Oral Answers to Questions

Sonia Kumar Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

The hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

[Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)]

9. What steps the Church of England is taking to work with other faith groups to promote community cohesion.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Marsha De Cordova)]

The Church has a long history of working across faiths to ensure community cohesion. Most dioceses have an interfaith adviser who advises—[Interruption.]

[Marsha De Cordova]

I will start from the top. The Church has a long history of working across faiths to ensure community cohesion. Most dioceses have an interfaith adviser who advises clergy and congregations about their interfaith engagement, promoting community cohesion. That work is supported through the national presence and engagement programme.

[Sonia Kumar]

One of the Church’s greatest strengths is its ability to bring communities together. At a time of heightened community tensions, opportunities to bring all faith leaders together are ever more important. Over the summer, I worked closely with local faith leaders in my constituency to build resilience and manage the situation—an attack on one is an attack on all. Will my hon. Friend set out how the Church can strengthen dialogue, support cohesion and help communities resist division?

[Marsha De Cordova]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that she is doing in her constituency on bringing our communities together. She rightly points out that the Church has a key role to play in drawing our communities together—both to protect them, and for peace and social justice. The Church supports the work of the Church Urban Fund and Near Neighbours, whose central aim is to promote interfaith understanding and stronger community cohesion. As I mentioned in my previous answer, the Church has established a working group with the bishops to promote community cohesion in response to some of the deepening political polarisation. I hope to provide an update on that work in due course.