Society in the UK is built on fundamental freedoms and responsibilities. We believe that religious freedom is a foundational good for everyone, because it helps provide the platform from which we all enjoy freedom of speech, assembly and expression and other human rights. But religious freedoms are being eroded and derided in our society as the push of the secular, non-religious conversations seek to discredit and vilify religious activity and belief.
We stand for a society where people are free to believe or reject religious beliefs, and where people are free to promote and to criticise. This means we stand for the freedom of Christians but also of those with whom we disagree. It is the hope for a society where people have the maximum opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.
We are passionate about religious liberty domestically and across the world. At home we are attentive to where religious freedom is under threat and where there are challenges to people holding and living out their beliefs. We reject the idea that there is or can be a private space for beliefs and a public space that is neutral between beliefs – someone always sets the rules for engagement in public life. It is restricting religious freedom to ask believers to hold beliefs in private and not allow those beliefs to affect how one lives in the rest of their life.
The Evangelical Alliance frequently engages with government to ensure that policy and legal changes do not unduly restrict the religious freedom of people of faith.
Internationally, we work with our member organisations including Open Doors UK, CSW and Release International to highlight the plight of Christians persecuted for their faith. One in eight Christians globally experiences systematic discrimination, unfair treatment and persecution, and because in the UK we enjoy such freedom, it is vital that we use our voice to speak up for our brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” – 2 Timothy 3:12
