Letter: Rights and religions
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Your support makes all the difference.Sir: We welcome the Government's determination to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into British law through the Human Rights Bill, now moving into its committee stage in the House of Commons. The Human Rights Act will be a keystone in creating a more just and equitable society.
We believe that faith communities and their associated organisations should respond warmly to legislation which makes it easier for United Kingdom citizens to protect their basic human rights. While we recognise some of the anxieties expressed by other Christians regarding the Bill's implications, sound legal opinion and the experience of churches in Europe indicate that Article 9, dealing with religious freedom, provides clear and proper protection. Such fears are therefore misplaced. We deplore attempts by some Christians to weaken the Bill through exemption-type amendments. We encourage Her Majesty's Government to reject devices which surround the Bill with exclusions, defences and opt-outs. Such exemptions would be inconsistent with its manifesto commitment to "bring rights home".
We affirm the values represented by the Human Rights Bill. As such they challenge our religious institutions in the way they conduct themselves as human communities. Those who oppose the full incorporation of the European Convention, by challenging the inclusion of churches and other religious bodies within the definition of "public authority", are in danger of creating legislation which is less rather than more satisfactory to the churches. Narrow and misguided institutional self-interest should give way to an embrace of those rights and values which will enhance the common good.
BEN BRADSHAW MP
(Exeter, Lab)
CHRIS BRYANT
Christian Socialist Movement
NADIR DINSHAW
JOHN GIBSON
Catholics for a Changing Church
+JOHN GUILDFORD
(The Right Rev John Gladwin, Bishop of Guildford)
The Most Rev RICHARD
HOLLOWAY
Bishop of Edinburgh
HELENA KENNEDY
(Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws)
RICHARD KIRKER
Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
Canon MARTYN PERCY, DAVID McCLEAN
The Lincoln Theological Institute
MARTIN PENDERGAST
Christians for Human Rights
The Right Rev PETER SELBY
Bishop of Worcester
VALERIE STROUD
We Are Church (UK)
ELIZABETH STUART
Professor of Theology, Winchester
+ROWAN MONMOUTH
(The Right Rev Rowan Williams, Bishop of Monmouth)
London E9
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