October 2022 to January 2023

In the June to September report, I noted that Boris Johnson had announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party on 7 July and had been replaced as Prime Minister by Liz Truss on 6 September. Little did anyone imagine that she, in turn, would be replaced by Rishi Sunak on 25 October after only 50 days in office and a disastrous mini budget presented by her Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, which Sunak's replacement as Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, then repudiated almost in its entirety.

Where is God when it hurts? Theodicy from the pain of COVID-19

This article attempts to answer the question of God's compassion during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many people are asking questions about God's care and love amid situations where they could not mourn the loss of the loved ones and find closure. African philosophy of death, mourning rituals and funeral ceremonies were curtailed or restricted by the government and therefore, mourners were left with wounds because they could not find closure for the loss of their loved ones. The aim is to point out that people are still mourning, as lockdown restrictions limited them from going through a grieving process, and that people, left with post-corona effects, are still asking the reality of God's presence during times filled with pain. The interdisciplinary approach to the reality of situation, press releases and literature review are all combined to locate theodicy during the periods of pain. It is discovered that many who did not mourn and grieve culturally and religiously are still struggling emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. Bereavement processes that were muzzled, can still be addressed theologically. Theodicy, as a theological concept, is utilised as a tool to strengthen faith and hope. Hope remains an anchor that keeps humanity floating above the circumstances. Eschatological hope remains the pillar when COVID-19 is deemed as a contradiction to the goodness of God. The conclusion is that, although the character of God such as love, kindness, empathy et cetera, is questioned, the reassuring message remains that God continues to comfort, guide and heal despite crises facing humanity. Humanity still needs post-grief healing and closure in order to reimagine and reassert normality of life. Contribution: The author aims to highlight the importance of healing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to answer the question of theodicy during the crises. How does one reconcile the goodness of God and the devastation of a pandemic during and after sufferings the world has experienced when one's socio-cultural structures are challenged?

Governing Body of the Church in Wales: April and September 2022

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales met at the International Conference Centre, Newport on 27–28 April 2022 and 6–7 September 2022. The April session began with the formal notification to the Governing Body of the election of the Most Reverend Andrew John, Bishop of Bangor, as Archbishop of Wales and therefore President of the Governing Body. His inaugural Presidential address called for the Russian Orthodox Church to condemn the killing of civilians in Ukraine and press for an immediate ceasefire to hostilities. He praised the actions of churches across the Province in their continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective communities.

Reflections on the Workings of General Synod

This article is based on a paper delivered to the Ecclesiastical Law Society's day conference in 2022. It is a reflection on the workings of General Synod from the perspective of an author who has been a member of Synod for around 36 years. The article examines three discrete themes: (i) the problem of authority in the Church of England, (ii) the shortcomings of Synodical government, and (iii) the urgency of mission. It examines these themes by considering, among other things, the Church of England's response to a number of contemporary issues: its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, proposed reform of its governance structures, its ability to respond to issues concerning sexuality and racial justice, and the proposals for reforming the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011, as set out in GS 2222.

Onderwijs in Nederland in coronatijd: Een voorlopige reflectie

Education in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic: A preliminary reflection. The coronavirus pandemic prompted national governments around the world to take drastic measures. Citizens were invariably informed that these measures were unavoidable. However, the question is whether the measures taken by government can be ethically justified. The purpose of this article is to present the upshot of our reflections on such government measures in the Netherlands during the coronavirus crisis in 2020–2021. Such reflection is essential because pandemics are likely to be more frequent in the future. Our reflections are based on a literature study comprising press conferences, speeches and scholarly articles pertaining to the management of the coronavirus crisis in 2020–2021 in the Netherlands. An ethics framework enabled us to draw preliminary conclusions regarding the measures taken by the Dutch government with respect to the management of education during the crisis. We found that the government had clearly explained the measures to be taken and had rooted them in a set of assumptive values. Those in charge were aware of the consequences of the measures taken with respect to organised education;they also clearly pre-calculated the impact of every measure. The government also acted virtuously in its deployment of resources and announcement of measures to be taken. We conclude that the government fulfilled its duty to manage organised education in an acceptably responsible and virtuous manner. Contribution: The authors arrive at an answer to the research question by using a theoretical frame of reference based on three ethical approaches. This framework enables them to make ethical judgments regarding the Dutch government’s actions during the first two years of the pandemic, and to proffer a practical assessment of government measures during that period. Their connection of ethics with the teachings of Jesus enables them to also assess the Dutch government’s actions on biblical grounds.

