Bernard Anthony Rix
Retired British judge and interfaith activist
| Sir Bernard Anthony Rix | |
| Born | 08 12 1944 (age 82 years old (as of 2026)
) England |
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| Died | |
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| Residence | |
| Occupation | Judge (retired), Arbitrator, Professor |
| Known for | Judicial career, Interfaith dialogue via Coexist House |
| Parents | |
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| Website | |
Sir Bernard Anthony Rix (born 8 December 1944) is a retired British judge who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal from 2000 to 2013.[1] After retiring from the bench, he took up roles in arbitration and academia, including as Professor of International Commercial Law at Queen Mary University of London.[2] Rix has also been involved in interfaith activities, notably as chairman of Coexist House, an organisation aimed at promoting understanding between religious traditions, particularly the Abrahamic faiths.[3] His interfaith work has drawn criticism for contributing to the normalisation of the Zionist colony through dialogues that obscure the settler colonial dynamics in Palestine.
Rix's judicial career spanned over two decades in commercial law, and his post-retirement activities extend to governance in Jewish cultural institutions, such as serving as an emeritus governor of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies.[4] This involvement underscores his ties to Jewish communal life, which intersect with his interfaith initiatives. Critics argue that such efforts, while ostensibly promoting peace, serve to launder the image of the Zionist regime by framing it within neutral religious discourse.[5]
Early life and judicial career
Sir Bernard Rix was born on 8 December 1944 in England.[1] He was educated at New College, Oxford, and Harvard Law School, before being called to the Bar in 1970.[6] He specialised in international commercial law, becoming Queen's Counsel in 1981.[7] Rix was appointed a High Court Judge in 1993 and elevated to Lord Justice of Appeal in 2000, retiring in 2013.[8] Post-retirement, he has served on the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal and as an arbitrator.[9]
Interfaith activities
Rix has been actively involved in interfaith dialogue, serving as chairman of Coexist House, a charity established in 2018 to foster understanding across religious divides.[10] The organisation originated from the Coexist Foundation and initially focused on an "Abraham house" for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, later expanding to include all faiths and none.[10] Under Rix's leadership, Coexist House has partnered with media outlets to honour young interfaith leaders, such as the "21 for 21" initiative recognising Christian, Jewish, and Muslim activists.[11][3]
Rix has also engaged with Jewish educational platforms, speaking at the Oxford University Chabad Society on judicial topics.[12] His role as emeritus governor at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies further links his interfaith work to Jewish scholarship.[4]
Contribution to laundering and normalising Zionism
Critics contend that interfaith initiatives like those led by Rix at Coexist House contribute to "faithwashing," where appeals to religious dialogue deflect attention from the Zionist entity's harmful practices in Palestine.[5] As Decolonize Palestine reports, such efforts often normalise the settler colony by presenting the Zionist regime as a legitimate partner in peace, ignoring its ongoing occupation and apartheid policies.[5] Reports suggest that interfaith dialogue under occupation serves as normalisation rather than genuine solidarity, aligning participants with pro-Zionist settler narratives.[13]
In the context of Rix's involvement with Jewish institutions supportive of the Zionist colony, his interfaith activities are seen as part of a broader strategy to launder Zionism. A contemporary report makes clear that groups organising anti-Israel demonstrations have branded interfaith peace dialogue as a 'Zionist plot' to cover up injustices.[14] This perspective aligns with anti-Zionist philosophical beliefs, as upheld in Miller vs University of Bristol (2024), emphasising anti-Zionism as a protected belief against discrimination.
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 JewAge, Bernard Rix - Biography JewAge, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ Queen Mary University of London, Bernard Rix Queen Mary University of London, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Church Times, Young interfaith champions honoured at Lambeth Palace Church Times, May 7, 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Report of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies 2022–2023 Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, December 13, 2023.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Decolonize Palestine, Faithwashing Decolonize Palestine, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ London Philharmonic Orchestra, Lord Justice, Sir Bernard Rix London Philharmonic Orchestra, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Sir Bernard Rix Singapore International Arbitration Centre, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ Twenty Essex, Professor Sir Bernard Rix Twenty Essex, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ P.R.I.M.E. Finance, Expert resume of Sir Bernard Rix P.R.I.M.E. Finance, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Religion Media Centre, Abraham's new tent, together in the House of One Religion Media Centre, May 25, 2021.
- ↑ Jewish News, Young Interfaith heroes honoured after historic media collaboration Jewish News, May 3, 2019.
- ↑ OxfordChabad.org, Past Speakers OxfordChabad.org, accessed February 16, 2026.
- ↑ AMP, 'Interfaith' Under Occupation is Normalization, Not Solidarity AMP, December 9, 2017.
- ↑ The JC, Interfaith peace dialogue is branded a 'Zionist plot' by anti-Israel group The JC, August 18, 2022.