Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali: Is religious freedom becoming an “orphaned right”?
by Jeffrey Walton, Juicy Ecumenism.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, according to Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights(UNDHR), but is this right “orphaned” in practice?
Anglican Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali discussed increased opposition to freedom of religion in many countries during a talk held Friday, September 21 at the Religious Freedom Institute in Washington, D.C.
Bishop Nazir-Ali serves as the President of Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy & Dialogue. Previously he served as the 106th Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England, and the former Bishop of Raiwind in Pakistan.
The UNHDR, first proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly in 1948, includes freedom to change religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
But several countries, including some U.S. allies, oppose or exempt themselves from the declaration. Nazir-Ali noted that at its introduction, Article 18 was opposed by Saudi Arabia on the grounds that it would lead to aggressive missionary activity by the West. The Anglican bishop found this ironic, since Saudi Arabia heavily funds Islamic proselytization projects.
“Why have so many countries opposed this right?” Nazir-Ali asked, noting that many religious traditions have elements of tolerance within them.
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