Tag: freedom of religion

Church Commissioners Questions: Ordinands, Community Sponsorship, Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act, Ordination, Freedom of Religion & Belief, Family Relationships

On 20th July 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked the following questions by MPs in the House of Commons:

Ordinands

Mr Louie French MP (Con, Old Bexley & Sidcup) asked: What recent steps the Church of England has taken to increase the number of ordinands.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire) I am very pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that there are 1,100 clergy in training in 2022-23, and that £10.3 million has been given to 25 dioceses to fund more curacy posts and £4.3 million has been given to 19 dioceses to make sure that clergy leaving training have a post of first responsibility to go to.

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Bishop of Coventry asks about treatment of religious minorities and non-governmental organisations in India

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 21st June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government:

  •  what discussions they have had with the government of India on the importance of pluralism and human rights, including freedom of religion; and what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in India.
  • what discussions they have had with leaders from civil society in India on the status and experiences of religious minorities in that country.
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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Buildings, Heritage Protection, LGBT+ People, Religious Freedom, Funding for Rural Churches, and the Coronation of King Charles III

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 31st January 2023:

Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the cost of legal support provided by (a) dioceses and (b) the Church Commissioners to incumbents and PCCs of parishes affected by pastoral reorganisation making a representation at an oral hearing of the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee was in each of the last five years.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about religious freedom in Israel

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 26th January 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representation they have made to the government of Israel to safeguard and protect religious minorities in that country following the desecration of graves at the Protestant Cemetery on Mount Zion, Jerusalem.

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Bishop of Guildford asks about freedom of religion in Pakistan

The Bishop of Guildford received the following written answer 5th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford asked His Majesty’s Government what strategy they have, if any, for promoting freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan; and what discussions they have held with the government of Pakistan in pursuing any such strategy.

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Bishop of Leeds asks about freedom of expression in Pakistan

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 16th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) freedom of religion or belief, (2) freedom of assembly, and (3) freedom of expression, in Pakistan.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about treatment of Christians in Iran

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 31st October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent treatment of Christian minorities in Iran.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK’s longstanding human rights priorities.

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Bishop of Guildford asks about detention of church leaders in China

The Bishop of Guildford received the following written answer on 31st October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of China regarding recent reports that at least 10 leaders from unregistered Protestant churches were arrested and charged with fraud over normal church financial activities in 2021, including Zhang Chunlei, Yang Xiaoguang, and Hao Ming.

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Bishop of Manchester asks about freedom of religion

The Bishop of Manchester received the following written answer on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the outcomes of the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief on 5 to 6 July; and what steps they are taking, if any, to review their strategy on freedom of religion or belief following that Conference.

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Bishop of Guildford asks about freedom of religion in the Commonwealth

The Bishop of Guildford asked the following question on 28th June 2022, during a debate on the Commonwealth:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, as the Minister knows extremely well, this week marks a brief lull between the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda last week and the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in London next week. Given the overlap between those two conferences, what progress has been made on this basic human right, not least given that three of the Commonwealth nations—India, Pakistan and Nigeria—are among the worst when it comes to protecting the rights, and even the lives, of Christians and those of other faiths and beliefs?

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