Release International

Release's ministry focuses on supporting Christians suffering persecution abroad but we are increasingly concerned by threats in the UK to Christians' freedom of conscience.

Several cases involving the clash of Christians' religious beliefs with human rights law have hit the headlines recently – and many more go unreported.

There has been widespread coverage of the case of Eunice and Owen Johns, the Derby couple rejected as respite foster parents because they told social workers that they could not tell a child a homosexual lifestyle was acceptable. They lost their High Court battle for their right to foster in February.

At least two Christian couples running B&Bs have had legal proceedings brought against them for refusing to allow homosexual couples to share a double room. Tory MP Chris Grayling was removed from his post of Shadow Home Secretary after he was recorded saying that B&B owners should be allowed to follow their conscience.

And counsellor Lesley Pilkington is facing disciplinary proceedings by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy for trying to help a man struggling with unwanted homosexual feelings. He turned out to be an undercover reporter.

Christian registrar Lillian Ladele was disciplined for gross misconduct by Islington Council after she asked to be excluded from presiding over homosexual civil partnerships. And Somerset nurse Caroline Petrie was suspended after offering to pray for a patient – though she was later reinstated.

Previously, homelessness officer Duke Amachree had been sacked for 'gross misconduct' by Wandsworth council after he suggested a woman with an incurable illness should 'put her faith in God'. And Christian magistrate Andrew McClintock was forced to resign from hearing family cases in Sheffield after he was refused permission to opt out of cases that could have led to adoption by gay couples. He lost his appeal.

These are not isolated cases. Campaign group Christian Concern says its sister organisation Christian Legal Centre (CLC), whose lawyers specialise in religious rights legislation, has about 50 similar cases on its books. The Christian Institute, a campaigning charity, also has a growing caseload. In 12 months, it had 114 calls from UK Christians who believed they were facing discrimination.

Campaign groups such as the Christian Institute are concerned that the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 is being used to curtail Christians' freedom of conscience and even discriminate against them.

The High Court judges in the Johns' case ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation 'should take precedence' over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds.

The Johns' lawyer said last week the couple will not appeal because to do so would be 'futile' as the courts are currently 'set against religious freedom for Christians'.

In a recent article in The Daily Telegraph, Mike Judge of the Christian Institute said that legislation designed to protect one minority group was now being used against another – Christians. 'Discrimination law is meant to act as a shield to protect people from unfair treatment, not to be used as a sword to attack those whose beliefs you disagree with,' he wrote.

CLC Director Andrea Minichiello Williams told Release International recently: 'It seems a religious bar to office has been created, whereby a Christian who wishes to act on their Christian beliefs... will no longer be able to work in a greater number of environments. How can 21st-century Britain have become a place like this?'

Even within the Christian community opinion can be divided over individual cases and care is needed to read beyond the headlines to understand fully the details of every case. Release is not going to divert its efforts from its core ministry abroad but would encourage all supporters to engage with Christian Concern and the Christian Institute, whose calling is specifically to this area of work within the UK. Visit www.christianconcern.com and www.christian.org.uk for further information.

(Sources: BBC, Christian Concern, Christian Institute, Release International, The Times online)

Act

• Sign Christian Concern's new petition calling on David Cameron to respect Christian conscience and take urgent action to address the problems created by equalities legislation. Go to: http://christianconcern.com/equalities-and-conscience

Pray

• Pray that the Prime Minister will take note of UK Christians' concerns and take action to uphold freedom of conscience.
• Pray specifically for Christians whose freedom of conscience has been limited by recent court rulings. Many have suffered abuse and threats. Ask God to protect them and strengthen their faith.
• Pray for wisdom for organisations that support Christians directly affected by these issues – and that are lobbying for government action to uphold Christians' freedom of conscience.

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