2024 turned out to be quite a year for news about religion and in our last briefing of the year, we looked back at some of the headlines, the arguments, the characters, and the public events that brought religion to the fore.

Headlines include the historic resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury; the way religion met public policy with a vote to allow assisted dying in England and Wales; the global synod of Catholics in Rome with disappointment for women's campaigners; summer riots and attacks on British Muslims; how the Gaza war spilled over to inflame tensions here, with a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia; the abrupt closure of the Interfaith Network after 40 years; warm words about religious organisations in the UK election and a new Faith Minister; How evangelicals helped put Trump back in the White House; the 40th anniversary of the attack on Golden Temple, Amritsar and the opening of the $217 million Hindu temple Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, our interviewers were our RMC journalists Catherine Pepinster and Rosie Dawson; and our guests were Kaya Burgess, Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Times; Austen Ivereigh, Catholic journalist, author and commentator; Richard Allen Greene, formerly an editor with CNN now training to be a rabbi; RMC reporter on British Islam, Maira Butt; and RMC reporter on the Sikh tradition, Liz Harris.

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The Assisted Dying bill was passed in the House of Commons by 55 votes and now moves on for further consideration. In this Religion Media Centre briefing, a panel of religious leaders, academics and hospice chaplains consider the repercussions of the bill after a hotly contested debate that was highly emotional.

Among their issues of concern were what happens to medical staff within the small teams dealing with terminally ill patients, who refuse to have anything to do with it, some on the grounds of their faith. How is palliative care to be improved amid so many other needs in the NHS? How are vulnerable people to be protected?

There were wider issues thrown up in the debate - we need as a society to talk about death and the fear associated with it. What is the place of religion in society now that Christian influence is waning, and will this decision be seen as an act of betrayal by the NHS, destroying trust in a public service which is always there to care and repair except in death. Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the panel included:

• Dr Matthew Doré, honorary secretary of the Association of Palliative Care Medicine for Great Britain and Ireland
• Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues
• Dr Mansur Ali, Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies, Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, University of Cardiff
• Rev Professor Douglas Davies, Dept of Theology and Religion, and Director of the Centre for Death and Life Studies
• Rev Karen Murphy, hospice chaplain for 25 years, now at Weston Hospicecare in Weston Super Mare

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The resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury has left the Church of England reeling. There is consensus that he had no option after the publication of the Makin report which exposed the horrific abuse of young men and boys by the barrister, John Smyth, and a decades-long cover-up by the Church of England.

Smyth led Christian summer camps run by the Iwerne Trust which Justin Welby attended as a young man. From the mid-1970s, Smyth groomed boys and then took them back to his garden shed where they were beaten until they bled. The abuse was known about in the church from the early 1980s but was covered up. Smyth left the country and died in 2018, having never been brought to justice.

In a statement, Justin Welby said he was taking personal and institutional responsibility for the failure to act on the John Smyth abuse between 2013 and 2024 and had a profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England. His resignation, which is without precedent, has been described as a seismic shock. Roger Bolton hosts this discussion with guests:

• Andrew Graystone, author of Bleeding for Jesus, an account of John Smyth's abuse
• Susie Leafe, Director of Anglican Futures
• Mark Stibbe, survivor, author and former vicar
• Frances Martin, reporter with the Church Times
• Professor Linda Woodhead, King's College, London
• Prof Helen King, member of the General Synod

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Ninety financial sector leaders and church leaders from sixteen countries, all of whom oversee significant investment portfolios, are taking part in a meeting in London this week to turbocharge the market for investments that fit Christian beliefs.

The Mensuram Bonam summit, on 11 and 12 November, is the second of its kind and seeks to engage the whole “eco-system” of Christian faith-aligned capital. It is organised by Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, President of the Vatican Bank, along with five international specialist asset managers, and takes its name from a document on faith-consistent investing, which advocates that assets should be invested for the common good, respecting justice and ethical standards.

Mr de Franssu, who talks of “turbo-charging the market”, estimates that Christian funding could be worth as much as $1.75 trillion – a figure that includes the financial investments of religious organisations, charities and individuals as well as dioceses. In advance of the meeting, Mr de Franssu took part in a press conference introduced by Ruth Peacock, and hosted by the Religion Media Centre, explaining to journalists the purpose of the meeting.

