‘Vulnerable’ Christians

Christians in the Middle East are “more vulnerable” than they have been for centuries, the leader of the world’s Anglicans has warned.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said the treatment of Christians would be the “litmus test” of the success of the Arab Spring, which offered both immense potential for change as well as serious risks.

He told the House of Lords that there had been high levels of Christian emigration from the Middle East, where communities faced the prospect of persecution or – in the case of Iraq – a future where safety could only be ensured in segregated enclaves.