Tag: persecuted Christians

Immigration Bill: Bishop of Chelmsford supports amendment on asylum for victims of genocide

On 21st March the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill at Report Stage. Lord Alton tabled an amendment seeking to secure automatic asylum rights for members of groups subject to genocide and which gave power to the UK Supreme Court to determine whether a genocide had occured. The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, spoke in support of the amendment, and Lord Keen of Elie responded on behalf of the Government. In a subsequent vote the amendment was not passed, by 111 votes to 148. .

Chelmsford 251115

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Bishop of Durham highlights the peacemaking role of the Church in Sudan

14.06.10 Bishop of Durham 5On 29th February 2016, Baroness Cox asked the government “what assessment they have made of continuing military offensives against civilians in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan by the Government of Sudan.” The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a supplementary question. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham highlights the peacemaking role of the Church in Sudan”

Archbishop of Canterbury on freedom of religion and belief

“Where a state claims the ultimate right to oppress religious freedom, it stops the last and the strongest barrier against tyranny.” – Archbishop of Canterbury, 16/7/15

On 16th July 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion by Lord Alton of Liverpool, “that this House takes note of worldwide violations of Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the case for greater priority to be given by the United Kingdom and the international community to upholding freedom of religion and belief.” The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, spoke in the debate. A video of his speech can also be viewed here.

ABC Lords 160715 bThe Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak in the debate and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for securing it and for all the work he has undertaken in this area over many years. I associate myself very closely with what he said in his very eloquent opening speech and also with the speeches of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, and the noble Lord, Lord McFall. I also pay tribute to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Leicester. He will be much missed by this House and I will miss him enormously for the wise advice he has given me on numerous occasions.

We have already heard many examples of the horrific situations around the world where people are persecuted for their religion or for their absence of religion. I witnessed such persecution in its rawest form many times during my visits in 2013 and 2014 to the 37 other provinces of the Anglican communion. Almost half of these provinces are living under persecution; they fear for their lives every day.

Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury on freedom of religion and belief”

Church Commissioners’ Questions: church buildings, Christians in Iran, clergy wellbeing, General Synod diversity

On 18th June 2015 the Rt. Hon Caroline Spelman MP answered questions from MPs as Second Church Estates Commissioner. Mrs Spelman, who was answering questions for the first time since taking on the role, was asked  about improving the sustainability of church buildings, Christians in Iran, the wellbeing of clergy and the diversity of the General Synod of the Church of England. Mrs Spelman also paid tribute to the former Second Church Estates Commissioner the Rt. Hon Sir Tony Baldry and expressed sympathy for the Methodist Church in South Carolina following the recent tragic shootings.

The full text is available below and a video link is also available, hereSpelman CCQs June 2015 4

Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Questions: church buildings, Christians in Iran, clergy wellbeing, General Synod diversity”

Bishop of Coventry speaks on religious freedom and conflict resolution during Queen’s Speech debate

On Thursday 28th May during the debate on the Queen’s Speech, the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, spoke about our moral debt to other nations, conflict resolution and freedom of religion and belief worldwide. The text of his speech is below and can also be watched online here.

Bp Coventry May 2015The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, indebtedness is debilitating, and living beyond our means is irresponsible. We know that our Government have committed themselves afresh to a long-term strategic economic plan to deal with that on a financial level, but another sort of indebtedness is liberating and is fundamental to our proceedings today. It is a recognition of our moral debt to others and the fulfilment of our responsibilities to serve the common good, not only of our one nation but of the one world. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry speaks on religious freedom and conflict resolution during Queen’s Speech debate”

Bishop of Winchester asks Government about support for religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria

On 19th March 2015  Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is the strategy of the United States-led coalition for clearing the Daesh out of the territories which they currently occupy in Syria and Iraq.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Rev Tim Dakin, asked a supplementary quesion:

Bishop of WinchesterThe Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, even if the current operations to clear Daesh prove successful, the ancient religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq have an uncertain future. Does the Minister agree with the statement recently submitted by the Holy See to the United Nations Human Rights Council? It said that a future without these communities in Iraq and the Middle East risks,

“new forms of violence, exclusion, and the absence of peace and development”.

Therefore, what steps are being taken to secure the future of those communities, and in particular, their human right to religious freedom? Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks Government about support for religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria”

Questions to the Church Commissioners on the Archbishop of York’s Book ‘On Rock Or Sand’, Medical Ethics, the Anglican Communion, Financial Eduation, Women Bishops and Bats

Church Commissioners

In Church Commissioners Question TIme on Thursday 29th January 2015, the Rt Hon. Sir Tony Baldry MP answered questions on the Archbishop of York’s Book ‘On Rock Or Sand’, Medical Ethics of Mitochondrial Transfer, the Anglican Communion, Financial Education, Women Bishops and Bats in Churches

Continue reading “Questions to the Church Commissioners on the Archbishop of York’s Book ‘On Rock Or Sand’, Medical Ethics, the Anglican Communion, Financial Eduation, Women Bishops and Bats”

ISIL, Iraq and Syria – Bishop of Truro asks about freedom of religion

On 16th October 2014 a statement by the Foreign Secretary on ISIL, Iraq and Syria was repeated in the House of Lords by the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Anelay of St Johns. The Bishop of Truro, Rt Rev Tim Thornton, asked a question in response:

Bishop of Truro 20.6.13

The Lord Bishop of Truro: My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness for her Statement and associate the Lords spiritual with her thanks and tributes to those she mentioned in it. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq are, sadly, part of a wider cycle of sickening violence in which individuals and groups are increasingly targeted for their religious affiliation. Continue reading “ISIL, Iraq and Syria – Bishop of Truro asks about freedom of religion”

Archbishop Speaks on ISIS and UK Military Action in Iraq

“We must demonstrate that there is a positive vision far greater and more compelling than the evil of ISIL and its global clones. Such a vision offers us and the world hope and assurance of success in this struggle, not the endless threat of darkness” – Archbishop of Canterbury, 26/9/14

Parliament was recalled on Friday 26th September 2014 in order to debate UK involvement in military action against ISIS/ISIL, in response to requests from the Government of Iraq. In the debate that took place in the House of Lords the Archbishop of Cantery, Most Rev Justin Welby, gave the following speech:

Archbishop of Canterbury

My Lords, the danger of this debate is that we speak only of Iraq and Syria, ISIL, and armed force. ISIL and its dreadful barbarity are only one example of a global phenomenon, as the noble Baroness the Leader of the House mentioned. Continue reading “Archbishop Speaks on ISIS and UK Military Action in Iraq”

Refugees from ISIS, Iraq, Syria – Questions From Bishop of Coventry

 On 22nd September 2014 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, received written answers to two questions of Government – about UK resettlement for Iraqis displaced by ISIS and about Syrian refugees. The answers are below. The other questions tabled at the same time by the Bishop on similar issues can be viewed here.
13.10 Bishop of Coventry

 Home Office – Asylum: Iraq (HL1591)

Asked by the Lord Bishop of Coventry on 28 July 2014:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to resettling in the United Kingdom a proportion of those displaced from ISIS-controlled areas of Iraq.

Continue reading “Refugees from ISIS, Iraq, Syria – Questions From Bishop of Coventry”