A number of residents have written to me with concerns about what the Government is doing to protect Christians in the UK and abroad.
We should be more confident about our status as a Christian country and more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations. We should also be more confident in defending the Christian values of responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, tolerance and love. The Church of England also has an important continuing constitutional role as England's established church.
Britain's churches are at the centre of thousands of communities and provide support and comfort to millions in our society. I am assured that the Government will continue to support our Christian churches and faith groups, promote British values and defend freedom of religion. That includes standing up for the hard-fought British liberty of freedom of religion, and taking on aggressive secularists who have tried to end the role of faith in public life.
I understand your concern for Christian communities around the world. Where freedom of religion or belief is under attack, other fundamental freedoms often face threat as well. The Government is motivated by deep concern for religious communities in the Middle East; and by a desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with all well-meaning parties. Ministers have stressed the importance of guaranteeing religious freedom when working with the Lebanese Government and the new Government in Iraq. Additionally, the Government is prioritising reaching the most vulnerable people across Syria, including Christians and those who have suffered from the ongoing violence, with its extensive aid programme.