Eurobishop

Among the Anglican Communion's  Five Marks of Mission , it is perhaps the fifth mark "to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth" that has an urgent resonance for people of all faiths, and none. We are living in a damaged world in the midst of a climate emergency and time is running out for us to stop and change direction; we have no other planet to go to.  With Lent fast approaching, I wish to commend a resource produced by USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel). It is a set of 6 studies, exploring environmental justice from Anglican perspecrives around the world entitled For Such a Time as This . This resource is available in PDF format here . Each study provides a reflection from a global partner, biblical extracts for reflection, questions for discussion, prayers and a simple action or commitment. The beauty of this resource is that it is easy for small groups to manage. Although written with a UK audience in min...

Last Wednesday, an important interfaith declaration was launched, with signatures from faith leaders from over 50 countries around the world, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh.  The Declaration calls for an end to violence and criminalisation against LGBT+ people and for a global ban on conversion therapy. The Church of England's General Synod in 2018 supported such a ban, as being an unethical, potentially harmful practice with "no place in the modern world".  An interfaith service of prayer was held at Westminster Abbey to mark this important step. It was a dignified (and socially distanced) service, and perhaps fitting that the Abbey was already decorated for  Christmas, when Christians celebate the new life which was born into the world, calling us towards love for all our sisters and brothers. The service concluded at  the innocent victims memorial, just outside the West Door of the Abbey, a memorial to men, women and children who have suffered...

St John the Baptist, herald of justice Advent for us in the northern hemisphere is at the time of the shortest days of the year. In the midst of the Advent darkness we have today's Gaudete Sunday, the title taken from the ancient introit, " Rejoice (Gaudete)  in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near". The hint of promised joy which will pierce our darkness is seen as we light the third candle on the Advent wreath, which is normally pink, and with rose vestments at the mass instead of the more sombre purple. Today's Gospel features the great Advent figure, St John the Baptist. The writer of the Fourth Gospel proclaims, "He came as a witness to testify to the light".  Last week on the agenda of the diocesan synod were some matters of justice: the care for God's creation and the renunciation of all forms of racism. We also were introduced to the Church of England-wide process, Living in Love and Faith , a comprehensive study of jus...

In this season of Creationtide, Christ Church Vienna is hosting a relevant workshop on the morning of Saturday 19 September. The workshop will be led by Dr Clare Amos, the Diocesan Director of Lay Discipleship, a biblical scholar and world class lay theologian. Dr Amos will draw on both the Old and New Testaments to explore our relationship to the created order. Environmental issues and a commitment to safeguard the integrity of creation is one of the key themes of the diocesan strategy.  Previous workshops by Clare have been heavily subscribed, so if you are interested please contact Christ Church Vienna ( office@christchurchvienna.org ) by Thursday 17 September to reserve your place! Please note that the times are Central European Time, (British Summer Time +1 hour).

Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash On 23 August in Kenosha, Wisconsin, police shot an African American, Jacob Blake, in the back, at close range, several times, in front of his 3 sons. Mr Blake has survived, but may be paralysed from the waist down. Public officials are calling for a thorough investigation of the shooting, and a reckoning with the broader issues of racial injustice.   Meanwhile protests have been seen in Kenosha in the aftermath of this event; sadly some of these protests have turned violent and destructive. One of our locum clergy who is connected to the Camino Chaplaincy (in Santiago de Compostela), the Revd Fr Matthew Buterbaugh is the Rector of St Matthew's Episcopal Church, a parish in downtown Kenosha, close to the centre of the unrest. Fr Matthew has been in communication with Fr Bob Bates, our Lead Chaplain for the Camino Chaplaincy, who has been circulating requests for prayer for Kenosha. Fr Matthew says " I greatly appreciate that, and I am heartened ...

Today the Church remembers the Martyrs of Uganda, young Africans, of Anglican and Roman Catholic background who were put to death by the Ugandan King Mwanga, who despised people of religious faith.  At this time across the United States of America and even here in London, demonstrations continue protesting the murder of another black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis. As we know he was mercilessly pinned down by the knee of a white police officer, begging to be able to breathe, until he died. Other police officers looked on.  While the world searches for a cure and a vaccine against coronavirus - how we need still to find a cure and a vaccine for the racism that is still so pervasive in our societies.  We Christians believe in the equality  of all peoples  and value the richness that comes with racial and ethnic diversity. Racism is a sin; as such we must oppose it in all its forms.  The Archbishops of Canterbury and York issued this statement con...

