• Justin Welby regrets not fighting to allow prayer in churches during 1st lockdown. The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted he “got quite a few things wrong” on the closure of churches during the first Covid lockdown, saying he was “too risk-averse”. The Church of England came under fire as churches remained closed last Easter, with many parishioners frustrated that the Archbishop did not fight harder to keep them open, while the Church’s rules went beyond those of the Government in barring clergy from their church buildings. “I didn’t push hard enough to keep churches available for at least individual prayer”, he said. “I feel I made a mistake with that”.

Society & Politics

• Abolish the criminalisation of paedophilia? In a truly shocking revelation, Women's Rights Caucus, a global coalition of over 200 organisations working to advance women's human rights internationally, has drafted a document which calls for 'the right' of adolescents (those aged 10 to 18) to consent to sex, according to social commentator, the Rev David Robertson The document was apparently signed by a host of LGBT groups, including Stonewall, LGBT Labour, and the National Union of Students LGBT Campaign. Many of the groups involved are government-funded. Read more here.
• BBC guilty of Christophobia, says former executive. Robin Aitken MBE, who worked at the BBC for 25 years, has severely criticised the organisation for its “inherent antagonism” towards Christianity. Reflecting on the decline in the nation’s religious belief and practice in recent years, the author and broadcaster argued that the media’s attitude toward Christianity may be partly to blame. Aitken said the BBC’s "secular instinct” has led to a rejection of the “Christian contribution to western civilisation – which is immeasurable”. As a consequence, many view the BBC as upholding an “anti-Christian stance – something we might term as ‘Christophobia’”.

Church Issues

• The faith of Prince Philip. The Archbishop of Canterbury has called the Duke of Edinburgh a "man of very profound faith" who had "an extraordinary prophetic gift". But some have questioned any deep Christian faith on his part, noting that for nearly 70 years, the Duke of Edinburgh was a Freemason. advancing to the Third Degree of Freemasonry in 1953, and being known to drop into his Lodge meetings almost unannounced. Meanwhile, a number of ministers have noted how fascinated Prince Philip was in theology. The Rev Ian Bradley, who preached for the Queen at Balmoral, stated, “He would note down all the details of the sermon. He had a wonderful knowledge of the Bible, and then he would sort of quiz you at lunchtime.”
• Prince Philip ‘persuaded’ Queen to share her Christian faith. The Rev. Prof. Ian Bradley, author of the book, ‘God Save the Queen’, claims that Prince Philip encouraged the Queen to talk about her personal faith in her Christmas broadcasts, watched by millions on TV every year. Previously, the broadcasts were “more like travelogues, and they would just say where the royal family had been.” But, beginning in 2000 she began to speak “movingly and powerfully about her own Christian faith and the impact it had on her”. In the foreword to a 2016 book, the Queen further reflected on Jesus’ central role in her life. “I have been - and remain - very grateful … to God for his steadfast love … I have indeed seen His faithfulness.”

World News

• 7 years of agony for the parents of 111 kidnapped schoolgirls. 7 years ago this week, Boko Haram militants stormed the Chibok Girls' State Secondary School in north-eastern Nigeria, coaxed 230 girls onto trucks and made off with them into the forest. Today, 111 of those girls remain unaccounted for. On Wednesday, the parents commemorated the event, unsure as to whether their children are alive or dead. According to one parent, Yana Gana, "These seven years have been like 100 years to me. Day and night, I keep praying and hoping that my daughter will come back home. If my daughter is dead, I want to know, so that I would mourn and find peace in my heart. The suspense is too much."
• Prisoners identify as transgender so they can transfer to women’s prisons. As a consequence of California’s Transgender Act, which requires an individual’s gender to be accepted purely on the basis of personal preference, over 255 men who now identify as either female or ‘nonbinary’ have in recent months requested to be transferred to women's prisons. So far, no transfer request has been denied. The move raises concerns about the safety and welfare of female prisoners as well as female prison officers. Some claim it also makes a mockery of current legislation in regard to transgender rights.
• US Prayer book asks God’s help to “hate white people”. A new devotional book entitled, ‘A Rhythm of Prayer’, includes the ‘Prayer of a Weary Black Woman’ by Chanequa Walker-Barnes, a clinical psychologist and ecumenical minister from Macon, Georgia. The prayer begins, “Dear God, Please help me to hate White people. Or at least to want to hate them. At least, I want to stop caring about them, individually and collectively”. Some have called the prayer thoroughly anti-biblical and a direct influence of critical race theory. Walker-Barnes, along with other contributors to the book, have defended the prayer, saying it is deliberately honest and provocative, but must be “taken in context”.
  

Israel & the Middle East

• Israel will open to vaccinated travellers in May. Israel has announced that it will be reopening to fully-vaccinated visitors from the 23rd May. The number allowed to enter will be limited initially but will be increased based on the health situation and progress of the reopening program. Individual travellers will be allowed into the country in the second stage of the program, with health considerations determining the timeline. Even though vaccinated, travellers will still be required to undergo a PCR test before boarding their flight, and will also be required to take a serological test upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport.