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Statement by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, following the results of the EU Referendum

24 June 2016

Over this past week, the United Kingdom has experienced a series of significant, challenging and sometimes painful milestones. With the long-awaited results of the EU referendum, and the tragic death of Jo Cox MP in the lead-up, emotions are high and there is potential for hostility and divisiveness to flourish. There is however the more positive outcome, that these events serve as a catalyst for a greater unity and a collective stance for the good of all.

While Jo’s tragic and wasteful death was unequivocally horrific and heart-breaking, it also gave rise to overwhelming acts of generosity from the general public and unrivalled comradery in the Houses of Parliament. This tragedy also sparked a significant conversation on the importance of solidarity and indiscriminate compassion for humanity, with the hashtags #LoveLikeJo and #MoreInCommon emerging to diffuse divisive rhetoric and promote understanding in the public sphere.

It is in this light and sentiment, and with the outcome of the EU referendum, the United Kingdom must now pull together, as it has so often done in the past, despite clear differences in opinion and direction. Division must not be allowed to take hold, and divisive rhetoric must not take root. While many would have preferred to see the UK remain in the EU, now is the time for us all as a nation to accept the decision that we have reached together through the democratic processes we have upheld for centuries, and indeed advocate for across the world. It is important for us to commence the healing process that is needed after these months of committed campaigning, and to comfort all who are now fearful of the future, and suffering the distress of uncertainty, especially due to the immediate effects on the economy.

Regardless of what the future holds for the United Kingdom we can be certain that we are in the hands of a mighty God Who is unchanging and with us throughout our various challenges. It is our role as Christians, not only to be stewards and active citizens within our countries, but to provide holistic support for all who find these events overwhelming and distressing.

We pray for the Prime Minister, our parliament, and all those entrusted with the leadership of these great nations, confident that the United Kingdom will find a way to embark on this new stage in history, together united.

*Ends*

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 HG Bishop Angaelos gives Keynote Address on the persecution of Christians in the Middle East to over 700 MPs and other guests in the Houses of Parliament, later addressing 50 High Commissioners and Ambassadors in the State Rooms at the Palace of Westminster

14 June 2016

On 14 June 2016 His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, delivered the keynote address on the situation of Christians in the Middle East at the annual National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast (NPPB).  During his address Bishop Angaelos spoke specifically on the persecution of Christians and minority communities, and the millions subsequently displaced and living as refugees. His Grace addressed an audience of over 700 attendees including Members of the House of Lords, House of Commons, civic and faith leaders, ambassadors, and CEOs of advocacy organisations and NGOs. The Archbishop of Canterbury was also in attendance. The gathering was welcomed by the Lord Speaker, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Fiona Bruce MP, Chair of this year’s Parliamentary Breakfast.

The NPPB is the largest gathering of any kind in parliament throughout the year. The event is held with the permission of the Speaker and the Lord Speaker and is an annual recognition of the contribution that Christianity makes to the national life of the United Kingdom. While themes of previous events have focused on topics of national impact, this is the first to address a global issue of this scale.

In his welcome, The Right Hon John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, said:

“‘The Church in the Middle East’ is a theme never more relevant than it is today. It is a magnificently chosen theme that will continue to be relevant at least until some of the prevailing discord…of which certainly there is an abundance, is either moderated or better still overcome altogether.”

In her welcome, The Lord Speaker, The Baroness D’Souza said:

“This breakfast theme…could not be more timely to explore the need for tolerance and understanding. I greatly look forward to hearing…as to how we make steps, if not leaps, towards this.”

In her welcome, Fiona Bruce MP highlighted that the attendance at this year’s Breakfast surpassed previous years, with over 150 MPs and peers and 730 people in attendance, saying:

“It is particularly encouraging that so many members of parliament are attending together with religious leaders from their constituencies…the fact that so many parliamentarians and peers are here today does, I believe, confirm their deep concern…”

“Let us seek to ensure that we in the United Kingdom are doing everything we can to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless in the Middle East, both to those who share our Faith, and those of other faiths or none.”

Speaking of the work that Bishop Angaelos has done in the area of religious freedom, she continued:

“I am particularly delighted and grateful that His Grace Bishop Angaelos will address us this morning as he has tirelessly advocated on behalf of the Church throughout the Middle East in recent years…”

In his address, Bishop Angaelos spoke directly to parliamentarians saying:

“We often hold you to account for the decisions you make, yet often forget to hold ourselves to account to pray for you as you make those decisions. In the coming weeks those prayers will be more important because of the decisions that are going to be made for the future of Britain.”

Speaking of Christians in the Middle East, Bishop Angaelos said:

“Christians in the Middle East are indigenous people and reject minority status. They see themselves as intrinsic members, and indigenous peoples.”