Tying the Knot: The Formation of Marriage 1836–2020 Rebecca Probert, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2021, xii + 283 pp (hardback £85), ISBN: 978-1-316-51828-1

Tying the Knot: The Formation of Marriage 1836–2020 Rebecca Probert Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2021, xii + 283 pp (hardback £85), ISBN: 978-1-316-51828-1 Readers of this Journal will already be familiar with Professor Rebecca Probert's recent work, from her paper at the Ecclesiastical Law Society's ‘Solemnization of matrimony: past, present and future’ day conference in 2021 and her subsequent article, ‘Getting married: the origins of the current law and its problems’.3 Probert is the leading scholar on the history of marriage and family law and her previous significant works include Marriage Law and Practice in the Long Eighteenth Century and The Changing Legislation of Cohabitation.4 She is also a specialist consultant to the Law Commission on their current Weddings Project. [...]it considers the evidence as to how couples actually married in this period. [...]it assesses to what extent the law has facilitated couples getting married in accordance with their own beliefs.

February–May 2022

In May, Baroness Hallett published her Terms of Reference Consultation Summary Report on the responses to her consultation on the Government's proposed terms of reference for the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, together with her conclusions.1 A major criticism of the draft terms, particularly but not exclusively from faith communities, had been the total absence of any mention of the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the practice of religion. Baroness Hallett noted that the consultation had ‘heard from faith groups about the restrictions applied to places of worship and the impact this had on community support, the marking of life events such as marriages and funerals, and the observation of religious festivals’ and the concerns expressed about the interaction between restrictions on places of worship and Convention rights. In February 2020 the Court of Appeal had upheld the judgment of McBride J at first instance that the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland did not have implied or express power to delegate its functions to staff acting alone.6 The effect was to render unlawful all previous decisions taken by Commission staff where the staff member's authority to take the decision depended on the Commission having delegated a statutory power or duty. The Act amends the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 with retrospective effect so as to render lawful previous decisions taken by Commission staff in reliance on the unlawful delegation, where to do so is consistent with rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and where the decision to be validated was not unlawful on other grounds.

National Prayers: Special Worship Since the Reformation, Volume 3: Worship for National and Royal Occasions in the United Kingdom, 1871–2016 Philip Williamson, Stephen Taylor, Alasdair Raffe, and Natalie Mears, (eds) The Boydell Press, Church of England Record Society, Woodbridge, 2020, cxxxviii + 744 (hardback £120), ISBN: 978-1-78327-505-2

The current volume forms part of a four-part series commissioned by the Church of England Records Society to bring together and provide commentary on the sources of national prayers or special worship in the United Kingdom since the Reformation. While the Church of Scotland, which has always had a strong tradition of extemporary prayer, showed a greater willingness to engage with published forms or prayer and worship, the Church of England, which had historically placed great emphasis upon uniformity and conformity with the uses of the Book of Common Prayer, showed greater willingness to embrace diversity and initiative in the precise forms and expressions of prayers and services to be used on such occasions. In this period, then, we see the first examples of acts of national worship which involved not only the Protestant free churches, but also leaders from the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches as well as of Jewish congregational bodies. [...]even in an age of pluralism and the decline (perhaps) of Christian belief, the first half of the twentieth century witnessed acts of special national worship which were more genuinely national in character than ever before. Given the retreat from the use of legal forms, its content is not predominantly legal in character, but it has much to tell us about the evolving relationship between church, state and nation, and about the changing and evolving role of faith and religion in the life of the nation.

Demonology, eschatology and vaccinology in African independent Pentecostalism

Public discourses on the reliability of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in dealing with the upsurge of virus cases and deaths are developing and ongoing in many different contexts, as countries around the world are doing their best to build high and lasting immunity. This article worked within the framework of Pentecostal faith and outlined the Pentecostal perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines. The article is a literature analysis on the eschatological view and the demonising of COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, the article analysed the social media utterances of Pentecostal pastors on COVID-19 vaccines. These utterances were obtained from different social media networks, including YouTube. Pentecostal faith has caused some independent Pentecostals in Africa to demonise COVID-19 vaccines and others to perceive them as signs of the end times. While these perceptions appeared as signs of faith in dealing with pandemics such as COVID-19, they have proven fruitless in some instances. Some Pentecostals in Africa have lost their lives due to their insistence on faith, instead of vaccinating against the virus and observing regulations and restrictions. This calls for scholars to revisit a Pentecostal faith in health issues by bringing the balance between works and faith. Contribution: This article is an interdisciplinary study on demonology, eschatology, and vaccinology within African Independent Pentecostalism. The article problematised the demonisation of vaccines and perception of vaccines as signs of end times. The article proposes a Pentecostal faith that balances people’s beliefs and the role of medicine in the provision of healing.

