Re: Sexual Orientation Regulations & the Catholic Church

We have been following the debate over the implementation of the SORs in England and Wales with both interest and concern.

While we welcome the principle of equality of opportunity for all people, we strongly recommend that the Catholic church be allowed an exemption from the SOR s for their adoption agencies.

Evangelical Alliance Wales is part of the UK Evangelical Alliance which provides a voice for the one million evangelicals in the UK while Gweini represents the Christian voluntary sector in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales and to Westminster

If the SORs go through without this exemption, one of the consequences will be the de-motivation of many Christians - and other faith communities - from further engagement in service provision.

There has been a growing interest in such work in recent years and we receive inquiries on an ongoing basis from Christian individuals, churches and organisations about accessing funding for an extensive range of projects. There are also many excellent examples in Wales of existing works run by churches that, having already accessed funding, have partnered with local authorities and are providing services for their communities.

At this pivotal point in church history, and in the relationship between church and state, it is important that government legislation takes into account both the current desire and the relative inexperience of the church for engagement with civil society. It is our concern that many churches will withdraw their services and not consider future projects if they feel that their religious liberty is under threat.

The Department of Work and Pensions, in a press release issued this month, envisaged and welcomed faith communities playing an increasing role in public service provision in the years to come. Without due care and attention, the opposite will happen.

In a week that has seen reports in the media of Muslim youth being increasingly radicalised, it is important that the government be seen to be engaging with faith communities and respecting their religious liberty. The Christian church, with its history of service provision in the UK , is often seen as a barometer for other faiths and Christian engagement in public service will encourage other faiths to engage as well.

A perception amongst faith communities that the SORs are being rigidly and inflexibly applied and interpreted, not taking into account the diversity and breadth of opinion within Britain today, will lead many to think that their voice is not being heard and subsequently to further disengagement. Our diversity and sometimes differing world-views ought to be celebrated and respected.