The news coming for Mosul in Iraq over the last few days is yet another tragic reminder (not that we needed one) that to be a Christian in many countries is to be treated as a second class citizen – or… Read More ›
Open Doors
It’s time for Labour to wake up and take freedom of religion and belief seriously
Are those on the left really afraid or unwilling to talk in public about the persecution of religious believers around the globe and in particular, that of Christians? Owen Jones, the political commentator who was ranked the seventh most influential… Read More ›
“I’m stunned and horrified” – North Korean Christian tells MPs of their persecution
Yesterday the Minister for Faith & Communities, Baroness Warsi chaired the first meeting of the Foreign Office group on Freedom of Religion or Belief. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website, the group, which includes Mervyn Thomas, chief… Read More ›
It is essential for the voice of the Church to speak into the Geneva II negotiations on Syria
Today’s post is written by regular guest contributor, Edward Kendall. Tweet @Edward_Kendall. ———— It was former foreign secretary David Miliband who once said: “While there are military victories there never is a military solution.” Nowhere does this wise observation carry more weight than… Read More ›
How much aid did the UK government give to countries where Christians are persecuted in 2013?
Today the widely respected Open Doors 2014 World Watch List is published. It is the only annual global survey of Christian religious freedom and since its inception in 2002 it has ranked the 50 countries most hostile to Christian believers during… Read More ›
309,195 signatures – Christians want to be catalysts for peace and reconciliation in Syria
On International Human Rights Day, as the world mourned a great champion of freedom, justice and reconciliation, Open Doors, an international charity supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, spoke up for Christians in Syria, presenting a petition signed by 309,195 people from… Read More ›
Senior MPs tell the Government to do more to prevent the persecution of Christians globally
Over the last few years there has been a great deal of activity going on at Westminster raising awareness of the persecution of Christians around the world. Organisations such as Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Open Doors have worked with… Read More ›
Turning up the volume for Syrian Christians
Today’s UN report on the devastating effects of the Syrian war on a generation of children is yet another reminder of the horrors of the situation. Millions in Syria have become casualties of the conflict over the last two and… Read More ›
Is the use of chemical weapons in Syria of more importance than the eradication of Christianity?
SaveThere is no doubt that it is an atrocity to use chemical weapons against anyone, even more so your own citizens. It is right that governments and the UN, in the interests of peace and further loss of life, should… Read More ›
Western intervention in Syria could be the death warrant for the Syrian church
The news earlier this month that a Syrian Catholic priest had been killed accompanied by a video alledgedly showing his beheading unsurprisingly led to a great deal of outrage and upset. The video is now believed to have been filmed in a different location several… Read More ›
Increased persecution of Christians back on the agenda in Parliament
On Wednesday a large number of MPs met to discuss the persecution of Christians around the world and what the Government’s response through the Foreign Office should be. The debate was secured and organised by Naomi Long MP, with a… Read More ›
How much aid did the UK government give to countries where Christians are persecuted in 2012?
Earlier this week Open Doors published their annual World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christian persecution is most severe. You can read more of Open Doors’ analysis and stories behind the numbers in this post I produced following their press… Read More ›
New global report finds persecution of Christians increased in 2012
For the last 11 years, Open Doors the charity founded in 1955 by Brother Andrew, author of God’s Smuggler has produced a list of the top 50 countries where Christians are most likely to be persecuted. This is a detailed academic exercise… Read More ›
Pastor Nadarkhani and Rimsha Masih’s freedom – we should all be celebrating
For once in the ongoing battle against religious persecution in the international arena we have two fabulous pieces of news in two days. (Photo by Christian Solidarity Worldwide) Today the release has been announced of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani who has been… Read More ›
MPs discuss Christian persecution in the Arab world
A big thank you to everyone who responded to last month’s post asking you to email your MP to invite them to an parliamentary meeting on religious liberty in the Arab world co-hosted by Open Doors. Over 2,000 invites were emailed…. Read More ›
Religious liberty in the Arab world to be discussed in parliament
On the 10th of July Naomi Long MP and Baroness Berridge will be co-hosting a parliamentary meeting on religious liberty in the Arab world. Foreign Office Minister for North Africa and the Middle East, Alistair Burt MP, and a senior… Read More ›
Don’t ignore the persecution of Christians in Syria
Both the Barnabas Fund and Open Doors have been busy highlighting the plight of Christians in Syria over the last week. Their situation is becoming increasingly desperate. According to Barnabas Fund who have partners on the ground there, the city… Read More ›
The Campaigns Hub has arrived – do something useful!
Well the blogging break is over and the new look site has finally arrived. Mostly the blog has been rearranged to make it easier to navigate and hopefully more visually appealing. I hope it meets with your approval, but do say what… Read More ›
Egyptian Coptic Christians forced to flee village after homes destroyed
I don’t normally choose to highlight individual cases of persecution against Christians around the world as sadly there are too many to know where to start. However I recieved a personal message about this case and feel obliged to highlight… Read More ›
God and Politics in the UK 