He continued:

“As religious and civic leaders, we have an opportunity and responsibility to change the narrative and expectation of the Middle East from one of hopelessness and conflict to one of hope and promise.

We need to address the reality of this situation, that there has been a systemic, yet gradual prejudice, marginalisation and alienation of Christians and minorities allowed to continue over decades. This does not have to continue on our watch…”

Calling for collaboration, he went on to say:

“We must realise that the current situation is greater than us all; it needs us all to work together…There can no longer be a concept of ‘over there’ because families of those affected in the Middle East are members of your constituencies, our Churches, and our society as a whole…We are one very large community…our paths cross, our experience is one and our journey is one that we must share.”

“Regardless of which House one sits in, which Church one worships in, or indeed which faith one does or does not have, we must work together for the freedom and dignity of human life and speak with a collaborative voice.”

Elaborating of the calling and responsibility of Christians to advocate indiscriminately for all, Bishop Angaelos said:

“We are called in Scripture (Luke 4:18) to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to ‘preach the gospel to the poor…heal the broken-hearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…set at liberty those oppressed.’ To be a Christian is to be an exceptional human being at the service of all humanity, for even the ‘Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45)”

“Our struggle is not just for Christians, but for human dignity. To pursue God-given rights is to serve the whole of humanity indiscriminately. As a Christian I cannot be selective as to who I love, honour or even forgive, as we are instructed by our Lord to ‘love our neighbour as ourselves.’ “There is no other commandment greater…” (Mark 12:31).

Shedding light on the hopeful witness of Christians in the Middle East, Bishop Angaelos concluded:

“The Church is defiant, the Church is resilient, the Church is alive.”

After the event Bishop Angaelos spoke to 50 High Commissioners and Ambassadors from a variety of faith traditions at a separate event in the State Rooms of the Palace of Westminster.

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House of Lords launch of report on religion-based asylum application process

8 June 2016

The 7 June 2016 saw the launch of a report jointly commissioned by the Asylum Advocacy Group (AAG) and The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief. The report, entitled ‘Fleeing Persecution: Asylum Claims in the UK on Religious Freedom Grounds’ explores the effectiveness of the assessment of religion-based asylum claims in the UK, and the impact of the asylum process on the fairness and quality of decision-making.

Those attending the launch heard addresses by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, and Founder and Chair of the AAG, The Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose, co-chair of the APPG, and Professor Geoff Gilbert, Professor of Law in the School of Law and Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex.

Chairing the meeting, Baroness Berridge said:

“We are aware that the Home office is trying to make incredibly nuanced and difficult decisions… [and] are here to help and assist so that genuine claims are accepted…We aim to work with the Home Office to improve the quality of decisions so as to avoid the heartache and the time and resources of lawyers at tribunal hearings.”

Speaking of the vulnerability of those fleeing persecution and seeking asylum in the UK, Bishop Angaelos said:

“We have been working in collaboration with the Home Office for several years to ensure that the measures applied to determine the credibility of applications do not inadvertently disadvantage those truly in need of refuge and support.

While many have the benefit of freely choosing their faith or belief in some parts of the world, there are others for whom this decision makes them vulnerable to persecution, to the extent of sometimes threatening their very existence.

Conscious of the fact that some will desire to abuse the system, we must not forget the humaneness with which those legitimately applying on religious freedom grounds should be treated. This is not just a matter of statistics, because even if one case is misjudged, that represents one life placed at greater risk.”

Addressing the complexity of religious freedom case law and designation, Professor Gilbert said:  

“It is a mistake to ignore religious based persecution…[which is] not limited to state-based activity…Cumulative discrimination can amount to persecution if there is enough of it…”

The report listed a number of recommendations regarding the asylum process, aimed at improving the effectiveness and sensitivity of guidelines, amongst which was:

“Ensure that the asylum procedures are sensitive to the applicants’ experiences, backgrounds and well-being. Also ensure that applicants should not be caused unnecessary distress and should feel able to speak freely…”

Present at the meeting were members of both Houses of Parliament, as well as religious freedom and advocacy organisations and representatives of a variety of religious and ethnic groups.

For a copy of the report online, including the full list of recommendations as part of the Executive summary, click here.

*Ends*

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 Unprecedented meeting of Orthodox and Pentecostal Church leaders at The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre

7 June 2016

As part of a Churches Together in England (CTE) initiative, The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre in the United Kingdom hosted an unprecedented meeting of Orthodox and Pentecostal Church leaders on 6 June 2016. The fraternal meeting, which aimed to build relationships, as well as discuss the issues of the persecuted Church and mission, was facilitated by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, Bishop Dr Eric Brown, Pentecostal President of CTE, and Bishop in the New Testament Church of God, and The Very Revd Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In his welcome, Bishop Angaelos, stated the importance of the common witness of the Christian family regardless of differences of expression and denomination, saying:  

“There is such value in collaboration, and this historic meeting is the first of its kind in England, the United Kingdom, and possibly worldwide. While we all come from our particular backgrounds and theological understanding, today is a day to build bridges and to strengthen them.”

