Religion News Service reports that the Los Angeles Police Department have increased police presence around synagogues following the hate-motivated shootings of two Jewish men in the last week. The shootings add to a recent wave of public antisemitic incidents in the Los Angeles area.
The Religion News Service also reports that African archbishops are challenging the Church of England’s decision to allow clergy to bless same sex marriages, warning that the decision is splitting the worldwide Anglican Communion
The Guardian reports that the earliest and most complete Hebrew Bible ever discovered is to be sold at auction. Estimated at £25m-£42m, the ninth-century volume, referred to as the Codex Sassoon, is the most valuable historical document to ever appear at auction. The Codex Sassoon will be exhibited for the first time in 40 years next week at Sotheby’s, London.
The Guardian also covers the restoration of a memorial to St. Cuthbert in Lindisfarne after nearly 500 years. The new memorial, designed by sculptor Russ Coleman, will replace the cenotaph which marked Cuthbert’s tomb until its removal in 1537 as part of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.
The Guardian reports that an independent inquiry has found that Catholic clergy in Portugal have abused nearly 5000 children since 1950 adding to the scandal affecting the Catholic Church
The Telegraph reports that a Catholic priest has accused the Government of “censoring silent prayer” after being charged for trying to intimidate service users near an abortion clinic. The four charges against Fr Sean Gough for failing to comply with a public spaces protection order have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The BBC reports that a pastor in Mozambique has died after attempting to fast for 40 days, in an emulation of the fast Christ is said to have gone through.