Daily media briefing
Stay informed with our daily media briefing newsletter. Every weekday morning we'll bring you the most relevant news and updates related to secularism directly to your inbox.
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Tue, 22 Aug 2023
Civil servants are losing faith in Christianity
Civil servants are less likely to be Christian than Britain as a whole, with central Whitehall departments some of the least religious parts of government.
The Times*
‘No congregation, no church’: how Scotland lost the faith
The Kirk now largely lacks the ability to unite a single moral community: the evangelicals step up to fill the gap.
The Financial Times*
‘Orphaned by decree’: Italy’s same-sex parents react to losing their rights
Giorgia Meloni – a hardline traditionalist who has long reiterated her view that a child should only be raised by heterosexual parents – began demanding that councils register only the biological parent.
The Guardian
Pakistan hands out cash to Christians who lost homes in 'blasphemy' rioting
The government said each household was getting 2 million rupees ($6,800) in compensation on Monday.
Washington Times*
US: Archdiocese declares bankruptcy amid hundreds sexual abuse lawsuits
The Chapter 11 protection filing will stop all legal actions against the archdiocese and thus allow it to develop a settlement plan with abuse survivors, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said in a statement.
AP News
US: Mother superior accused of 'sexting' priest is backed by her nuns
A group of nuns in Texas have ostracised a bishop amid a bitter feud over claims their wheelchair-bound mother superior broke her chastity vow by "sexting" a priest.
The Telegraph*
Mon, 21 Aug 2023
Regulator probes Jewish education charities amid misconduct concerns
The Charity Commission has announced statutory inquiries into two connected charities.
Third Sector*
The Apprentice star blasted over homophobic rant
'I'm Muslim and Islam does not condone the (act of) homosexuality. It is seen as unnatural and immoral.' she wrote.
Metro
Religious Studies numbers at A level drop again, especially in Wales
The number of students taking Religious Studies at A level has decreased by 3.5 per cent in England, and by 24 per cent in Wales.
Church Times*
Wellbeing of non-religious Australian Defence Force personnel at risk, former recruiter warns
Defence must recruit secular alternatives to religious chaplains or face increasing risks to its members' health and wellbeing, according to a former top military recruiter.
The Guardian
Australia: Muslim preacher goes on homophobic rant about the Matildas
Two influential Muslim preachers have shared vile rants about the Matildas soccer team, with hateful messages directed at players in same-sex relationships.
Daily Mail
US: Jewish governor vetoes law requiring public services to serve kosher meals
The proposed law would apply to schools, prisons and hospitals across the US state.
The Jewish Chronicle
Alabama priest ‘groomed young girls’ before fleeing to Italy with 18-year-old
Alex Crow was previously accused of acting inappropriately with students and remains under orders by archdiocese to return home.
The Guardian
Protests at Tel Aviv light rail stations because train won’t run on Shabbat
Demanding 'freedom of movement, even on the Sabbath,' some demonstrators handcuff themselves inside final train of new line's first day of operation.
Times of Israel
Muslim couple killed in India over son’s relationship with Hindu girl
An elderly Muslim couple was beaten to death in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh over their son's relationship with a Hindu woman, it was reported.
Independent
Mosques probed over protest call in Pakistan blasphemy riots
A Muslim cleric is among a dozen people being investigated for using mosque loudspeakers to order protests against alleged blasphemy by Christians which erupted into mob violence.
France 24
Fri, 18 Aug 2023
Will the Church of England split over same-sex marriage?
A decade after same-sex marriage was legalised in England and Wales, the Church of England still refuses to allow LGBTQ+ couples to celebrate with a traditional church wedding. Now, internal splits over proposed reforms threaten to rip it apart.
Sky
Former church youth leader accused of seven counts of sexual abuse
A church leader from Hove is appearing in court charged with seven counts of historic sexual abuse. Daniel Reed is said to have plied teenagers with alcohol before indecently assaulting them on separate occasions at his home in Hove in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Premier Christian News
Safeguarding consultation begins in efforts to achieve independent scrutiny of CofE
A consultation has begun in a bid to develop independent safeguarding in the Church of England. It will take place over the next two months and be published by the end of December.
