Minority Report: Grappling with a post-Christian Era
Friday, 18 June 2010
| Angus McLeay
In a witness statement in support of a Christian relationships counsellor who was appealing his dismissal over his refusal to counsel gay and lesbian couples, Carey stated:
“Recent decisions of the Courts have illuminated insensitivity to the interests and needs of the Christian community and represent disturbing Judgments. The effect of these decisions is to undermine the religious liberties that have existed in the United Kingdom for centuries.... The fact that senior clerics of the Church of England and other faiths feel compelled to intervene directly in judicial decisions and cases is illuminative of a future civil unrest.”
He went on to call for a separate tribunal to be set up for religiously-related cases, with judges appointed who are sympathetic to religious sensitivities.
UK society, like ours, is transitioning into a post-Christian era. The scope of the change here can be gleaned from a 2009 report by the Christian Research Association. Consider these statistical vignettes from Australia’s second largest city:
· More than 4 in 5 people have only occasional or no contact with church
· Ten times as many people aged 75 years (or over) attend church compared to those aged 15-24 (30% versus 3%)
· Those of “no religion” are the second largest ‘faith’ group - after Catholics
· Within 15 years, less than 5% of the population will be attending church on a Sunday
One response to this alarming picture is to point to the significant place of Christian institutions such as schools and welfare agencies. While there is no doubt that these are entrenched, we should not infer that Christian values and identity necessarily follow. Of those who identified as Christians in 2006, a quarter disbelieve (or are at least unsure) that a “higher power / force” exists. Less than a third of young people believe in a personal God. Specifically Christian views are already, and increasingly, in the minority (a reality Carey’s statement bears witness to regarding the UK).
Given these trends, it is curious that the recent debate about human rights was led by Christians arguing for less check and balance in our system. Evangelical leaders campaigned against a Charter of Rights in order to preserve religious freedom. But no Charter means that raw political force faces less review or redress. This approach is fine when the political chips fall our way: the current crop of federal MPs over-represents Christian views compared with the community at large. But this could easily change and is likely to do so. Review of political decisions – of the kind a Charter of Rights would have offered – would give (some) reassurance for minority views and communities facing sheer majoritarianism or the tactics of lobbyists.
Human rights set out principles which protect minorities, which must be applied equally and fairly to all. In a multi-faith, multi-cultural society, whatever Christians call for must be equally applicable to those of no faith and other faiths. If we call for separate courts for one group we set a precedent for others to seek their own ‘sympathetic’ tribunals. Each group may complain that the courts are insensitive to their particular views. Those without access to ‘special’ courts might well feel aggrieved. Perhaps this is why the judge presiding at the case in which Carey made his statement described the proposal as “divisive, capricious and arbitrary”. (The judgment can be found at:
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2010/B1.html)
Minorities often feel vulnerable and threatened, and many in the Church feel like this. But there is no use pursuing special exemptions or provisions to which every other group can lay claim. Instead, our vulnerability is an opportunity to show leadership by pursuing policies and politics which respect minorities at the same time as the needs of the community as a whole.
Angus McLeay is an Anglican minister who recently started a small business in the hospitality industry. Last year he formed an organisation to educate on human rights within the Church, IsaiahOne, following the Federal Government's national consultation on human rights.