Pope Leo appeals for peace and unity on his five day visit to Turkey and Lebanon
Pope Leo is in Lebanon on the fifth day of his visit to the region, where he has met religious and political leaders, speaking throughout about peace and unity. In a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew, who leads 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, they said: “We reject any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence” and urged civil and political leaders to do everything possible to bring an end to war. They were joined by other Christian leaders at Iznik, the ancient site of the Council of Nicaea which produced the Nicene Creed 1700 years ago, and prayed for the unity of the church, after the East–West Schism of 1054 when Rome and Constantinople broke communion, leading over time to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Moving on to Istanbul, he visited the famous Blue Mosque, removing his shoes for a visit said to be contemplative and reflective, but without the expected period of silent prayer. After a brief visit to see Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II in hospital, he took a flight to Lebanon, during which he told reporters that the two state solution for Israel and Palestine was the only solution that could guarantee justice for both sides. Last night, he met political leaders in Lebanon and told them to seek the truth and engage in a process of reconciliation with “those who have suffered wrongs and injustice”. Today Pope Leo will visit religious sites and meet young people and Catholic leaders, and attend an interfaith meeting.
Badenoch: ‘you can argue that welfare spending is un-Christian’
The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has quoted scripture to say that “the Christian tradition is about communities and families and charity, not about compulsory taxation in order to pay welfare”. She was speaking in an interview with the BBC’s Nick Robinson, following up her “Wilberforce address” to the Conservative Christian Fellowship, where she said Christianity has shaped the Conservative tradition, with values of stewardship, the dignity of work and responsibility, and compassion. In her speech she quoted I Timothy 5:8 “Anyone who does not provide for his own household … is worse than an unbeliever”, and Nick Robinson asked if she took this to mean that welfare spending was “un-Christian”. She replied: “In early Christian times there was no state or welfare, so I think that you can argue that, actually.” Her interpretation of the text has been challenged by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams. The Times quotes him saying: “The idea that welfare is un-Christian is eccentric beyond belief.” And the Bishop of Leicester Martyn Snow said: “It is really helpful to quote from 1 Timothy but turning a few pages back, in Acts 4 we also read how the early Church pooled its resources so that everyone’s needs were met.” Kemi Badenoch has described herself as a cultural Christian, married to a Catholic and raising their children in this tradition, with Christian parents and a grandfather who was a Methodist minister.
Proposal to rename Herzog Park in Dublin criticised as ‘disgraceful’
The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI) has expressed concern over plans to rename Herzog Park in south Dublin, warning the move could be seen as “an attempt to erase our Irish Jewish history.” The Park was named in 1995 after Chaim Herzog, the former Israeli president who was born in Belfast and raised in Dublin. Last July, Dublin council’s Commemorations and Naming Committee recommended a change of name and the proposal is to be voted upon today by Dublin city councillors. JRCI chair Maurice Cohen urged councillors to reject the motion, while the Office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Chaim Herzog’s son, called the proposal “shameful and disgraceful,” saying it would harm “the historical connection between the Irish and Jewish peoples.” Irish leaders, including Tánaiste Simon Harris and Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee, also criticised the proposal. Ms McEntee said: “The government has been openly critical of the policies and actions of the government of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, and rightly so. Renaming a Dublin park in this way – to remove the name of an Irish Jewish man – has nothing to do with this and has no place in our inclusive republic.”
Impact of two child benefit cap on Muslim families
Hyphen has re-published statistics it commissioned earlier this year from the Office for National Statistics, to find the impact of the two child benefit cap on different faith groups. The data found that 744,863 Muslim children were living in families with three or more dependent children at the time of the 2021 census — up 26 per cent from 589,235 in 2011. The report says: “It means 55 per cent of Muslim children were living in families with three or more children, nearly double the 29 per cent average for the overall population — and a higher proportion than all other religious groups”. The findings led to calls from MPs to scrap the cap. The story was first published in June and is republished here
MCB outlines nationwide concerns raised by British Muslims
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has published insights from 1,000 townhall meetings across 30 towns and cities, revealing key challenges faced by British Muslims. Issues included Islamophobia, bullying, workplace barriers, lack of faith-sensitive NHS services, and underrepresentation of Turkish, Middle Eastern, North African, and Far Eastern communities in mosque leadership. Converts and refugees also reported abuse and financial hardship. The discussions highlighted community initiatives such as refugee education, soup kitchens, inclusive mosques, and advocacy for victims of discrimination. The MCB now seeks to develop national, regional, and local structures to coordinate solutions and influence policy.
New Catholic bishop in Plymouth
The new Bishop of Plymouth, Nicholas Hudson, was installed at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth on Saturday. The diocese spans Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and has been without a bishop since June 2022. Two previous attempts at appointing a replacement failed due to church investigations. Bishop Nicholas was previously Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and has also served as Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome, a training college for Catholic priests. His installation took place on Advent Sunday, as the church prepares for Christmas, and addressing the congregation, he said: “Plymouth Diocese’s waiting for a new Bishop has been a very long Advent. Now the work begins”. More information here
Call for bishops to speed up same sex blessing plans
Lincoln diocesan synod has called on Church of England bishops to “proceed at pace” to implement stand-alone blessing services for same-sex couples. It follows the bishops’ decision in October to make this decision dependant on a two thirds majority in the general synod. The proposers said delay was a failure of leadership. Church Times story here
Work has begun to find an interim Bishop of Bangor
The Governing Body of the Church in Wales has voted to allow an interim Bishop to be appointed to the Diocese of Bangor for one or two years, to provide “leadership and stability while work continues to strengthen governance, management, finance, and diocesan structures in preparation for a future episcopal election”. The appointment follows the retirement of Bishop Andy John on 31 August. He left after two reports into Bangor Cathedral which described weak governance of finances, a culture where “sexual boundaries seemed blurred” and excessive drinking. The Church Times reports that conversations have begun over the appointment, including suggestions of retired bishops in the Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church of Ireland, as well as suffragan bishops in the C of E.
Bishop of Southwark to retire
The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, has announced that he will retire on his 70th birthday in August 2026, after 15 years in that role and 43 years in ordained ministry. He is the Church of England’s lead bishop for the Middle East and the Holy Land and has been one of the most vocal senior Anglican bishops in the UK advocating for Palestinian rights, with a special concern for Palestinian Christians and the Christian minority’s survival in the Holy Land. He is the seventh senior CofE bishop to have announced their retirement within two years, following Durham, Leeds, Bristol, Oxford, Worcester and St Edmundsbury & Ipswich.
Christmas with a grumpy owl and tasteless festive jumpers
The Church of England has launched a Christmas campaign, The Joy of Christmas, with an illustrated children’s storybook, The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas, daily reflections, online services, and free resources for families, schools, and churches. And in Salisbury, the Dean, Nicholas Papadopulos, has produced his own book of reflections on the Twelve Joys of Christmas, saying he can see a glimpse of the divine even in the tackiest trappings: “You see, Christmas jumpers are tasteless. And here’s the thing. God is tasteless too. That’s actually the heart of the good news. God is without a shred of cultural or aesthetic judgment. That must be so.” The Times has the story here. The Dean’s views are expressed here
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