Church under fire in the wake of the Liverpool suicide bombing for helping asylum seekers play the ‘game’ of order

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A spokesman for the Church of England said: “Churches welcome all people and celebrate with those who choose to adhere to Christ, but of course there is also a need for distinction.

“Just as Jesus advised his disciples to be ‘wise as snakes and innocent as doves,’ the clergy must be confident that those who seek baptism fully understand what it means, as the unrepeatable sacramental act of transporting the individual into the Church.

However, it is not the role of the clergy to establish the legitimacy of asylum claims and assess the security implications.

“We are not aware of any evidence to suggest a widespread relationship between conversion to Christianity, or any other religion, and abuse of the asylum system.”

A spokesman for Liverpool Cathedral added: “Liverpool Cathedral has developed robust processes to discern whether someone is expressing a genuine commitment to the faith.

These include requirements for regular attendance, along with participation in a recognized Basics of Christianity course.

“We would expect someone to be in close contact with the community for at least two years before we consider supporting the application.”

The attack raises concern about the “health” of refugees who have converted to Christianity

Giving help to strangers in need is a fundamental principle of Christianity. But in the wake of the suspected terrorist attack in Liverpool by a Christian bomber, concerns were raised that the Church of England’s support for asylum seekers was helping to “manipulate the system”.

A public document from the Church of England, Supporting Asylum Seekers – Guidance for Church of England Clergy, reveals the breadth of assistance.

The agent is advised on everything from how to assist people with letters of support, attend court hearings and find appropriate legal advice for individuals, as well as what to do if asylum seekers’ applications are accepted or denied.

The document also addresses questions of the “authenticity” of the faith and urges clergymen to be confident that those who seek baptism “understand fully what it means.” He urged MPs to be “wise as snakes and innocent as doves.”

But while she acknowledges flaws in the system, she suggests questions about whether converts’ true faith might be motivated by “anti-immigrant rhetoric.”

It states: “There has been particular interest in the media about the baptism of asylum-seekers in both the UK and Europe, with questions being asked about the validity of the faith held by these individuals.

“Noting that baptism can often form part of an asylum application, how should clergy deal with requests for baptisms and assess the validity of apparent conversions?

Some journalists have pointed out that asylum seekers only claim to have become Christians in order to be baptized and use that to secure leave to remain in Europe.

“In response to these allegations, anti-immigration rhetoric must be acknowledged by a number of media outlets.”

Canon law requires clergy to ensure that people are prepared for baptism in two ways – by understanding the basic principles of Christianity and by special spiritual preparation. However, the Church does not specify how this should be done.

As a result—and in the absence of any strict rules—the guidance notes that it is up to each church to set its own policy on the subject, “not because the church’s job is to monitor immigration issues, but as the basis on which clergy can make decisions about how to welcome people wisely into Church life.

In Liverpool Cathedral alone, it is estimated that nearly 200 asylum seekers were converted in the four years to 2016. At the time, Reverend Pete Wilcox, Dean of Liverpool, admitted: “Mixed motives are unheard of.”

There, conversion to Christianity can take place through an alpha cycle lasting only five weeks, but people are expected to attend church services first.

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