Posted on 11/13/2025 2:52:01 AM PST by RandFan
The new Archbishop of Canterbury says that churches should not feel anxious about baptising asylum seekers in the face of concerns about fake conversions.
Dame Sarah Mullally, who will move into Lambeth Palace next year, claimed that due to the persecution faced by millions of Christians around the world, people may wait until they are in the UK to publicly declare their faith.
The Archbishop of Canterbury-designate made her comments as she raised her concern over a call in Parliament for the rejection of refugee claims on grounds of religious persecution, where the person converted after arriving in the UK.
Dame Sarah's intervention followed unease at Westminster that the Christian faith is being abused by asylum seekers who are only going through the process to try and gain asylum in the UK.
However, Dame Sarah, who is the Bishop of London and former chief nursing officer for England, said clergy are 'not naive' and are 'trained to discern who is ready for a public confession of faith through baptism'.
She said: 'It is not the job of the clergy to assess asylum claims. The Home Office has stated that evidence from clergy or church members in an asylum case does not determine the outcome of the claim.
'I have to say that I am proud that the church into which I am called to serve welcomes, indeed embraces any and all who express a genuine, considered and informed decision to follow Jesus Christ.
'Churches ought not to feel anxious about supporting and baptising asylum seekers if, to their best knowledge, the clergy are confident that there is a sincere desire for conversion, a commitment to Jesus Christ and to discipleship.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Baptizing a likely fake conversion is heresy, Christ sent people away as did the apostle who sought to use Christianity for personal gain.
Beyond offensive that these modern-day Pharisees know so little scripture
Matthew 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’
Yeah, let’s make a mockery of the sacraments for a political viewpoint.🙄
CC
As a pastor, I pray that those I baptize are making truthful confessions of faith. It’s not me they are untruthful to. It’s the the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in who’s names they are claiming. My faith is God is dealing with all those who call on His name.
The "Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans" (Gafcon)and its 40 million walked away. Parishes across the UK are cash strapped and closing. The Archbishop-ess of Canterbury-designate is a political animal, and politics will not "save" the Church of England.
This is true of all honest baptisms, this is specifically addressing baptisms for profit, cases where a religious authority may believe the baptism is for something other than Christ.
Bible, Luke 19:10
21st Century King James Version
10 For the Son of Man is come
to Seek and to Save
that which was Lost.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019%3A10&version=KJ21
If you’re reading this today:
Choose Wisely.
Choose Eternal Life.
Believe in The Lord Jesus Christ
as Your Savior,
Only Begotten Son of Almighty God
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Romans 3:20-24
John 3:17-18
Acts 2:38
Romans 10:9-10
Ephesians 2:8-9
Philippians 2:10-11
Evangelical Heritage Version
10 so that at the Name of Jesus
every knee WILL bow,
in Heaven and on Earth
and under the Earth,
11 and every tongue WILL confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the Glory of God the Father.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202%3A10-11&version=EHV
Putting myself in their shoes, how would I know the difference?
I pray 🙏🙏🙏 the Divine Power
of God the Holy Spirit against
fake conversions and to encourage
legitimate Salvation to all who
would truly believe in
The Lord Jesus Christ as Savior
Are they in the country illegally to begin with? Are they rote repeating lines and do not understand or even care to understand what the beliefs are that they would be testifying to?
I know 9-year-olds who could clearly and with at least the appearance of conviction testify to their desire for Baptism.
I am by no means advocating for blanketly denying it to a person, just that we still need to be good shepherds and seek those of the faith out. Churches are called to cast out members who refuse to repent, should not Baptism at least have some semblance of integrity as well?
When in doubt of course defer always to Christ and Baptize, I am not eager to see it denied.
I hear you but let’s play devils advocate. Could God begin changing the heart with someone who comes to Him with false motives?
Ordaining women is also heresy.
Of course He can, but I think scripture is clear. Coming to the Lord with intentional false motives is an unlikely path to salvation.
Even saints risk great condemnation for such behaviors
ACTS5:3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
I agree
The C of E “God” is a metaphor for ruling class interests.
It is a completely apostate church. Has been for at least 50 years. King Charles is a fitting head of it.
“Could God begin changing the heart with someone who comes to Him with false motives?”
If God alone was responsible for our repentance, we’d all repent and believe. God wants and COMMANDS us all to do so. “God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways.” - Acts 17, Paul preaching in Athens
“All of them, Everywhere”.
Could it be? Of course. But it isn’t fertile ground.
Hold the ones wearing Mooselimp garb under water until the bubbles stop reaching the surface.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.