Canon Sabry (Casablanca), retired Archdeacon Geoff Johnston, and Rebecca Boardman USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) is one the oldest mission agencies in the Anglican Communion. Founded in 1701, it has been a partner to Churches and communities world-wide, including the Diocese in Europe. It sees its partnership as a way to "enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential and champion justice". It is a little known fact that over half of the communities in the Diocese in Europe owe their origin to USPG (or SPG as it was known then) support and sponsorship. Today, USPG supports our work with migrants and refugees in France, Germany, Greece and Morocco. The Mission and Public Affairs Unit of the Diocese, chaired by Archdeacon Leslie Nathaniel, has a member from USPG on the unit. Rebecca Boardman has been a close collaborator, particularly on migration and refugee issues, for over 5 years.   At a recent meeting of the MPA unit Rebecca in her repor...

On 17 October 2017 at St Margaret's Church, Westminster, the annual Coptic New Year ( Nayrouz ) celebrations were held, at which, His Grace Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Church in the UK presided and preached. His Grace Bishop Hovakim of the Armenian Apostolic Church It is an important annual event in London, with significant ecumenical and inter-faith dimensions. The martyrs of the Church in the Middle East are always commemorated, but increasingly it has become an important moment when religious and political leaders from across UK society come together to pray for those around the world who are oppressed because of their religion. Thus addresses were given by Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, members of parliament, and government ministers. Messages were read from HRH The Prince of Wales, the Prime Minister of the UK, the Archbishop of Canterbury. I had the honour of reading the message sent from Her Majesty the Queen. In his powerful sermon, HG Bishop Angaelos said of ...

The Revd Dr Rachel Carnegie of the Anglican Alliance leads discussions on the Church's engagement Representatives from our Diocese in  Europe, together with representatives from the congregations of the Episcopal Church in Europe came together for a 24 hour consultation in Cologne, Germany this week, to consider the matter of refugees and migrants in Europe. The consultation was sponsored by the Anglican Alliance, USPG, and the Weidenfeld Foundation,  We were joined by representatives from the Church in Wales, the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East’s Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, and the Diocese of Canterbury. Ecumenical partners included the Roman Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Lutheran World Federation, the Swiss Evangelical Alliance, the UNHCR, and the Church Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME). There was a rich sharing of experiences and a realisation that there is a wealth of good practice, models, partnerships, and ...

With Canon Andrew Khoo Last week I was privileged to represent the Anglican Communion at the United Nations General Assembly meeting on refugees and migrants. Along with a colleague, Lay Canon Andrew Khoo of Kuala Lumpur, in the Province of South East Asia, we were able to observe the summit close at hand for 48 hours and witness the historic signing of the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants signed by the leaders at the UN. I came away from the summit impressed by the sheer vast nature of the gathering: the 193 member states of course who are the key players, but also the range of groups from around the world representing civil society, Christian and other faith representatives, NGOs, UN and Development agencies and others, who together recognise that we are facing a global crisis, a crisis that needs a new approach that will need solidarity from all. A Syrian Refugee gives his testimony before the UN There were some very significant voices that said we needed to...

On my journeys last weekend I was reading with disappointment the report from Labour Peer Lord Dubs that not a single child refugee promised sanctuary in the UK has arrived since the scheme was set up last May. Lord Dubs was himself an escapee from Nazi Germany thanks to the Kindertransport  programme. But my heart was then warmed through a chance encounter with a marvellous programme for refugee children run by charities and the local Canary Island government. I wondered who the rather excited and noisy youngsters were on my plane coming into La Palma from Tenerife North on Saturday. It turned out that the children were from refugee camps near Tindouf in SW Algeria. I must admit that I was not aware that there are 165,000 refugees, “Sahrawi” people, who have been living in these camps for 40 years! The camps are in a very inhospitable region of the world; the summer temperature rises to more than 50 degrees. The landscape is nothing but sand. Each year, children from the ca...

Like so many in the UK, Europe and across the world, I awoke today to the news of the outcome of the Referendum with deep sadness. As a Scot with background in Burma and Canada and who serves the Church of England as a bishop I have been immensely proud of my red EU passport and feel such regret that the UK electorate has voted the way it has. Our Diocese in Europe is part of the Church of England, but it is wholeheartedly a European Church. Our responsibility as a diaspora jurisdiction is to serve English-speaking and Anglican Christians from around the world who make our beloved European continent (plus Morocco and Turkey) their home. Our clergy will now take seriously their ministry to members of our churches, particularly to those UK passport holders who may now be filled with worry about their life on the continent, the future of health care, their pension provision, the right of residence, their freedom to work and study, and perhaps also anxious about the future of childre...

