Silent Night, Holy Land
As our minds turn once again to the baby that was born in Bethlehem two millennia ago, amidst social unrest, foreign occupation, political turmoil and religious zealotry, we might reflect…
Christian persecution
Ted Hui: “The more you persecute people, the more people will treasure that identity”
Ted Hui Chi-fung was (or is) a Democrat Party politician in Hong Kong, vocal on environmental issues, education, human rights and democracy. He is currently living in exile in Australia, after fleeing to Denmark in 2020 and then seeking political…
Sir David Amess: “I was born a Catholic, and I will die a Catholic.”
Sometimes silence is best. Sometimes words can get in the way of a necessary contemplation or desirable meditation, and the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess is perhaps such…
3,462 Nigerian Christians hacked to death by jihadists — don’t these black lives matter?
When one black man was killed in the US, the cry of "I can't breathe" reverberated round the world – or at least the Western world – and 'taking the…
Boris Johnson pledges to defend and help persecuted Christians
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged in his first Christmas greeting to defend and help persecuted Christians around the world: "Today of all days, I want us to remember…
Mounstephen calls for sanctions on countries which persecute Christians
The Bishop of Truro Philip Mounstephen has finally published his independent report on persecuted Christians across the world, and it doesn't disappoint. The review was commissioned by Foreign Secretary Jeremy…
“We love you and we forgive you,” says Pastor of bombed Evangelical church in Sri Lanka to their attackers
They lost dozens of their brothers and sisters. One pastor lost his teenage son, and scores were gravely injured as the bomb was detonated. Windows were blown out, bodies strewn,…
Home Office refuses asylum to Iranian Christian convert – quoting violence in the Bible as evidence of bogus claim
An Iranian Muslim who converted to Christianity because it is the true religion of peace has had their application for asylum in the UK rejected because the Home Office didn't…
Coptic Archbishop Angaelos says Christophobia is an ‘escalating phenomenon’
The Coptic Archbishop of London, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, has given his support to the 'Stop Christophobia' campaign, the Premier initiative which seeks to draw attention to the 245 million…
Christophobia: Met Police arrest street preacher and confiscate his Bible
Over the weekend a Christian street preacher was arrested outside Southgate tube station, London N14. It is reported that he was being 'Islamophobic', but what preceded the encounter with the…
Hunt pledges UK power and influence to stem global persecution of Christians
As promised in December, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has launched his independent review into the persecution of Christians across the globe. Flanked by the Rt Rev'd Philip Mountstephen, Bishop of…
Hunt shunts Foreign Office to do more to defend persecuted Christians
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has ordered a major shift in government policy toward persecuted Christians worldwide. Or, rather, he has ordered an independent review into the extent to which Christians…
‘Light in the Darkness’ – Rev’d Jonathan Aitken preaches Christmas sermon to the Foreign Office
Here is the sermon preached by the Rev'd Jonathan Aitken at the Foreign Office Carol Service, Grand Locarno Room, King Charles St, Westminster, on Tuesday 18th December 2018: It is a…
Charles, Defender of the Faithful persecuted for Jesus’ sake
Yesterday, from the pulpit of Westminster Abbey, the Prince of Wales made a plea for peace; and not only peace, but for reconciliation. And not only did he make a…
Asia Bibi asylum application was not ‘blocked’ by Theresa May (the Daily Mail made that up)
A few days ago the Daily Mail carried a quite shocking story about the Prime Minister's cold-hearted callousness. The report claimed that Theresa May had personally intervened and 'blocked' an…
Asia Bibi is free! Now she must be granted safe passage and asylum
There are few mornings when one wakes up to such glorious news. Asia Bibi, the young Christian woman who was imprisoned and sentenced to be hanged in Pakistan eight years…
Lambeth Awards: why is the CofE patting itself on the back over Safeguarding?
The Lambeth Awards were bestowed last week at Lambeth Palace. The Anglican Oscars non-academic honours for exemplary service and inspirational ministry were instituted in 2016 as part of Justin Welby's…
Priest to chain herself to a tree in protest against HS2
The Rev'd Anne Stevens, Vicar of St Pancras, is to chain herself to a tree near Euston Station in protest against HS2. Or, rather, she is going to allow herself…
Prince of Wales to UK Christians: “Do not take your rights of freedom of worship and freedom of expression for granted”
The Prince of Wales has visited London's Melkite Greek Catholic parish, based at St Barnabas Church in Pimlico. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Angaelos was in attendance, along with Syriac Archbishop Athanasius…
Religious persecution: Houses of Parliament to be floodlit red on 22nd November
22nd November is Red Wednesday. The Palace of Westminster will be bathed in red, along with Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Lambeth Palace, and many churches and cathedrals across the United…