Archbishops’ Council Responds to New Sexual Orientation Regulations

|TOP|The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England has published a response to the new sexual orientation regulations proposed by the Department of Trade and Industry urging the government to “strike a careful balance”.

The proposals would make it illegal for religious newspapers to turn down advertisements from homosexual pressure groups or for Christians who run bed-and-breakfast accommodations to decline same-sex couples as guests.

The Archbishops’ Council said in its response Friday that the new regulations were “an important part” of the process that the Church has played a key role in combating all prejudice and homophobic violence.

It went on to point out, however, that the new regulations, unless carefully drafted, could cut across the right of churches and other faith communities and their members “to manifest their own doctrines and convictions in this area without fear of legal sanction.

|AD|“That means that the regulations need to strike a careful balance, as in other anti-discrimination legislation, between potentially competing rights.”

Secretary General of the Archbishops’ Council, William Fittal, welcomed in a covering letter to the submission, “the recognition that special considerations are likely to justify some exemptions in relation to churches and other religious organisations.”

He added, however: “Some of the analysis in the consultation document does, however, raise substantial difficulties for us, as for other churches and faith organisations.”

Michael Nazir Ali, Bishop of Rochester, said in a statement that the regulations would hinder much of the Church's charitable work.

"In the proposed regulations there is no clear exemption for religious belief even though it is widely known that several of the faiths in this country will have serious difficulty with the regulations," he said. "Religion affects every area of life and cannot be reduced to just worship."

In 2003, the British government made it illegal to discriminate against homosexual and lesbian citizens in employment. However, religious groups were exempted.

Many Christians are hoping the new regulations, set to go into effect this October, will also exempt religious suppliers of goods and services, although currently the proposals contain no such exemptions.