Britain Considers New Laws Against Religious Discrimination

Britain may implement new laws against religious discrimination, according to Church Net UK News Service. Home Secretary Jack Straw told the Home Affairs select committee on June 29 that the British government may wish to bring in laws comparable to those covering racial and gender issues. Mr. Straw's announcement drew criticism from the Evangelical Alliance, which is concerned with issues affecting evangelical and charismatic churches.

The Evangelical Alliance says that it support the fair treatment of people of all faiths, but that it fears such laws may require Christian organizations to drop their requirement that their staff members be Christian. "Central to the work of many church agencies are distinctly Christian values, ethics and practices," said Martyn Eden, the alliance's public affairs director. "These might include daily prayer or adherence to absolute moral codes or sexual ethics. To be forced to compromise in such areas through the hiring of people of different faiths or none would for some agencies undermine their very existence."