Premier Christian News
Pakistani police arrest two Christians accused of blasphemy
Police have arrested two Christians accused of blasphemy in eastern Pakistan, a spokesperson said on Friday, two days after a Muslim mob burnt churches and houses in a Christian settlement, accusing the two men of desecrating the Koran.
Reuters
Pakistan: More than 100 arrested after churches burned
More than 100 people have been arrested in a city in east Pakistan after thousands of Muslims burned churches and vandalised homes. Violence in Jaranwala was sparked by claims that two Christian men had torn pages from the Quran.
BBC
Sweden raises terrorist threat level after Qur’an burnings
Sweden has raised its terrorist threat level to the second-highest number possible, as the prime minister warned the country had thwarted planned attacks.
The Guardian
Obey or leave, Kyiv monks told
Officials in Ukraine have taken fresh steps to secure control over Kyiv's Pechersk-Lavra, or Monastery of the Caves, as further legal moves were made against the country's Moscow-linked Orthodox Church.
Church Times*
Australia: Catholic church uses death of paedophile priest in bid to stop survivor suing NSW diocese, court hears
The Catholic church is seeking to use using the death of a "prolific paedophile" priest to permanently prevent a dying Indigenous man from seeking justice for alleged abuse suffered on camping trips in rural New South Wales.
The Guardian
Tel Aviv gets new metro line but Sabbath-closure stirs secular anger
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched Tel Aviv's long-anticipated light rail on Thursday amid protests against his religious-nationalist government and anger in the mostly secular city that the network will be closed on the Jewish Sabbath.
Reuters
‘How Turkey abandoned secularism’
The ideological surrender of the Republican People's Party during the most recent Turkish election underlines the point that Turkey, formerly a model of secularism in the Muslim world, has conclusively capitulated to Islamisation.
The Freethinker
Thu, 17 Aug 2023
Anglican group lobbies for exemption of confession from mandatory reporting of abuse
The traditionalist group Forward in Faith, and the Society of which it is part, have formally asked that mandatory reporting of child abuse does not apply to confidentiality given under the seal of confession.
Church Times*
Rishi Sunak: My Hindu faith guides me in every aspect of life
Rishi Sunak said his Hindu faith guides him in "every aspect" of his life and gives him the "courage, strength and resilience" to be Prime Minister. The premier said he believed matters of faith are "very personal" as he outlined his belief that "Hindu values are very much shared British values".
The Telegraph*
Pakistan: Mob burns churches over blasphemy claims
Thousands of Muslims in a city in Pakistan have set fire to at least four churches and vandalised the homes of Christians over claims that two men desecrated the Quran, police say.
BBC
Australia: Founder of Hillsong Church found not guilty of concealing father's abuse
Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston has been found not guilty of concealing the crimes of his paedophile father. Australian prosecutors had argued Brian Houston tried to cover up his father's sexual abuse of a child in the 1970s.
BBC
Court watchdog files complaint against a judge who ordered ‘religious-liberty training’ for lawyers
A court watchdog has filed a complaint against the federal judge who ordered "religious-liberty training" for a trio of Southwest Airlines lawyers as part of their punishment for not fully following his orders in a case involving speech about abortion.
Associated Press
Indonesia wants to export moderate Islam
Every Christmas, members of Indonesia's largest Muslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama, gather outside churches in Indonesia to ensure Christians can worship in safety. Now the powerful Islamic organisation has a more ambitious goal: to spread its moderate views across the Muslim world.
The Economist*
Wed, 16 Aug 2023
Union of Jewish Students calls on government to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard
The Union of Jewish Students has joined other communal organisations in calling for the government to proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Jewish News
Barbie banned from Algerian cinemas for 'corrupting morals'
The movie promoted homosexuality and did not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs, a source told Reuters.
BBC
Indian movies vilifying Muslims spark fear ahead of polls
With free tickets and false claims, "The Kerala Story" is one of a slew of polarising films sparking concern Bollywood is churning out cultural propaganda to bolster support for India's ruling party ahead of elections.
