Cross Rhythms website editor Heather Bellamy is a regular contributor for the local Sentinel newspaper's weekly faith column, Yours Faithfully. Each week a different leader from the local faith communities write the column. Check out what Heather has been saying to the fine people of North Staffordshire.
Barely a week seems to go by without a case of discrimination against Christians making it into the national papers. This year we've already seen a supply teacher able to return to work after being sacked for offering prayer; a church has also successfully got a noise abatement notice amended after the local authorities reacted based on a few complaints without any objective evidence; and the case of a school receptionist has just been settled out of court. She had been told to stay away from her job for nearly four months and then received a written warning. All she had done was email friends for prayer for her 5 year old daughter who was reprimanded by her class teacher at the same school for talking about her Christian faith to another child.
According to Christian Concern For Our Nation, they are now handling 3 to 10 enquiries a week and at least one full trial hearing a month for Christians being discriminated against in the workplace. The Legal Defence Fund of the Christian Institute also has an expanding workload. Set up in December 2006, it investigated 50 cases in its first 18 months. But within the last year it has been contacted by 170 individuals or organisations seeking help.
The BBC has taken note of this swell of cases. With many Christians feeling that Christianity - once the heart of British society - is being pushed to the margins, the BBC recently broadcast 'Are Christians Being Persecuted', a documentary where Nicky Campbell investigated whether the Christian faith is being sidelined from the public space and whether that is a good or a bad thing.
Compared to Christians in other nations who are imprisoned, tortured and killed for their faith, British Christians are not being persecuted. However the increasing cases indicate a concerning trend, one where it is increasingly hard to express faith in the public square.
Senior Muslims also believe that Christians in Britain receive a bad deal. Dr Taj Hargey, the Imam of the Oxford Islamic Congregation, wrote this month: "Christianity is under siege in this country. Britain's national religion has never been so marginalised and derided by the public institutions that should be defending it."
An interesting comment in the light of the outrageously disrespectful junior ministers suggestions for activities that the Pope could engage in on his forthcoming visit to the UK.
Despite this, or maybe because of it, as the General Election approaches many Christians are beginning to raise their voice on issues that matter to them. Over 37,000 have signed the Westminster 2010 Declaration calling upon 'all parliamentary candidates to pledge that they will 'respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience'. Signatories include Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury; Cardinal O'Brien of the Catholic Church in Scotland; Baroness Cox from the House of Lords; and Michael Nazir-Ali the former Bishop of Rochester.
Christians In Politics, a group jointly owned by the Christian Socialist Movement, the Conservative Christian Fellowship and the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum are also actively engaging Christians in the political process; to hold hustings; to vote; and to join the Christian groups within each of the mainstream parties.
Whichever MPs and whatever party is elected at this General Election, my prayer is that we will see laws which encourage a turning away from the political correct absolutism that we've seen appearing in our public institutions and a restoration of the freedom of conscience and religion in the public arena.
The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.