Tag: anti-Semitism

Bishop of Lichfield asks about support for interfaith work and combatting antisemitism

The Bishop of Lichfield asked a question on antisemitism in the UK, attitudes to the situation in Israel/Palestine, and interfaith engagement on 26th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: My Lords, as noble Lords have said, we should all be deeply concerned by the resurgence of antisemitism around the world. We must all unequivocally condemn the sickening recent incidents in our own country. The definition of antisemitism agreed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is widely, though not universally, accepted, including by our own Government. It has also been adopted by the Church of England. Attached to that definition is a list of 11 possible examples of contemporary antisemitism, of which seven reference attitudes to the State of Israel. Would the Minister agree that one-sided, simplistic or inaccurate accounts of what is a complex and contested situation in Israel-Palestine can fuel the growth of antisemitism and other forms of religious hatred, including in our own country? If so, what support are His Majesty’s Government able to give to interfaith organisations that seek to present more balanced views and to encourage dialogue and learning around these difficult issues?

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Holocaust Memorial Bill: Bishop of Southwark expresses concern over location of memorial site

On 4th September 2024, the Bishop of Southwark spoke in a debate on the Holocaust Memorial Bill, expressing concern that the proposed site would not allow the memorial to act in its originally proposed capacity as a learning centre, and noting the importance of this in the context of rising antisemitism and Britain’s own role in the history of the Holocaust:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, like my right reverend friend the Bishop of St Albans, I speak personally in this debate. I have had the privilege of knowing a good number of Holocaust survivors, which has been life-changing and life-enriching for me. Future generations will be denied that privilege, which is why it is so important that we get this right.

I acknowledge the desire of His Majesty’s Government and so many of your Lordships to proceed with a matter that was, in many minds, settled back when the commission reported in 2015 and when the then Government came forward with proposals in 2016, as we have heard. I am also grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Pickles, and the secretariat at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for its recent briefing note, which addresses, so helpfully, many of the objections to the current scheme.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Meetings with CofE groups, Tackling Antisemitism, Festivals and Special Occasions

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 14th February 2023:

Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what meetings he has held in his capacity as Second Church Estates Commissioner with (a) evangelical groups and (b) groups representing other traditions in the Church of England in the last 12 months.

Andrew Selous MP (Con): In the twelve month period since February 2022 I have met with representatives of the groups listed below. This is in addition to the large number of regular meetings I have held with the National Church Institutions boards, committees and officials, and with individual bishops, Government ministers, officials, and Members of Parliament.

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Bishop of Chester on the need to erase antisemitism

On 20th June the House of Lords debated a motion from Baroness Berridge, “that this House takes note of the incidence of anti-Semitism worldwide.” The Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, I echo the excellent opening speech by the noble Baroness, Lady Berridge, by saying that I view anti-Semitism as perhaps the greatest tragedy and disgrace in the history of the Christian Church.

Christian complicity arose after the break between the Church and the Synagogue in the late first century of our era, and with the emergence of the view that the Christian Church had replaced the Jews as God’s chosen people. The properly New Testament view that Christians had been graciously grafted into Israel to share its promises and inheritance reasserted itself only in the 20th century, after nearly two millennia. This was partly the result of renewed biblical scholarship and partly due to the efforts of a small but distinguished ​group of continental Christian theologians led by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth, who saw the evil of Nazism.

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Archbishop speaks on freedom of expression, religious intolerance and prejudice in the UK

On 17th October 2018 the House of Lords debated a motion from Communities Minister Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, “That this House takes note of the challenges posed by religious intolerance and prejudice in the United Kingdom.” The Archbishop of Canerbury, Most Revd Justin Welby, spoke in the debate. A transcript is below, with excerpts from the speeches of others in the debate:
The Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Bourne, and others who have made this useful and important debate possible. Like the noble Lord, Lord Hain, I agree with much of what the noble Lord, Lord Bourne, said. I agree also with the passionate and clear setting out by the noble Lord, Lord Hain, of the threats and incidents that have occurred in recent years. However, I want to focus more on religious intolerance and prejudice. If I have one concern, it is how we bring together religious tolerance, and stand against the kind of things the noble Lord, Lord Hain, spoke about, while maintaining freedom of speech.
In his book, The Home We Build Together, the noble Lord, Lord Sacks, wrote:
“Society is not a house or a hotel. It should be a home”.
The rising tide of anti-Semitism, with which I am deeply familiar through work with the Chief Rabbi, and Islamophobia, which we in the Church are deeply familiar with through working with Muslim leaders across the country, are just two illustrations of the narrowing of those who feel truly at home in the UK today. This terrible, storm-ridden climate is affecting people across a whole range of religious traditions.

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Bishop of Birmingham affirms commitment of bishops to oppose antisemitism, adopt IHRA definition and its examples

On 13th September 2018 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Popat, “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are taking to reassure the Jewish community over the impact of anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart, spoke:

The Lord Bishop of Birmingham: My Lords, as we have heard, there is a need for constant vigilance to ensure that antisemitism plays no part in the life of our country. To continue its determination in this aim, the College of Bishops of the Church of England, building on 75 years of friendship marked by the founding of the Council of Christians and Jews, has adopted and adhered to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, including all examples without qualification or exception. This is in the context of our conviction, which I trust will be affirmed today by Her Majesty’s Government, that anyone involved in political, spiritual or national life should reject all language and activity that leads to prejudice, stigma or hatred towards people on the grounds of their religion, culture, origins, identity or beliefs. This includes issues related to those we are discussing today, such as Islamophobia. Continue reading “Bishop of Birmingham affirms commitment of bishops to oppose antisemitism, adopt IHRA definition and its examples”

Church Commissioner Questions – Christian persecution, church buildings, anti-Semitism, Christmas campaign

On 24th November 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on the persecution of Christians overseas, the Red Wednesday campaign, church buildings, anti-Semitism and the Church’s Christmas campaign: 

Caroline SpelmanChurch Commissioners. The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

Persecution of Christians

Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con):

What recent representations the Church of England has received on the persecution of Christians overseas. [907442]

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman): The Church of England remains concerned about a number of religious minorities across the world, not just Christian ones. Recently, the Lord Bishop of Coventry travelled to northern Iraq to visit the Christians in Mosul because it is clear that questions remain about their continued safety and the need to make their homes and businesses safe if they are to sustain themselves there. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – Christian persecution, church buildings, anti-Semitism, Christmas campaign”

Church Commissioners written answer: anti-Semitism

On 24th November 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Karl McCartney MP on the action the church is taking to combat anti-Semitism: Continue reading “Church Commissioners written answer: anti-Semitism”

Bishop of Winchester calls for universities to confront and combat anti-Semitism

On 27th October 2016 the House of Lords held a short debate on a question from Baroness Deech, “to ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they propose to take to combat anti-Semitism, in particular in universities.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, spoke in the debate:

Bishop of WinchesterThe Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, for initiating this debate.

Despite there being Jewish societies in over 60 universities, a study in 2011 found that half of all Jewish students in the UK attend only eight universities. Safety in numbers seems to be key, as Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester all boast Jewish societies with over 1,000 members. None the less, we know that Jewish staff and students experience anti-Semitism in a significant number of higher education institutions today. As the recent Universities UK task force report on hate crime makes clear, anti-Semitism is a practice for which there is no place in universities, nor in the Church or society at large. Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester calls for universities to confront and combat anti-Semitism”