Since the Evangelical Alliance’s inception, we have been a ministry committed to defending freedom to practise faith and a strong advocate for the gospel transforming lives and communities. In the past year we have specifically engaged with how a proposed ‘Islamophobia’ definition could restrict gospel freedom and now provide reflections on the government’s social cohesion action plan and anti-Muslim hostility working definition.
On Monday 9 March, Steve Reed, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, issued a statement in the Commons setting out the government’s strategy “towards a more confident, cohesive and United Kingdom”. Protecting What Matters is an action plan that brings different government departments’ resources together with the aim of addressing divisions experienced in many communities across the United Kingdom.
In reviewing the plan, there are overarching policy and funding commitments made where, as evangelicals, we will want to pray for the government’s success. and would summarise them in three ways.
The first is the recognition that place is crucial to providing individuals a sense of belonging and that for many communities outside metropolitan cities or the South East of England there needs to be significant investment into local councils and regional economies to tackle deprivation and inequalities when compared to the rest of the country.
Another is how the plan talks about a shared national heritage and identity which has positively shaped Britain’s history. A gentle critique I made in a meeting between the faith minister and other religious leaders was that the plan could have spoken more positively about the nation’s Christian legacy, specifically how faith has shaped our laws, education systems and sense of social justice for those entrenched in poverty or struggling to access health and social care.
And finally, the plan seeks to protect people from violence, harassment and abuse. In recent years the UK has seen a rise in religious and racially aggravated offenses and public disorder. The UK church is deeply concerned by this and is playing an active role within communities to respond to rising tensions.
Minister for devolution, faith and communities meets evangelical leaders
During the days following the launch of the action plan I was in two separate meetings with the minister for devolution, faith and communities to discuss the distinct contribution evangelical churches and organisations make to local communities. A highlight was facilitating a discussion between seven evangelical church and organisational leaders from across England and the government minister at Evangelical Alliance member church Westbourne Park Baptist Church. Leaders in attendance spoke honestly and candidly about:
- how decades of underfunding in local and public services has caused further distrust towards politicians and that this plan is unlikely to bring about local reforms the government hope for.
- ministry experience serving in Rotherham, Hastings, Leicester and Bradford, and how for many White British in those areas they feel their concerns are of little interest to government ministers or strategic direction. Where confidence in politicians and democracy is low, churches and leaders find their willingness to engage individuals with varying political views and remain in relationship is a unique quality the church brings. Typically people are rejected for holding different political views.
- how there is a perception amongst congregants and those living within the surrounding community to the church that the government tend to elevate one religion (namely Islam) above others, which leads to further tensions locally and nationally.
The government is determined to work with evangelical ministries and other faith communities to achieve a more cohesive society
From Islamophobia to anti-Muslim hostility: what's the difference?
The anti-Muslim hostility definition is a “non-statutory working definition”, meaning it does not change or override existing legislation. The Equalities Act 2010, reporting of hate crime incidents and the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 collectively provide legal protections for individuals with a religious or racial identity.
Instead, the introduction of this definition is there to “allow the development of a framework for understanding when legitimate debate crosses into unacceptable hatred, prejudice and discrimination of individuals”. Its purpose is to provide shared language amongst government departments and is optional for other sectors to use.
In May last year, I wrote that any Islamophobia definition must not restrict gospel freedom. I welcome the government’s commitment to “not prohibit free speech nor stop issues being raised in the public interest” on Islam or any religious minority in society. Anti-Muslim hostility on the whole is a helpful choice of language and is focused on tackling harassment and discrimination towards individuals.
However, there are concerns about how specific phrasing in the definition conflates religious and racial identity and seems to equate any criticism of Islam – both theologically and its prominence in public life – with racism. (See the extract of the new definition below.)
"It is also the prejudicial stereotyping of Muslims, or people perceived to be Muslim including because of their ethnic or racial backgrounds or their appearance, and treating them as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics, with the intention of encouraging hatred against them, irrespective of their actual opinions, beliefs or actions as individuals. – Extract from government’s anti-Muslim hostility definition"
The controversy surrounding Conservative MP and shadow secretary of state for justice Nick Timothy’s recent op-ed in The Telegraph describing the Open Iftar in Trafalgar Square as “Islamic domination” tests the workability of this new definition. Are Mr Timothy’s remarks an example of criticising religion and its practice and so permissible under this definition, or are they an example of “prejudicial stereotyping” which falls foul of the definition? It is unclear. This incident also highlights an unwillingness amongst some politicians to embrace the government’s new terminology. Over 30 MPs and peers have written to the parliamentary commissioner for standards, who reviews MPs’ conduct, and called Mr Timothy’s remarks as “deeply Islamophobic”. In choosing Islamophobic, parliamentarians are possibly communicating their disapproval of the term anti-Muslim hostility.
Crucially for church leaders and ministries with a gospel outreach to Muslims or other religious minorities in the UK, this definition or the controversy in the newspapers should not stop you from sharing testimonies of Muslims converting to Christ or developing evangelistic materials to engage individuals with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let Colossians 4 inform your posture and speech when sharing the good news in a contested culture; live wisely amongst unbelievers, make the most of every opportunity and let your speech and behaviour be seasoned with grace.
As the advocacy team, we will continue to engage and educate cabinet ministers on the freedoms set out in domestic legislation and international law to hold, manifest and adopt a different religious belief, so that all may have an opportunity to respond to the salvation message found in Jesus and the scriptures.
Confident faith, contested culture report
How are evangelicals living out their faith in the UK today?