Going on to comment on the persecuted Church, he said:

“In seeing the persecution of our brothers and sisters around the world, and in speaking about mission, we must recognise that this is a time, more than ever, for us to stand together. We must continue to be advocates for all who are persecuted regardless of their faith or ethnicity. As countless thousands continue to be persecuted for their Faith, we must speak out when there is injustice, following the example of Christ, the Chief Advocate, Who came to indiscriminately provide hope and salvation for all humanity.”

During the morning session Bishop Eric Brown said:

“Today is a historic day, it is the coming together of the Pentecostals and Orthodox in this country, and essentially we are seeking ways in which we can jointly lift up the name of Jesus and to make Him known in a more powerful way in this nation. Hopefully we can get some consensus as to how we might address the issue of persecuted Christians worldwide.”

Bishop Dr Joe Aldred who works primarily with Pentecostal Churches in CTE, and who was the instigator of this meeting, said:

“Today marks a momentous and significant meeting point and a beginning I hope of a lasting fellowship and friendship between leaders. I hope that we can develop a better understanding of what Christians around the world are experiencing, and continue to dialogue and take action where possible together. The other strand of this meeting is mission, and how that mission of Christ in England is better done together than apart.”

Father Maxim Nikolsky said:

“It is important to meet people who certainly share much in common; to meet, to understand some of their way of thinking, and to see what it is that is common to us.”

When asked about the persecuted Church, he continued:

“That is a very important topic especially in the modern day, and we need to see if there is anything that can be done on a personal level, and as a community. We read and deliberate on the subject, but we must look at what we can really do to help our fellow Christians, and all who are persecuted for their faith.”

As part of the closing session a discussion was held on ways to collaboratively tackle national and international issues of concern, including religious freedom in England, and the Middle East. It was agreed to establish a working group to develop partnership in fellowship and actions, and a provisional time was set for the next meeting of the group.

*Ends*

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Statement by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom on the attack on the Coptic community in El Karm village, Menia, Egypt

2 June 2016

Background

On 20 May 2016 a violent mob shamefully stripped Soad Thabet, an elderly woman, of her clothes and paraded her through the streets of El Karm village in Egypt as a result of unsubstantiated allegations concerning her son having an affair with a Muslim woman. Since the attack, the woman in question has categorically denied the claims on national television, and as investigations continue, the armed forces, at the request of the Egyptian president, have begun to rebuild Christian homes torched during the attack.

Statement by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom

Days after having been stripped and dragged through the streets of her village in the most undignified and inhumane of ways, the gracious and forgiving response of Soad Thabet, an elderly mother and grandmother, is both courageous and inspiring.

The ethos of the Coptic Christian community in Egypt has always been one of forgiveness, as was particularly evident in its peaceful and reconciliatory response to the burning of over one hundred churches and places of ministry in August 2013, and following the brutal execution of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya last year. Having said that, there is currently a rejection of conventional ‘reconciliation meetings’ based on the fact that they have historically been used as a cosmetic short-term solution, without addressing root causes or preventing the recurrence of similar incidents. Despite an ongoing commitment to genuine reconciliation efforts, there is an immediate and pressing need for tangible solutions, as superficial measures that aim to pacify will by no means have a lasting effect, and can never lead to true reconciliation and social cohesion.

It is indeed shameful that such mob crimes can be perpetrated against innocent communities or individuals, of whatever faith or ethnicity, and especially as a result of slanderous and unsubstantiated allegations; and that an elderly woman could be so publicly and indecently humiliated. What is also unacceptable is the utter disinterest (at best) and/or complicit and criminal negligence (at worst) with which the local security services conducted themselves, and the Menia Governor’s initial denial that these crimes actually occurred.

In this light, President Sisi of Egypt has expressed a need for fair and transparent investigation, and amidst allegations that those apprehended for these crimes have been released on bail, the hope is that measures to safeguard every Egyptian citizen, irrespective of his or her chosen faith or belief, will indeed be effectively implemented.

As I commented last week, Egypt is at a formative stage of its contemporary history which requires a robust system of law and order that underpins an ethos of equal citizenship and accountability. Any such steps taken at the national level however are severely hampered and undermined by these recurring failures at the local level.

Our prayers are with all now tasked to carry out investigations and to bring healing and restoration to this community. Little can possibly be done to compensate the unprovoked injustice suffered by an innocent elderly mother in rural Egypt, but we continue to pray for peace and for the hearts and minds of perpetrators to be changed, paving the way for true reconciliation.

*Ends*