Theological education and the COVID-19 pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Malawian perspective

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought a unique disruptive moment of unprecedented proportions in world history affecting all spheres of life. Theological education in Malawi, Sub-Saharan Africa, has not been spared in experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study argues that the effectiveness of theological education in Africa contributes towards the future of Christianity on the continent, because it serves as a foundation for a vibrant missional church. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided opportunities for creativity and innovation which could ensure the survival and sustainability of theological education in Africa. It is therefore crucial to critically reflect on how the provision of theological education in Malawi in particular, and in Sub-Saharan Africa, in general, can be sustained during the uncertain and challenging times when the COVID-19 pandemic is devastating the African continent and the entire world. This article investigated the challenges and opportunities for theological education in Malawi in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In view of this, the following five objectives emerged: (1) to evaluate the Malawi government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic;(2) to discuss the history and importance of theological education in Africa;(3) to examine the challenges of theological education in Malawi in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;and (4) to assess the prospects of theological education in Malawi in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research methodology was used, namely a literature review and interviews with members of the faculty of theological institutions in Malawi. Six main findings were established: First, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities for theological education in Africa. Second, the effectiveness of theological education in Africa has contributed towards the future of Christianity on the continent. Third, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the dominant models of theological education in Africa. This entails a shift from face-to-face teaching to online teaching and learning. Fourth, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided opportunities for the sustainability of theological education in Africa. Fifth, theological education has encountered misleading theologies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixth, theological education has the opportunity of constructing life-giving theologies in Africa. This study has two implications: (1) navigating the changing terrain of theological education in Malawi;and (2) theological education’s employment of digital technologies during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Contribution: This study has contributed to the discourse of theological education in Africa by providing solutions to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church: June 2021

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met in virtual form on 10 and 11 June 2021. In his charge to Synod, the Most Rev'd Dr Mark Strange, Primus, encouraged Synod members not to place their light under a bushel. The COVID-19 pandemic had denied people opportunities normally available to them to make their light shine and, at times, the bushel had felt very close. He reminded Synod members that in the valley of the shadow of death one need fear no evil. The evils of child poverty, the plight of refugees and unwarranted attacks on individuals in the public eye were all current evils to be confronted. Despite everything, the place of quiet waters and the comfort of the Shepherd's rod and staff still brought hope and joy, even in a pandemic.

COVID-19 y libertad religiosa Edited by Javier Martínez Torrón, and Belén Rodrigo Lara, Iustel, Madrid, 2021, 535 pp (paperback €35.50), ISBN: 978-84-9890-398-0

The pandemic has highlighted social inequalities within and between nations, and availability of access to hospital care, personal protective equipment and even clean water for handwashing. [...]juridical responses to COVID-19 have been incredibly varied. The reality is that governments, legislatures and courts had an almost infinite variety of responses at their disposal in managing public health and public freedom and, for the most part, questions were far more nuanced than simply needing to decide whether to permit or prohibit religious gatherings.

General Synod of the Church of England: February and July 2021

This report covers the groups of sessions held in April and July 2021. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, General Synod did not meet formally in February.

June–September 2021

Though public policy continued to be dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions began to ease as the vaccine rollout progressed. The volume of secondary legislation barely slackened, however, and the lack of parliamentary scrutiny was a cause of concern both to academic commentators and to parliamentarians. On 10 June, the House of Lords Constitution Committee published its third and final report on the constitutional implications of coronavirus and was clearly very unhappy with the course of events: ‘The Government has introduced a large volume of new legislation, much of it transforming everyday life and introducing unprecedented restrictions on ordinary activities. Yet parliamentary oversight of these significant policy decisions has been extremely limited.’

Gert Breed Festschrift Foreword

[...]14 articles were accepted and published after peer review. Indicating that overwhelming feelings of resentment and revenge by individuals in emotionally wounded and traumatised communities inflicted by injustice, violence and oppressive systems, often become a way of life, and people seldom deal with forgiveness in their healing process, Rudy Denton explores a process of spiritual healing and life fulfilment that relates to a forgiveness process. By defining liturgy in a broad sense, not only to refer to the liturgical elements of a worship service but also to the liturgy of life, they argue that liturgy within the church service context, but especially with what happens outside in life, can play a crucial role in helping Christians to become anti-racist. Coetsee argues that the book of Hebrews is one of the most fitting biblical books to shed light on how the phenomena can be addressed, as Hebrews was written to a church that experienced a decline in faith commitment.