Oral Answers to Questions

Will Forster Excerpts

Thursday 16th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Will Forster (Woking) (LD)]

4. What steps the Church is taking to help protect Christian communities from extremism.

[Marsha De Cordova]

The Church is concerned about the growth of extremism, including Christian nationalism, and bishops have established a working group to promote unity and support parishes with theological, practical and pastoral resources to counter extremism locally.

[Mr Forster]

I regularly meet church leaders in my constituency of Woking, and they often raise the plight of Christians abroad. Please can the hon. Member assure me that one of the Church’s top priorities is to tackle extremism and the persecution of Christians abroad?

[Marsha De Cordova]

As the hon. Member will know, the issue of the persecution of Christians abroad has come up before, and the Church obviously takes it seriously. As I highlighted in my initial answer, last year the Church established a working group that seeks to provide support for bishops and senior clergy, with relevant experience and reflection and with time for discussion. The group is also assessing the impact of the use—or, I should say, misuse—of Christian language and imagery in political campaigning. He is absolutely right to raise that important issue.