Launch of Equalities and Conscience Petition
Last week’s judgment in the case of Owen and Eunice Johns (see here) provoked huge national interest and wide scale media coverage. The Judgment highlighted once again the difficulties that Christians can encounter when attempting to participate in some parts of public life without compromising their beliefs.
Today (10 March 2011), the Johns, along with Christian Concern, are launching a major new petition, calling on the Prime Minister to respect Christian conscience and take urgent action to address the problems created by equalities legislation.
You can read and sign the petition here.
You can download the petition forms here.
Please collect signatures locally.Please forward the petition to your friends and colleagues, and download the forms to gather signatures locally.
The Wording of the Petition:
Recent Equalities legislation and its interpretation in the courts has led to several individuals who hold to mainstream Christian teaching being barred from different areas of public life and employment, running counter to our country’s long heritage of Freedom of Conscience, and creating a serious obstacle to the Christian community's full and active involvement in the Big Society initiative.
We call on the Prime Minister to act decisively to address this situation, securing the change necessary to ensure that the law provides a basis for widespread involvement in serving society whilst properly upholding the dignity of every individual, including those who seek to live with integrity to Christian conscience and teaching.
Further Reading
Paul Diamond, the Barrister who represented Owen and Eunice Johns, has written an article explaining why the Johns will not be appealing. This can be read here.
Read Eunice and Owen Johns' story
Read an in-depth analysis of the Johns' case
The Spectator: The judges' atheist inquisition
Christian Concern: Public backs protection of Christian conscience at work