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As the US presidential election campaign draws to a close, we use this opportunity to speak to faith leaders and election watchers to assess the importance of religion in the election campaign.

Traditionally, white evangelicals have supported Donald Trump and this briefing made clear that they appear to have largely remained loyal. The majority of Catholics also support the Republican party. But Kamala Harris is courting the Black Christian vote and makes no secret of her commitment to the Christian faith.

Moral issues are centre stage, whether personal on Trump's character, crimes or moral track record, or public morals such as respect for immigrants or a woman's right to choose. The Muslim vote has become increasingly important, said to be pivotal, in Georgia and other swing states. It swayed from Republican to Democrat after the Iraq war, but it may re-align again this time as Muslims are said to be "heartbroken" at the Biden administration's response to the war in Gaza and so their votes are more difficult to predict. Hosted by Rosie Dawson, our panel included:

• Dr Robert P. Jones, president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute
• Dr Shyam Sriram, Department of Political Science at Canisius University in Buffalo, New York
• Dr Galen Carey, National Association of Evangelicals vice president of government relations
• Robert McCaw, Government Affairs Department Director At the Council of America Islamic Relations
• Nazia Khanzada, Communications Manager,  Council on American-Islamic Relations, Georgia
• Jennifer Ewing, Republicans Overseas UK
• Kristin Wolfe, Democrats Abroad in the UK

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The National Churches Trust has produced a report pointing out that churches provide health care which would otherwise cost the NHS £8.4 billion to deliver. "The House of Good Health" lists services such as youth groups, food banks, support for drug and alcohol addiction, and a listening ear for mental health counselling.

But the report warns that this provision of care is in jeopardy because of the number of churches at risk of closure. It is published as many faith groups develop a wide variety of health care services based in their buildings, a trend sure to continue following Lord Darzi's report into the NHS, which recommends more emphasis on health care in the community rather than hospitals.

Rosie Dawson hosts this discussion on the existing supply of services, how churches and faith groups collaborate with multiple public sector organisations, why their offer is essential to reach especially minority communities - and a warning to the NHS not to dump the most difficult and vulnerable cases onto faith groups, unless they have the necessary resources to cope. Our speakers include:

• Sir Philip Rutnam, chair National Churches Trust
• Merron Simpson, chief executive of The Health Creation Alliance, improving health across all sectors
• Steve Fouch, chair of Parish Nursing Ministries UK
• Esther Platt, from the Good Faith Partnership. on social prescribing
• Rev Katy Hacker Hughes, priest pastor at St Marylebone Church, London, which has a GP on the premises.
• Rev Laurent Vernet, Britain’s first minister for drug addiction
• Amrick Singh Ubhi from the Nishkam Centre, Birmingham
• Shahida Rahman, from Cambridge Central Mosque, on its Health Hub

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A bill to allow assisted dying in England and Wales will be put before the Commons on 16 October, the first time in nine years that MPs will have had the chance to vote on the issue. The Lords have debated it many times, but in all cases, the measures have been defeated. This time, with a new intake of Labour MPs, and support from the Prime Minister for a free vote, there is hope among supporters that it will progress.

But this Religion Media Centre briefing shows there remains entrenched opposition, including from bishops, amid concern that disabled and vulnerable people will feel under pressure and safeguards will slip over time.

In Islam, assisted suicide is absolutely prohibited, which will pose problems for the 10 per cent of medical professionals who are Muslim.

The briefing addressed the theological argument that life is sacred, with a view that this is not just about deities or the afterlife, but extends to things held sacred in society such as a commitment to one another and once the red line has been crossed, it's gone. The discussion also made clear that people of faith take different positions on the issue but share a key concern to help people who die in pain.

