that air traffic controllers had to give permission. The first light will start next Sunday at the start of the eight day festival, shining from dusk to 11pm. It is the tallest menorah in Europe.
Arsenal’s ‘Bible Boys’ and the power of prayer propelling them to win
Around ten Arsenal players, including Madueke, Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, and Eberechi Eze, have formed a group nicknamed the “Bible Brothers”, who meet to pray before a match, and hold Bible studies in team hotels, building team unity and mental resilience that has seen them go to the top of the Premier League. Full back Jurrien Timber posts Bible verses on the morning of Arsenal matches, such as “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help”. The Daily Mail reports that “it’s been embraced” by the manager, Mikel Arteta, who said it helps their well-being. He is known to emphasise family values and is said to value that players with a faith are “less prone to off-pitch distractions such as partying”. There will be more Christian footballers and coaches taking part in an event at Wembley this evening, celebrating the place of Christianity in the game.
Church support ‘crucial’ for people in poverty
Christians Against Poverty has commissioned a survey suggesting that churches and other Christian organisations have provided help to a quarter of UK adults over the past five years, offering everything from food parcels and toiletries to emergency energy top-ups and free debt advice. The findings in a report “Beyond Belief” say Christian organisations are becoming a crucial safety net for people needing the basics of food and heating and the charity has launched an appeal for £300,000 to provide essential help. Last week the government launched its child poverty strategy to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030 and promised more childcare and an end to families living in bed and breakfasts accommodation beyond the six week legal limit. The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, welcomed the commitment but said the package lacked ambition, falling short of the scale of the challenge.
Bangor Cathedral’s music director sacked after choir walk out
Bangor Cathedral’s music director, Joe Cooper, has been sacked after the choir sang “A Canticle of Indignation” against job cuts during a service on 31 August, and then walked out. In a statement, the Dean and Chapter announced that the decision followed “a thorough disciplinary process”, but recognises his “significant contribution to the music and life of the Cathedral”. The BBC reports that Mr Cooper said it was “extremely disappointing” and he would be “seeking advice and potentially asking for the decision to be reviewed in accordance with my legal rights”. The protest followed a turbulent period when a report outlined a lack of financial controls, excessive drinking and blurred lines of sexual boundaries at the Cathedral, which led to the former Dean stepping down.
Family of serial abuser John Smyth interviewed for Channel 4 documentary
A two part documentary is to be aired on Channel 4 on Wednesday and Thursday this week, on how John Smyth’s abuse was kept hidden and silenced for decades. Smyth was a barrister and leader in the Church of England, who groomed young men and boys at the Christian Iwerne summer camp and at public schools, then beat them in his garden shed, until they bled. The documentary series “See No Evil” includes interviews with his daughters and son, on how they look back at their fear, his temper and cruelty, and how they have faced the stories of abuse that have emerged. The Sunday Times says the film also includes the children confronting their mother, Anne, “still in Africa and remarried, and ask why she remained loyal for so long”. The documentary includes interviews with Andrew Graystone, whose book “Bleeding for Jesus: John Smyth and the Cult of Iwerne Camps”, has just been updated with new information on how complicity in the church kept the story hidden. Survivor Mark Stibbe has written about the film and his experience here.
500 year old painting discovered by chance at Campion Hall
A painting “Christ Blessing”, which had hung on the walls of the Jesuit’s Campion Hall in Oxford has been confirmed as an original work by Flemish master Quentin Massijs (1466–1530) and Workshop, dating from around 1500. Its rediscovery followed a chance visit by an expert connected to the National Gallery, which led to an investigation using infra-red imaging and other advanced techniques, revealing it as the original from which later copies were made. It is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Pope Leo, listening to Michael Bublé, says music can lead people to God
Pope Leo said music is both a gift and a message, a bridge that can lead people to God. He spoke at the Vatican’s sixth annual Concert for the Poor on Saturday, an event inspired by Pope Francis and featuring Canadian singer Michael Bublé. He said music is not a luxury but a divine gift for everyone, capable of stirring the soul and lifting hearts. Smiling and singing along as Bublé performed “L.O.V.E.” as recorded by Nat King Cole, he specifically requested that Bublé sing the Ave Maria, a favourite of the pope’s mother, Mildred Prevost, who was a singer and performer herself. Crux Now reports that Pope Leo is known for his own singing, including a viral rendition of “Feliz Navidad” during his time as bishop of Chiclayo.
