Rowan Williams: Christians suffer "petty harassment"

In an interview with a Cambridge student newspaper this week, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams shared his thoughts on how Christians are being treated in the UK.

When asked whether “there is any element of persecution of Christians in today’s society”, Dr Williams replied that “There’s a certain amount of petty harassment of some Christians, but I think it’s a bit dramatic to call it persecution.”

Andrea Minichiello Williams responded:

“Many of us will have experienced ‘petty harassment’ and ridicule for being a Christian but there are some cases which can’t be dismissed in these terms. At the Christian Legal Centre we’ve seen a number of Christians lose their livelihoods as a result of living out their faith.

“These more serious cases should be a wakeup call alerting us to the direction our society is heading in. Just last week, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali warned us at the launch of Wilberforce Publications that there is a danger of the UK becoming ‘actively anti-Christian’.

“It’s important we keep seeking justice and the protection of gospel freedoms so that this possibility doesn’t become a reality.”

You can read about thirteen of these cases in Dr Richard Scott’s new book Christians in the Firing Line, available from Christian bookshops and online book retailers.