Man convicted of arson that gutted Arizona church
A 59-YEAR-OLD man in the United States, Eric Ridenour, has been convicted by a federal jury of setting the fires in May last year that destroyed St Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Douglas, in Arizona, and damaged the neighbouring First Presbyterian Church, ENS reports. The indictment, which accused Ridenour of hate crimes, said that he intentionally started the fires “because of his hostility toward their progressive doctrines, particularly their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve as church leaders”. He faces a possible 30 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for 22 October.
GSFA supports ‘overseers’ and ‘new province’
THE chair of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA), the Archbishop of South Sudan, Dr Justin Badi Arama, expressed support for the Alliance — the umbrella group co-ordinating much of the opposition to same-sex blessings — and a “new province”. In a pastoral letter published on the GSFA website, Dr Badi Arama wrote: “We stand with them in the struggle that lies ahead as they seek to establish a new Province of the Church of England that will enable them to continue their witness to Jesus with integrity and freedom.” Most of the statement reiterates the GSFA’s view that the C of E has “forfeited her leadership role in the global Communion”, and that the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury is “compromised”. Dr Badi Arama also referenced the recent meeting of the GSFA in Cairo, at which it adopted a “covenental” structure. In a communiqué, the GSFA leadership described the body as “a well-structured home for orthodox Anglicans worldwide” (News, 28 June). The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is among the GSFA’s mission partners. Its national director, Canon John Dunnett, who attended the assembly in Cairo, said after the meeting that he had been “hugely encouraged” by the “unwavering support for orthodox Anglicans in England”.
Anglican Alliance appoints new director
THE next executive director of the Anglican Alliance is to be Robert Dawes, currently the Mothers’ Union’s director of development. He is to succeed Canon Rachel Carnegie when she steps down in October. Mr Dawes has experience in community development in the UK, Tanzania, Zambia, and Honduras, and has previously served the Anglican Alliance through its Covid-19 global task force and through work on its programme of asset-based church and community transformation. For the past 12 years, he has also served as a visiting lecturer at the University of East London, teaching project design and management.
Pakistan raises marriageable age for Christians
THE minimum age at which Christians boys and girls in Pakistan can marry has been raised to 18. An amendment to the Christian Marriage Act 1872 was approved unanimously by the National Assembly this week after passing at the Senate a few months ago, Vatican News reports. Under the previous law, which dates back to British rule in India, girls could be married as early as 13, boys at 16. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan and the National Commission for Justice and Peace said: “This legislation will play a crucial role in protecting our young and minor girls from forced conversions and child marriages. We hope the Government will take further steps to criminalise forced religious conversions.”
Evangelical billionaire found guilty of fraud
THE billionaire Wall Street investor and philanthropist Bill Hwang has been found guilty by a New York jury of fraud and market manipulation. The failure of his investment fund Archegos Capital Management three years ago caused billions of dollars in losses for several large banks. When Archegos was unable to repay the banks, it prompted a mass sell-off of stocks, and the fund collapsed. Christian Today reports that supporters of the Evangelical Mr Hwang “closed their eyes and prayed” as they awaited a verdict, and that he had “read a Bible devotional and took notes in the margins” throughout the trial. His deputy at Archegos and co-defendant, Patrick Halligan, was also found guilty on the three counts that he faced. Sentencing has been scheduled for 28 October. Both men will remain free on bail. Mr Halligan’s lawyer, Mary Mulligan, told BBC News that they intended to appeal.
Gambia rejects attempted reversal of FGM ban
THE Gambian Parliament on Monday rejected a Bill that sought to overturn the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country. World Vision and other charities and human-rights groups, as well as the UN, had urged parliamentarians to block the Bill, which was introduced in March after pressure from a group of Muslim clerics. Gambia is among the ten countries with the highest rates of FGM: 73 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure.
Ghanaian judge expresses view on married names
A HIGH COURT judge in Ghana has said that it is no longer legally relevant for a married woman to take her husband’s surname, and that it cannot be justified by reference to scripture. “Eve was never called Adam Eve. Jesus’s mother was not called Mary Joseph,” Justice Osei Tutu told local media earlier this month, arguing that the practice could be traced to English law from the 11th century, when married women lacked property rights of their own.