Law and religion round-up – 22nd March

Yet another “Aside from that, Mrs Lincoln…” kind of week…

… although the Carmelite Nuns GB announced that they “have 800 years experience of social distancing”.

Breaking News

New advice has been sent to Church of England churches in London stating that in the light of the continued spread of COVID-19 in London, it is necessary to close its buildings entirely. “The action is being replicated for London Boroughs in the Dioceses of London, Southwark, Chelmsford and Rochester and with support from the Archbishop of Canterbury”. [Updated 22 March 2020 at 17:45]

Coronavirus latest

On Monday, the Health Secretary suggested in the Commons “with the deepest regret and the heaviest of hearts” that religious gatherings should be suspended. Later that day, the Church of England announced that “Public worship will have to stop for a season. Our usual pattern of Sunday services and other mid-week gatherings must be put on hold”. In a joint letter, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York called for Church of England churches to suspend public worship and become a “different sort of church” in the coming months to face the challenge of coronavirus. They followed that up with a further letter in clarification. Continue reading