Christians really are facing genuine legal difficulties in Britain, a group of MPs and Peers say after a six month investigation.
In a report published yesterday, the parliamentarians say it may be helpful to promote a concept of “reasonable accommodation” for religious belief in the public sphere.
The report criticises the Equality Act for failing to deal with the tensions between different strands of equality.
Hierarchy
And it says the Equality Commission should be reviewed and restructured so that it better includes and represents religious beliefs.
It also says some court rulings have relegated religious belief, effectively creating a hierarchy of rights.
But the report also calls for a sense of perspective, and points out that Christians are not suffering the violent persecution that Christians face in other countries.
Barriers
Other findings are that the policing of the Public Order Act, which has been used to arrest street preachers, “demonstrates a lack of understanding of what is a legitimate expression of Christian belief”.
And it notes that some UK local authorities “place unnecessary barriers to wider Christian contribution”.
Gary Streeter MP, who was involved with the inquiry, commented: “Christians are not asking for special treatment, but we are looking for a level playing field and for sincerely held beliefs to be given equal space in our law and in our society.
“I hope the Government will take this report very seriously.”
Tolerance
Mr Streeter also said the idea of reasonable accommodation should be “explored”.
He said the concept “might have been called tolerance or respect, or simply common sense” in previous eras.
Mr Streeter added: “Importantly, it would also see that religious liberty and identity is preserved by accommodating those who by their deeply held beliefs would prefer not to provide them certain good and services.”