Dr Harry Hagopian at the Kardinal Schulte Haus, Cologne For the last couple of years, the refugee situation has been on the agenda of the Diocesan Synod. At this last Synod held in Cologne from 13 to 17 June, we continued our education and reflection but this time returning to the causes of the present crises. To lead our discussion we were privileged to hear from Dr Harry Hagopian who shared perspectives on the "shuddering political and demographic upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the past five years" which are producing the large numbers of refugees. Dr Hagopian is a lawyer who holds a doctorate in Public International Law and an LL.M in Alternative Dispute (Conflict) Resolution. He is the Middle East Advisor for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in England & Wales and works also with the Vatican, Lambeth Palace, Majlis El-Hassan and the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Jordan, Minority Rights Group International in England, as we...

The outcome of the referendum today, 23 June, will have consequences for the future of the UK of course, but also for the rest of Europe and indeed for the world. In choosing the path to the future I pray that UK voters will not forget what divisions in our Europe have brought upon us in the past, and that they will remember the values (which were Christian-inspired) that underpin the vision of the EU. I pray that the electorate will cast their votes bearing in mind what is right for the common good of all, in the off-shore islands of Britain and Ireland, on the continent and in the family of the world's nations. May the Patrons of Europe, St Benedict of Nursia. St Cyril, St Methodius, St Bridget of Sweden, St Catherine of Siena and St Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) stand alongside us and pray with us. I voted to remain.  

Yesterday Church and Christian organisations in Europe called for concerted and ambitious action to be taken by the European Council in response to refugees and migrants. Among those Christian organisations are the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC), both well known partners of the Church of England and this diocese, who work, in a certain sense on our behalf. The letter presents an excellent summary of policies that the Churches would recommend to governments and EU bodies. Many people I encounter in the diocese ask what should be done in the face of the refugee situation. This letter sets out some real aims such as provision of safe and legal passage for refugees, appropriate support services once refugees reach Europe, and more effective resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes (including family reunion schemes). It also also raises questions about the EU-Turkey deal reached last week, particularly...

Photo: Paul Jeffery, WCC Next Monday and Tuesday in Geneva, some 80 leaders of governments, UN agencies, faith-related as well as non-religious civil society organizations from countries affected by the current refugee crisis in Europe, Middle East, and Africa will meet at a conference hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)  to discern how they can proactively influence and shape coordinated collective practical responses. I was invited to participate in this event, but due to previous commitments in Tangier, I am unable to attend. The General Secretary of the WCC, the Revd Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, encouraged me to send a representative. I am pleased to say that our diocese will be represented by Mr Max McClellan, who has been seconded by our partner mission agency Us (formerly USPG) to work with our church in Greece, serving th...

 Photo by Geoff Crawford My good friend and ecumenical colleague, His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK addressed the Church of England's General Synod yesterday on the complex refugee crisis, underlining the perspectives from Christians in the Middle East. His Grace is the Moderator of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), of which I am a trustee. He was one of the Church leaders who was with me on a CTBI visit to the Greek-FYRO Macedonian border in September, which was the first official visit of any sort to the region from the UK to learn first hand about what is the greatest crisis in Europe since WWII.   Speaking of the crisis as an opportunity for Christians and the Church to act, Bishop Angaelos said:   “We are a united Body of Christ, there is no Church of the East and Church of the West; it is one Body and it suffers equally, and so we need to approach this matter collaboratively. These are...

Archbishop Rowan Williams with Dr Constantine Dimtsas. Fr Malcolm Bradshaw to the right The situation in Greece which preoccupied us until the focus moved recently to the refugee crisis was the hardship that so many of the population were facing as a result of the imposed austerity measures. People across the diocese will remember that our 2015 Lent Appeal raised funds to assist with these needs, via the partnership between St Paul's Athens (the Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw) and Apostoli , the philanthropic organization of the Archdiocese of Athens. A letter of appreciation has been received for our diocese's gift of £13,571.91 from the Lent appeal. Here are extracts from that letter sent by Dr Constantine Dimtsas, the Director General of Apostoli . First of all, I wish to thank you for sending us this important donation through our local Anglican friends and fellow partners, Fr Malcolm Bradshaw and his Parish in Athens. With your precious contribution you  have demons...

Today, 7 September, I received the report below from the Revd Dr Frank Hegedűs, the Priest-in-Charge of St Margaret's, Budapest, and Area Dean in the Archdeaconry of the East. It is a moving story of yet another of our parishes of the Diocese in Europe mobilising to help refugees in their countries. _____________________________________________________________ Moved by the plight of thousands of refugees traversing Hungary, members of Saint Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Budapest, Hungary – along with many friends of the parish -- gathered on Saturday, 5 September, to prepare aid-packets to be distributed among the refugees at the Keleti International Train Station. "There were about twenty-five to thirty of us in all," reports Fr Frank. "Everyone was enthusiastic and eager to help." After prayer together and trips to local shops and stores to gather appropriate provisions, the volunteers put together approximately one hundred and thirty packets...