House of Lords member and Christian, Baroness Berridge, spoke as the deadly unrest was condemned by the United Nations (UN), which called upon Colombo to ensure the perpetrators face justice.

She told Premier: “It is really hard to see this happen in Sri Lanka because since 2015… Sri Lanka has been on the right trajectory; it’s been much, much better.”

At least two people have been killed in unrest affecting the central district of Kandy in the last week – with dozens of homes, mosques, and businesses being set on fire.

Ending a three-day visit to the country on Sunday, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, criticised “the breakdown in law and order and the attacks against Muslims and their property”, in a statement.

Highlighting the urgency of ensuring peaceful co-existence between those of different faiths in Sri Lanka, Baroness Berridge said: “The authorities have got to get on top of these issues.

“There’s got to be community work around inter-faith issues, to get people together so that there is an interweaving of communities.”

Violence broke out in Kandy after the death of a Buddhist man who was beaten by a group of Muslim men in a row over a traffic accident.

Sir Lanka is a Buddhist-majority nation which is also home to significant Hindu, Muslim and Christian populations.

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Moving Mountains started on Thursday and was comprised of 500 activities all across the county including school visits, puppet making, litter picks, film nights, sporting events, flower festivals, photo exhibits and a passion play.

Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, told Premier he’s never worked so hard at a mission before but the impact was astonishing.

“It’s extraordinary and they’ve all [the events] been ecumenical. The response to people coming to know Christ has been huge and for that I give thanks.”

Moving Mountains not only impacted non-churchgoers but also Christians organising the events.

Alan Yates, Moderator of General Assembly at the United Reformist Church, said: “They’ve [church members] discovered a new confidence in talking about their faith with other people which perhaps they didn’t have before. We’re looking forward to seeing [that] exercised in the future.”

Mike Talbot who works in evangelism for the Diocese of Carlisle said even those who were sceptical about the event were pleased.

“There was excitement as people have taken the step of reaching out in a way that they haven’t done before and discovering that it actually works.

“One vicar tweeted that he was quite apprehensive about Moving Mountains but it’s been awesome he says and it’s encouraged him think about what he might to do next.”
 
Listen to Premier’s Ian Britton’s report on…

The comedian Ken Dodd, one of the great entertainers of the music hall era who toured the country with his lively, notoriously over-running act has died at the age of 90.

Dodd was a long supporter of the Book of Common prayer, the Anglican book with daily gospel readings and prayers, describing it when he was 89 as “a wonderful piece of literature, beautifully-written and based on fact.”

He became acquainted with the book as a choir boy where he would sing the words.

Prudence Dailey, the Chair of the Prayer Book Society told Premier: “He clearly thought deeply about the words of the prayer book as well as the music and it’s something that clearly meant a lot to him.”

She explained what his faith was like: “There he was, 90 years old and still going to the same parish church where he’s been singing since a little boy and all worshiping and praying”

Dailey continued to describe how he gave people joy: “One of my colleagues who did speak to him said that he was clearly the same fun loving man in real life as came across on the stage and that kind of joy and happiness is something all Christians should seek to give the world.”

 Justin Welby has also paid tribute to him, writing on twitter: “May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Will miss Ken Dodd – he attended Liverpool Cathedral faithfully while I was Dean there. Always friendly, always wise,…

John Delahaye, 46, was pronounced dead at HMP Birmingham on Monday just one week before he was due to stand trial over allegations of attacking worshippers at the New Jerulasem Apolistic Church in Aston, Birmingham.

According to Birmingham Live, in 2002, Delahaye from Aston developed a “violent fixation about a solicitor acting for him over a harassment matter”, who he believed badly represented him.

He had been removed a number of times from a Birmingham law firm before “vaulting the counter” and repeatedly stabbing a trainee lawyer – twice in the chest, in the head, hand and shoulder.

He was found guilty of attempted murder and jailed for 12 years.

Only two days before last September’s church attack, which left a church elder and two other men with injuries, Delahaye reportedly returned to the same Birmingham legal firm and made further threats.

His victim 15 years ago – who didn’t want to be named – told Birmingham Live he wasn’t surprised by Delahaye’s church attack.

“He came across as a man who was cool, calm and calculated. When we ejected him from the office, he didn’t run like most would.

“He called the police and made a complaint. That shows a man with brains.”

Thanks for all of your messages of support and prayers. I’m recovering well. #LevelUp pic.twitter.com/JcbONF95SH

— Adam Brooks // #LevelUp (@AdamBrux) September 11, 2017

Delahaye was to stand…

Suchet, 71, – best known for his role as Hercule Poirot – said he began having doubts after conversations with people of different faiths for a ten-part Audible podcast called Question of Faith.

Speaking to The Times about why he is having doubts about his commitment to the Church of England, he said: “I’m not a great fan of organised religion. But that’s really as a result of making these fantastic programmes.”

Asked how his faith has changed, he added: “More spirituality – Christian spirituality because that’s where I was moved towards, but very much away now from doctrine and dogma, which I find very polemical.”

Suchet came to Christ after reading Romans 8 in a hotel. In an interview with Strand magazine he said: ‘I’m a Christian by faith. I like to think it sees me through a great deal of my life.

“I very much believe in the principles of Christianity and the principles of most religions, actually-that one has to abandon oneself to a higher good.”

He told The Times about his experience hearing from Kamal Khatib – a Muslim preacher based in Israel – for the documentary.

“I met Kamal Khatib, this hate preacher, really anti-West. I could see this man, this preacher, rousing his congregation who all would shout ‘Allahu akbar’. They would all become incensed. It was like Henry V, ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends’.”

However, he said he found himself looking…

Leader of Christ Church Abingdon, Rev Timothy Davis was prevented at the weekend from participating in any form of church ministry until March 2020 following the judgement, which is thought to be the first of its kind.

Rev Davis, who is in his 50s, was found guilty by the religious court in December 2017 of abusing his “spiritual power and authority” over a teenager.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Oxford said: “The penalty imposed on Tim Davis was that he should cease to hold office with immediate effect, and he now stands prohibited from the exercise of holy orders for a period of two years.

“Should he wish to return to ministry after the period of prohibition then he will be required to undertake a formal risk assessment.
 
“The findings of the tribunal are instructive for anyone still doubting that spiritual abuse exists, and we commend the young man and his family for their courage and grace throughout this process.”

The tribunal last year heard how an “intense” mentoring programme Davis embarked upon with a school boy was in breach of the Church of England’s safeguarding rules.

Held at Southwark Cathedral in central London, the tribunal was told that Davis maintained a level of contact with the youngster which was inappropriate, including one-to-one private meetings in the youngster’s bedroom.

No misconduct of a sexual nature was reported.

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