France24
Australian ex-priest has sentence extended to 40 years for molesting 72nd victim
An Australian ex-priest convicted of sexually abusing children had another 12 months added to his 39-year prison sentence on Tuesday for molesting a 72nd victim
Associated Press
Mired in controversy, Ghana’s plans for a national cathedral reflect religion’s strong role in the nation
Ghana's government aims to build a national cathedral: a multidenominational, monumental undertaking to house religious services and state events. Even if many people question the finances, fewer critics seem to oppose what the church symbolizes about religion and Ghanaian national identity.
The Conversation
Afghan women escape for a chance at education
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan two years ago - in August 2021 - life has drastically changed for women in the country. An education provided through programmes organised by the Asian University for Women has offered some a way out.
BBC
Israeli woman accuses airline of 'humiliating her' to appease Orthodox travellers
An Israeli journalist has accused airline staff of trying to force her to move seats to accommodate Charedi passengers on a flight from Israel to New York.
The Jewish Chronicle
Tue, 15 Aug 2023
‘Protect Jewish students from Iran’s hate speakers’
"Universities should foster an environment where free speech can flourish, with receptive students hearing from world-leading experts working towards the betterment of our society. Yet for these students to be hearing from senior commanders of an organisation that, for the past 40 years, has plotted terrorist acts to abduct and kill westerners and Jews is simply unconscionable."
The Times*
Afghan scholars in UK fear they may be forced to return home
Afghan scholars studying in the UK under a Foreign Office scheme say they live in fear of being forced back into Taliban clutches.
The Guardian
Speakers put on government ‘blacklist’ after criticising policies
Nearly every government department used Whitehall guidance that "blacklisted" guest speakers who had been critical of government policies.
The Times*
Sweden calls for vigilance abroad after Quran desecrations and protests
A senior Swedish official said Monday Swedes abroad and businesses linked to Sweden"should observe increased vigilance and caution," following recent Quran burnings in the country and protests in the Muslim world.
Associated Press
Russian Orthodox priests face persecution from state and church for supporting peace in Ukraine
Last September, when President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists, Moscow Patriarch Kirill required his clergymen to pray for victory. Standing in front of the altar and dozens of his parishioners in one of Moscow's churches, the Rev. Ioann Koval decided to put the peace above the patriarch's orders.
Associated Press
US: New Jersey court backs Catholic school in firing of unmarried pregnant teacher
A Catholic school was within its rights to deny an art teacher a contract renewal after the instructor became pregnant out-of-wedlock, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled Monday.
Washington Times*
Israel may uproot ancient Christian mosaic near Armageddon. Where it could go next sparks outcry
An ancient Christian mosaic bearing an early reference to Jesus as God is at the center of a controversy that has riled archaeologists: Should the centuries-old decorated floor, which is near what's believed to be the site of the prophesied Armageddon, be uprooted and loaned to a U.S. museum that has been criticized for past acquisition practices?
Associated Press
Israel: Jewish teens ‘told to sit at the back of the bus to avoid offending strictly-Orthodox’
A group of teenage girls wearing shorts and tank-tops were ordered to sit in the back of the bus in Israel in order not to offend strictly-Orthodox passengers.
Jewish News
Lakhimpur case: Life in jail for India sisters' rape and hanging
A court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has sentenced two men to life in prison for raping and murdering two Dalit sisters last year. Two other convicts were found guilty of destroying evidence and were sent to jail for six years each. The convicts are likely to appeal in the high court.
BBC
Mon, 14 Aug 2023
I was abused as a choirboy. Decades later the Church of England betrayed me again
A victim who reported his ordeal says the church lied during the trial and then threatened to withdraw his compensation. Dozens of other cases are tearing the synod apart.
The Times*
Fourth abortion charge in eight months — after only three trials in the past 160 years
A woman is due in court this week accused of carrying out her own abortion — the fourth to appear before a judge on similar charges in eight months.
The Times*
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