UK foreign secretary cites wide persecution of Christians

LONDON – Britain’s foreign secretary has warned that governments in many parts of the world have failed to take action to slow the persecution of Christians.

Jeremy Hunt said on an official visit to Ethiopia that governments have been “asleep on the watch” as anti-Christian actions spread.

Interim findings of a report commissioned by Hunt released Friday suggest that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world with violence against them spreading.

The review was led by the Bishop of Truro, Rev. Philip Mounstephen. It warns that Christianity could be “wiped out” in parts of the Middle East as people flee persecution. It cites a dramatic fall in the number of Christians in Iraq and other countries.

The full review is scheduled to be published this summer.