I have always believed that political correction and human rights would poses greater persecution to the contemporary church than physical persecution. The Equality Bill, which is currently at the committee stage, will place a duty on public bodies - like schools and the police to promote homosexual and transsexual 'rights', churches and The Salvation Army will not be expected to promote such rights but it may well become a crime to say that these things are a sin or to prevent homosexuals or unmarried heterosexuals who cohabit from holding certain positions within the church like youth workers.
Christians have become concerned because the Bill also is narrowing the current exemption in employment law for "organised religion" by changing the existing exemption so that it will only apply to posts that wholly or mainly involve leading or assisting worship or promoting or explaining doctrine.
Yet church ministers have many pastoral and administrative tasks which do not directly involve leading worship or teaching doctrine, even more so in the case of pastoral or youth workers. So the law may require that these posts have to be open to adulterers or practising homosexuals.
The following link takes you to a legal opinion by John Bowers QC and a briefing (from christian.org.uk) provide further information. For the wider problems being caused by the 'equality and diversity' agenda, the following report also Marginalising Christians.
Get involved now or face prison tomorrow!
Grace and peace, A
2 comments:
The movement to stifle the church in speaking of God's grace AND justice is broader than our limited vision. We, in the United States of America, also face the persecution of enforced silence through the guise of "political correctness", and I see we are not alone.
Many American Christians have determined that, in order to maintain God's moral and ethical laws, we, too, will face the possibility of imprisonment for speaking on behalf of Him. It is time for Christians to draw a line in the sand. And it is up to each of us to decide on which side of the line we stand.
Very good post. Thank you.
Hi Andrew, we have the same concerns over here. In New York and New Jersey, our state senators recently rejected bills to legalize homosexual marriage in those states. I suppose the bottom line is that we are called to be obedient to state laws, but not at the expense of disobeying the word of God. And above all we are called to love everyone, just as God loves all of us long before we turn to Him.
That said, we (Salvationists, Nazarenes, etc.) do need to revisit this habit we have of treating administrative staff as if they aren't fellow soldiers obligated to fulfill the Great Commission. The 'paper-pusher' is as influential in ministry as the people 'on the platform'. (Maybe we should re-write some of those job descriptions...quickly...)
Blessings,
Genise
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