Those in favour spoke of the importance of giving people options and a choice. There was a reminder of the current reality that people are already killing themselves or dying agonising deaths and doctors are already making decisions which end life, such as switching off life support machines. Hosted by Ruth Peacock, speakers include:

• Kit Malthouse, Conservative MP for North West Hampshire
• Bishop Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells
• Prof Julian Hughes, Bristol Medical School, retired consultant in old age psychiatry and editor of 'The Reality of Assisted Dying: Understanding the Issues'
• Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, chair of the Religious Alliance for Dignity in Dying
• Nathan Stilwell, Campaigns and Communications Manager Humanists UK
• Canon Dr Malcolm Brown, The Director of Faith and Public Life
• Dr Nick Spencer, senior fellow Theos Think Tank
• Dr Azim Ahmed, Secretary General Muslim Council of Wales

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One year on from Hamas' attack on Israel, we brought together British Muslim and Jewish community leaders to find out how the war had impacted life in this country.

Their discussion illustrates how each group "mirrored each other". Both communities have faced spikes in hate crime, leading to feelings across the board that Britain is not a safe place anymore. Social media was "absolutely bitter" and physical violence culminated in riots targeting mosques across England. In particular, speakers gave examples of the way children have been caught up in the hatred, with swastikas painted on school desks, or Muslim children name-called and ostracised.

But both communities have found some hope, in quiet acts of kindness from one faith group to another, stronger relationships of support, and lighter moments of friendship.

Leo Devine hosted this discussion with:

• Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, convenor of the Reform Beit Din, the Jewish law court for Reform Judaism in Britain
• Dr Jonathan Boyd, Executive Director of Jewish Policy Research, on mits report suggesting a culture of ‘ambient antisemitism’ since 7 October
• Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust, which provides security advice and training for Jewish organisations
• Ibrahim Syed, a co-ordinator at the Liverpool Region Mosque Network and founder of Wirral Deen Centre
• Sheila el Dieb Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership group, engaged in community relations work with the City Council and police liaison
• Mohammed Ali Amla, from Solutions Not Sides

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Community and faith leaders from towns and cities across England have spoken of the importance of free and open discussion on the causes of the riots this summer. In a Religion Media Centre briefing, bringing together participants from our 11 Creating Connections events, they spoke of their local efforts to provide opportunities for dialogue between faith groups and their need for help in finding methods that work well.

There was agreement that superficial large meetings were not enough. Instead, deep conversations are needed to understand the anger, disenfranchisement and frustration which caused the unrest. In particular, the sense of injustice among young people needs to be addressed.

While welcoming signals from government that it is committed to working alongside faith groups on its five missions, such as safe streets or healthcare, they warned against being co-opted and said greater responsibility required proper resourcing. 

Hosted by Leo Devine, speakers included Rev Ian Rutherford, Methodist minister in Manchester; Manjit Kaur of SACRE Coventry; Simon Phillips, Leeds Jewish community; Rev Joanne Thorns, Communities Together Durham; Professor Jagbir Jhutti Johal, Birmingham; Steve Botham, Birmingham.

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The report into the fire at Grenfell Tower, which claimed 72 lives in 2017, says the disaster was a devastating critique of failure, incompetence, dishonesty and greed at all levels, in government and business. In a section on how religion was part of the story, the report said Muslims felt abandoned and neglected by the council. But there was one chink of hope. Faith and community organisations, which filled the vacuum left by the authorities and offered sanctuary and support, were described as "the best in humanity".

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders who were there on the front line offer their response to the report's findings and explain how collaboration between the faith groups emerged as people flocked to their buildings for help.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the speakers are: -Bishop Graham Tomlin, formerly Bishop of Kensington -Abdurahman Sayed, CEO Al-Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre -Rev Alan Everett, former vicar at St. Clement's Church, Notting Hill, and author of 'After the Fire' -Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of policy and public affairs, National Churches Trust -Nasima Khanom, psychotherapist working with survivors and relatives

• Bishop Graham Tomlin, formerly Bishop of Kensington
• Abdurahman Sayed, CEO Al-Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
• Rev Alan Everett, former vicar at St. Clement's Church, Notting Hill, and author of 'After the Fire'
• Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of policy and public affairs, National Churches Trust
• Nasima Khanom, psychotherapist working with survivors and relatives
• Abdulsami Arjumand, Muslim Charities Forum

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