Sunday, September 16, 2012

Churches 'need gay marriage safeguards’, says Eric Pickles

Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, said that churches must have clear legal protections to ensure that they cannot be forced by the European Court of Human Rights to marry homosexual couples.
Mr Pickles made the comments in a Daily Telegraph article in which he offers strong support for the role of Christianity in public life, and attacks the “aggressive secularism” he says is found in parts of the public sector.

The Coalition has proposed a change in the law to allow homosexual couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals.

The proposals have met opposition from many Conservative MPs and leaders of the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church.

Ministers have said that churches and other faith organisations will be allowed to go on refusing to conduct same-sex marriages, meaning homosexual couples will be limited to civil marriages.
The Church of England has said it is concerned that any exemption for churches could be subject to legal challenges. 

“There are legitimate fears of European Court of Human Rights challenges and churches being forced down the line to conduct such ceremonies against their wishes,” Mr Pickles said. “These concerns need to be explicitly addressed in any legislative reform to provide safeguards against such coercion.”

The Conservative Cabinet minister’s support for the Church over homosexual marriage comes as Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, tries to calm a row caused by a statement from his office calling opponents of same-sex unions “bigots”.

Mr Pickles made his attempt to reassure church leaders over the same-sex marriage plan in a broad defence of the role of Christianity.

Britain is a Christian nation “and should not be afraid to say so,” Mr Pickles said, insisting that the presence of large non-Christian communities does not diminish that heritage. 

“The fact that Britain has welcomed people of many other faiths to live among us over the centuries in no way detracts from this,” he writes. “Indeed, it is the Christian ethos that has made Britain so welcoming.” 

Mr Pickles said suggestions that British Christians are being “persecuted” are an exaggeration, but backs those who fear that people of faith are increasingly marginalised. 

“Long-standing British liberties of freedom of religion have been undermined in recent years by aggressive secularism, especially in the more politically correct parts of the public sector,” he said.

The European Court is considering a case brought by four British Christians, including two workers forced out of their jobs after wearing visible crosses.

Government lawyers told the court this month that Christians should leave their religious beliefs at home or accept that a personal expression of faith at work, such as wearing a cross, means that they might have to resign.

Mr Pickles insisted that the Coalition is committed to the right of Christians and people of other beliefs “to follow their faith openly, including by praying in public and promoting their beliefs — as well as wearing religious symbols”.

“Banning discreet religious symbols for reasons of political correctness is not acceptable,” he said.