Most Revd Justin Welby is warning that Christians across the Middle East could face more attacks if there is military intervention from abroad in Syria.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury said he'd spoken with a local church leader who outlined his concerns that it could become 'open season' on the Christian communities.
The Archbishop highlighted the situation in Iraq, where the Christian population has fallen from around two million to 500,000 as believers flee persecution. He encouraged western nations to consider the consequences of their actions. Archbishop Justin was speaking as MPs were recalled to Parliament to vote on military involvement. After eight hours of debate the government motion was defeated by 285-272 with 39 Lib Dem and Conservative MPs rebelling. The motion looked for MPs to agree that "a strong humanitarian response is required from the international community and that this may, if necessary, require military action that is legal, proportionate and focused on saving lives by preventing and deterring further use of Syria's chemical weapons". With the majority of MPs voting against, David Cameron said he would respect the will of Parliament.
Speaking today the Prime Minister said:
"We have to listen to Parliament and Parliament spoke and made a very clear view which is that it doesn't want British involvement in military action so we will proceed on that basis.
"But I think that's right to have a strong view, put a strong principled case and then listen to Parliament.
"That doesn't stop us condemning chemical weapons, that doesn't stop us condemning the Assad regime; that doesn't stop us working with allies to bring the maximum pressure on this regime and the appalling things it's doing.
"But on the specific issue of British military action I think that was the message of the debate."
Although the UK won't be involved in military action, the US says President Obama's decision-making will be guided by what is in the best interests of his country.
France has also indicated it could also go ahead without Britain.
But speaking last night in the House of Lords, Archbishop Justin urged restraint:
Leaders from the United Reformed Church; the Methodist Church in Britain, and the Baptist Union of Great Britain are welcoming Parliament's decision to reject military action in Syria.
In a statement they said:
"We are thankful that our MPs carefully considered the difficult matter of military intervention in Syria – and decided to reject it.
"Our prayers now are that all diplomatic means are used to bring government and opposition leaders to the negotiating table and that divided parties are encouraged to seek a future they can inhabit together.
"We also urge that priority is given to a quick and effective humanitarian response to the thousands of Syrian people affected by the violence."
Quakers in Britain also welcomed Parliament's decision.
Its Recording Clerk, Paul Parker, said:
"We acknowledge the difficulty of deciding on an appropriate response to the atrocious situation in Syria at the present time, and have been upholding decision-makers as they struggle to find a right way forward.
"We are pleased to see this moderate and peaceful outcome, and thank MPs for their care in making this difficult choice."
However, Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown said the wrong decision has been made.
He said:
"I don't think I've ever felt more depressed or indeed more ashamed.
"I now am condemned to watch those children burn in that school house yesterday and be a country that shrugs its shoulders and said 'nothing to do with me'."
Gary Streeter is a Christian and the Tory MP for Devon South West. He voted for military action and told Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour why he thinks MPs voted the way they did.
Writing in a blog, the Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, said:
"No one doubts the seriousness of the issue, and any sign of gloating over David Cameron's 'humiliation' in the House of Commons last night simply demonstrates the ethical confusion that is around.
"The debate seemed – to me, at least – to revolve around pragmatic questions of achievability rather than questions of ethical consistency.
"And that is not a criticism. It was not clear what the objective of military action should be and, if done, how its effectiveness might be gauged. "It seems to me that democracy worked last night and for that we should be grateful.
"Recriminations for political decisions should not take our eye away from what is happening to innocent people in Syria.
"The regime is behaving barbarically, but so are the rebels. "David Cameron's political misjudgement or humiliation is irrelevant. The point of this whole business is how to find an effective way of galvanising international power to bring an end to the brutal civil war in Syria."
The Archbishop of Canterbury wasn't the only peer to raise concerns for Syrian Christians in the House of Lords. Cross bencher Baroness Caroline Cox quoted Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III in highlighting her fears of the potential fallout of any military intervention. She praised Syrian Christians for being a "beacon of hope" in the region, but said there were "growing concerns that the Church's presence is being eradicated from the very place Christ and his first disciples knew as their own".
The Pope is also calling for dialogue in Syria. Speaking with the King of Jordan he said it was the only option to put an end to the conflict and the continuous loss of life. The UK Intelligence Committee said it's "highly likely" the Syrian government's behind last week's chemical attack near Damascus on August 21st. However, the Syrian Government denies it is responsible and is blaming opposition forces. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office is advising Britons to avoid all but essential travel to Lebanon. It says there could be what it calls a heightened risk of anti-Western sentiment linked to the possibility of military action in Syria. It also says British nationals already in the Middle Eastern country should consider leaving if they don't have to be there.