Christians are being ‘bullied’ out of public life in Britain while British politicians fail to stand up for their beliefs, says the former Archbishop of Canterbury.
Speaking in the House of Lords at a Christian Broadcasting Council’s symposium on Christian persecution, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton accused politicians of trying to bully Christianity out of public life in the name of political correctness. He said there was a ‘strident and bullying campaign’ by atheists to ban faith schools despite their pupils gaining excellent results.
‘Christianity, which has given so much to our country, is now being sidelined as never before as though it is a stranger to our nation,’ he said.
Warning that Britain’s Christian heritage was in danger of being abandoned, he continued:
‘We have reached the point where politicians are mocked for merely expressing their faith.
‘I cannot imagine any politician expressing concern that Britain should remain a Christian country. That reticence is a scandal and a disgrace to our history,’ he said.
Lord Carey urged Christians to become more assertive about their faith:
‘If we behave like doormats, don't be surprised if we are treated as though we are. It is time to return to the public square,’ he said.
(Click here to read the full speech)
Andrea Minichiello Williams, Director of CCFON and The Christian Legal Centre, presented the state of Christians in the modern Britain and the legislative framework for current issues affecting Christians and their faith.
‘For hundreds of years in this country the great advances in public life, in health care, education and social provision have come about as a result of Christian Conviction that cares for the good of all.
‘This is the fabric of our Nation. Social trends have come and gone but the Christian foundations of our country are what has maintained true tolerance as a society, the dignity of every human being and great public service,’ she said.
Mrs Williams also explained the dangers and possible consequences of the new guidelines on assisted suicide, issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions on 25 February 2010.
(See the CCFON report)
A number of Christians who were defended by the Christian Legal Centre told the symposium their stories.
Olive Jones, a maths teacher who lost her job for asking permission to pray for a sick pupil, told the meeting:
‘Twenty years of teaching dismissed for sharing the goodness of God in this Christian nation. I felt I had been treated as a criminal.’
Caroline Petrie, a nurse who was suspended for offering to pray for a patient, said:
‘I was told if I continued what I was doing I would be struck off the nurses’ register.’
Gary McFarlane, a relationship counsellor at Relate Avon who was sacked because his Christian beliefs prevented him giving sex therapy to homosexual couples, also told his story.
Lord Carey said:
‘What is happening in Western Europe is not persecution but a marginalising of faith which seeks to portray it as a matter of personal conscience only. Some examples of this originate from a mistaken but well-meant political correctness that is anxious not to upset minority faiths by seeming to ‘privilege’ Christianity.
‘Hence the regular ‘pantomime’ every Christmas where some local Council or another absurdly gives Christmas another name.
‘Of course, I not am denying for one moment that since 9/11 – and the date is significant – a new breed of atheists have moved into the public square arguing that Christianity, or any other faith, should have no role in public life.
‘This strident and bullying campaign seeks to ban faith schools, in spite of the clear evidence that such schools perform better than many others. We have reached a point where politicians are now criticised and mocked for merely expressing their faith.
‘It is clear that we must stand up against the marginalising of faith. We must constantly remind society, of its Christian roots and heritage. As I wrote recently, if we behave like doormats, don’t be surprised if we are treated as though we are.’
He added that Christians should ‘prevail upon politicians’ to speak up for their beliefs, saying:
‘I simply cannot imagine any Prime Minister of England saying that his major concern is that Britain remains a Christian nation. And that reticence is a scandal and a disgrace.’
The powerful intervention from the retired Archbishop, who stepped down from Lambeth Palace in 2002, comes in the wake of strongly-expressed criticism of state attempts to sideline Christianity from other senior prelates.