The Rev Dr Adam Dunning, the new rector of King Charles the Martyr church in Falmouth, arrived for his installation service to be greeted with a demonstration about a slave trader memorial in the church and a police presence to keep the peace. @packetnewspapers.bsky.social reports:
Religion news 22 April 2026
➡️ Archbishop Sarah Mullally to visit the Pope in Rome this weekend
➡️ Soldiers jailed after smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon
➡️ Man admits raping Sikh woman in Walsall home attack
➡️ Slave trade protesters and police at rector’s installation service
Religion news 21 April 2026
➡️ Faith leaders pledge commitment to peace and unity ahead of the Senedd election
➡️ Two arrested after Harrow synagogue attack
➡️ BBC Panorama examines rising antisemitism in Britain
➡️ Investors launch multifaith ethical investment network
The Church of England has 2,000 priests who combine their parish duties with secular careers, such as teachers, vets, solicitors & data analysts. A series of films tells their stories.
On Saturday night, a bottle with accelerant was thrown into the medical room of Kenton United synagogue, near Brent. The Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said there is a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK, which is gathering momentum.
Religion news 20 April 2026
➡️ Fourth attack on Jewish community in north London
➡️ Starmer 'is not a prophet, just a man doing his best'
➡️ Pope says his call for peace is not an attempt to debate Trump
➡️ Launch of research into Muslim converts in Britain
Religion news 17 April 2026
➡️ Sarah Mullally backs the Pope in calls for peace
➡️ Churchwarden’s conviction of murder is quashed
➡️ Church in Wales allows same sex blessings and moves towards same sex marriage
➡️ Methodist minister appeals for calm after reports of rape near church
Religion news 16 April 2026
➡️ People feel ‘anxious, fearful and uncertain’ in Church in Wales
➡️ Arrests after arson attempt on synagogue in north London
➡️ Pope calls for peace and justice in Cameroon
➡️ Report says China increasing pressure on Christians
Religion news 15 April 2026
➡️ Trump doubles down on his criticism of the Pope – and turns on Meloni
➡️ Pope doubles down on peace - 'God’s heart with the humble not the arrogant'
➡️ International conference on Sudan as aid agencies unite for urgent action
Religion news 13 April 2026
➡️ President Trump launches blistering attack on the Pope
➡️ Pope Leo: Prayer for peace is ‘bulwark against delusion of omnipotence'
➡️ Resounding defeat for Victor Orbán who put Christian nationalism centre stage
Religion news 10 April 2026
➡️ Russia declares ceasefire in Ukraine for Orthodox Easter this weekend
➡️ Bishop of Salisbury steps back while financial audit takes place
➡️ Holy sites re-open in Jerusalem
➡️ The ‘Maga-fication of religion in America’
Religion news 9 April 2026
➡️Pope Leo welcomes ceasefire agreement
➡️Christian nationalism and the US war in Iran
➡️Pastor charged with manslaughter after man drowned during baptism
➡️CofE to apologise for its role in historical forced adoption
➡️American astronauts’ tendency to quote scripture in space
Religion news 8 April 2026
➡️ Trump suspends bombing of Iran - Pope Leo says threat against the entire Iranian people was 'unacceptable'
➡️ World Council of Churches ‘gravely concerned’ at threats against Iran
➡️ Wireless festival cancelled after Kanye West denied permission to enter UK
Religion news 7 April 2026
➡️ Pete Hegseth urges prayer for Iran war victory 'in the name of Jesus Christ'
➡️ US Military bishop: ‘hard to cast this war as sponsored by the Lord’
➡️ UK Church leaders use Easter messages to urge end to war
➡️ BBC’s Pilgrimage series on route to Holy Island, Lindisfarne
The Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth, has visited the Jesuit Refugee Service UK in east London to see its work supporting refugees from around the world. Reflecting on Easter as a journey “from the edges of death to life”, he said the highlight was hearing people’s stories.
Religion news 2 April 2026
➡️ Royal Maundy service in Wales for only the second time in 800 years
➡️ Easter message from church leaders in Jerusalem: pray for peace
➡️ Archbishop Richard Moth: ‘Refugees are in God’s image’
Religion news 1 April 2026
➡️ Board urges UK bars Kanye West over antisemitism
➡️ Food parcels distributed for Passover
➡️ Pope calls for peace and hopes for truce over Easter
➡️ Call for faith literacy in health care, as youth mental care referrals triple
In our latest briefing, we review the fallout from the flawed data and resultant withdrawal of the "Quiet Revival" report, and the lessons for Christians commissioning data, polling companies finding answers, journalists reporting polls and the legacy of distrust
Religion news 31 March 2026
➡️ Inter Faith Week 2025 grew with more youth and regional engagement
➡️ Faith leaders Easter reception at Number Ten
➡️ Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican summoned over Palm Sunday ban
Thank you to all our panellists and guests for their time and contributions today. The full briefing will be available later today on our website:
We are seeing a mixed experience of the ongoing decline of nominal Christianity and increased active Chrsitianity. They can coexist and that applies to other religions too. We should be curious and explore more, rather than getting hung up on numbers. ~Paul Williams 2/2
Paul Williams concluded by saying most believers focus on the local level, not numbers. The Bible Society got caught up in the debate because of the findings of the YouGov survey... 1/2
Nick Spencer, senior fellow at Theos Think Tank, went on to say that the mood music was one of contempt after the new atheist phenomenon. There is still contempt, but much more sympathy now. The landscape feels different to what it was.
The nominal default affiliation to Anglicanism has faded, said Nick Spencer of Theos Think Tank. Post Covid, the number of young adults showing an interest has increased, as have sales of the Bible and Christian books. Infant baptisms aren't happening so much - but adult baptisms are increasing.
Canon Giles Goddard's congregation is increasing, but has a high turnover because of its location. He is confident that faith in all sorts of different ways is a subject for conversation and engagement in a way that it wasn't 5-10 years ago. 2/2
Revd Canon Giles Goddard, vicar of St John’s Waterloo, said he's feeling a change. Young people are coming to him wanting community, spirituality and to feel safe... 1/2
It may not be a 'revival' - but something is happening, said Justin Brierley, citing reports of an increased number of adult baptisms and a spike in the number of people registering for the Alpha course. He cannot ignore these anecdotal reports, and it would be a mistake to say nothing is happening.
There is a 'vibe shift', said author, speaker and podcaster, Justin Brierley - which is hard to quantify with such a small set of people. Something has gone wrong here and has left a lot of people confused and disappointed. We're all coming from different perspectives, but are invested in the truth.
How did the YouGov poll go wrong? Can journalists trust any survey? Prof Sir John Curtice says polling should be taken but not inhaled. When you're trying to measure a relatively small number of people, you're more likely to expose yourself to fraud. 4/4
The consequence of migration on the religious character of Britain and its diversity - particularly for young people <35 - shows there is not necessarily an increase in Christian attendance. But Prof Curtice was reluctant to criticise the Bible Society as they reported what they got from YouGov. 3/4