The law, as laid out in the Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, Equality Act 2006 and carried forward in the current Bill, enables churches and Christian organisations to outline their ethos as the foundation on which employment decisions are made.

Rather than complaining that this legislation is bad news for churches and Christian organisations, Joy Madeiros Group CEO of Oasis and Advisor to Faithworks, encourages churches and Christian organisations to embrace the right now enshrined in law to recruit Christian staff where this can be justified in line with the ethos. 

Faithworks welcomed the writing of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, supporting the commitment it reflected to build a society that is fair, compassionate and non-judgemental, and which protects proper treatment for individuals from minority groups.  Faithworks subsequently worked with the DTI to produce guidance for faith groups on the implementation of the regulations, and petitioned for widespread availability of clear guidance.  Since the 2003 Regulations Faiithworks has worked with churches and Christian projects to assist them in articulating their distinctive Christian ethos and detailing how this ethos relates to the roles that  staff members perform and the service that is offered.  .

Faithworks  is pleased that the exemption clauses will continue to be present in the 2010 Equalities Bill and welcomes the new Equalities legislation as an opportunity for government to  give clearer guidance on the application of them.

Faithworks calls on Christians to look at the Bill  as a whole and the principles underpinning it, and not latch on to scare mongering headlines without thinking through the importance of equalities. Faithworks warns that such a reaction could be perceived as a Christian focus on the solo issue of sexual orientation rather than the legislation as a whole.

To churches and Christian projects, Faithworks exhorts you to understand your ethos, know how it relates to beliefs and behaviours, articulate it, and think through the relation of your ethos to each specific post. Being  clear what you stand for does not mean that you have to impose your view on everyone or agree with  everyone. .  Churches and Christian organisations can be enriched and sharpened by having  a diversity of backgrounds and beliefs within their staff teams.

Faithworks continues to take seriously its role of talking with government directly, and creating platforms by which the voice of churches and Christian Projects can be amplified and celebrated.  On the issue of the 2010 Equalities Bill, Faithworks has participated in an advisory group with the EHRC ensuring concerns are heard and have giving feedback on the various drafts  of the act.  Alongside this contribution to consultation on the drafting of the Act, Faithworks is  launching the Faithworks 2010 Declaration, calling on the incoming government to

1. To recognise the important contribution that local churches and Christian charities have made and can make in the coming years in providing services within local communities across the UK.
2. To acknowledge the indispensible role that faith in Christ plays in the motivation and effectiveness of welfare programmes developed by churches and Christian charities.
3. To encourage and promote further initiatives and deeper partnership underpinned by legislation, which assess services based on best value and contribution to the community, without discriminating against the faith that is vital to the success of the work of churches and faith-based organisations in the community.