UK government meets with faith leaders
-08/07/05
The UK Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, today met with senior Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh leaders following the four bomb attacks in London yesterday, in order to coordinate responses with Britainís faith communities.
Those present at the Home Office meeting included Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor (head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales), Sheik Dr Zaki Badawi (principal of the Muslim College in London), and Dr Jonathan Sacks (the Chief Rabbi).
The aim of the consultation was to talk about community relations in the aftermath of the assault on the capital.
As Ekklesia has reported, Muslims in Britain have already been feeling the anger of some who have concluded that the atrocities are the work of Islamic extremists, and who blame the entire community for the actions of an unrepresentative minority.
Mr Clarke today acknowledged elements of a backlash, which he condemned. But he stressed that those involved were a very small minority of the British population. He said that the bomb attacks in London had targeted those of all faiths and none.
ìFaith is important in our society and [it is important] that all faiths have respect for other faiths,î said the Home Secretary. He added that ìby working together we can address the problems of society in an effective way,î and said the tenor of the meeting was that those wanting to disrupt multicultural Britain would not be allowed to succeed.
Meanwhile the general director of the UK Evangelical Alliance, the Rev Joel Edwards, added his sympathies for the victims of the London bombings and their families.
The Evangelical Alliance is calling on its one million members to pray for a spirit of peace and mercy, not panic or revenge.
The British government is also staying regularly in touch with the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in the aftermath of the London bombings.
UK government meets with faith leaders
-08/07/05
The UK Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, today met with senior Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh leaders following the four bomb attacks in London yesterday, in order to coordinate responses with Britain’s faith communities.
Those present at the Home Office meeting included Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor (head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales), Sheik Dr Zaki Badawi (principal of the Muslim College in London), and Dr Jonathan Sacks (the Chief Rabbi).
The aim of the consultation was to talk about community relations in the aftermath of the assault on the capital.
As Ekklesia has reported, Muslims in Britain have already been feeling the anger of some who have concluded that the atrocities are the work of Islamic extremists, and who blame the entire community for the actions of an unrepresentative minority.
Mr Clarke today acknowledged elements of a backlash, which he condemned. But he stressed that those involved were a very small minority of the British population. He said that the bomb attacks in London had targeted those of all faiths and none.
‘Faith is important in our society and [it is important] that all faiths have respect for other faiths,’ said the Home Secretary. He added that ‘by working together we can address the problems of society in an effective way,’ and said the tenor of the meeting was that those wanting to disrupt multicultural Britain would not be allowed to succeed.
Meanwhile the general director of the UK Evangelical Alliance, the Rev Joel Edwards, added his sympathies for the victims of the London bombings and their families.
The Evangelical Alliance is calling on its one million members to pray for a spirit of peace and mercy, not panic or revenge.
The British government is also staying regularly in touch with the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in the aftermath of the London bombings.