Bishop David Reflects on the Human Cost of Global Conflict

This morning, Bishop David shared his Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 in response to the news from Iran.

“Good Morning

“Viewed from the comfort of our kitchens and living rooms, global conflict can all too readily resemble a twisted form of spectator sport. Commentators describe the flow of action, their remarks interspersed by expert analysts, who seek to clarify exactly what has happened whilst offering opinions as to what might next ensue. As news about the Israeli and American attacks on Iran began to break on Saturday morning, I found myself drawn into speculation about possible military and political outcomes. Who might win and who would lose. How far would the UK be drawn into the conflict?

“It being a Saturday in Lent, later that morning I joined my wife in her church for a seasonal practice known as Stations of the Cross. Helen, the priest leading our devotions, invited us to reflect on each of fourteen traditional images. These mark successive moments in Jesus’s journey, from when he’s condemned to death to the laying of his body in the tomb. We were not shielded from the pain and horror of Christ’s crucifixion. The reflections jolted me out of spectator mode, reminding me that, whatever the political outcomes of events in and around Iran may be, the cost in human suffering, in lives destroyed, in minds and bodies left permanently maimed, will be immense.

“My thoughts turned to the many Iranian Christians I’ve come to know and admire, and who are active members of my churches here in Manchester. Some of them have been openly celebrating the death of the leader of a regime that has brutally ruled their homeland for almost half a century. But many have family members and friends still in Iran, whose lives are now at heightened risk. I thought too, of the Jewish community who live in the streets surrounding my home in Salford. Alongside their heightened fears for loved ones in Israel, they know all to well, in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attack on Heaton Park Synagogue, that actions of the Israeli government can expose them to reprisals here at home.

“The Stations of the Cross remind me that even as Jesus journeys, literally, to Hell and back, there are moments of comfort and consolation, where humanity breaks through the horror. Simon of Cyrene helps carry Christ’s cross, Veronica takes up a cloth to wipe blood and sweat from his face. Both saw something more than the political machinations that were manoeuvring Jesus to his death. They focused, rather, on the human being caught in the centre of the suffering. As events continue to unfold across our screens and airwaves, we cannot avoid politics, but we can, perhaps, follow their example, refuse to be mere spectators, and keep the need for human compassion in response to human suffering at the forefront of our thoughts.”

On Tuesday 3rd March 2026, Bishop David shared the following words of clarification:

“As a longstanding friend and supporter of the Jewish community here in Manchester, I am happy to clarify that responsibility for antisemitic incidents and crimes lies wholly and entirely with those who perpetrate them. I wholeheartedly repudiate any attempts to apportion blame to others”.