Tony Blair’s Press Secretary once said, “We don’t do God” in response to a journalist’s question about the then Prime Minister’s faith.
Mr Blair has since said that it was a shame that British politicians cannot speak more openly about their beliefs. But it seems that the debate about whether religion is private or public now extends to British nationals.
The European Court of Human Rights recently held a public hearing on the cases of four British nationals who claimed that the British Government had failed to uphold their right to religious freedom.
Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin faced disciplinary action for wearing crucifixes at work, while Lillian Ladele and Gary McFarlane were forced to resign from their jobs after refusing to register and counsel homosexual couples respectively.
All four took their cases to the British Courts claiming discrimination.
Euro courts cases
The British Courts decided against all four claims, and the legal basis for these findings will now be examined in the European Court.
The cases have angered former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, who wrote to the European Court arguing that Christians are being ‘persecuted’ and ‘driven underground’ in England.
Three bishops also responded to the cases asking the Church of England to issue a statement publicly supporting the right of Christians to wear the crucifix.
Britain is now facing questions on the cases from the European Court about whether or not “the restrictions on visibly wearing a cross or crucifix at work amount to an interference with the applicant’s right to manifest her religion or belief.”
Having signed the European Convention on Human Rights guarded by the European Court, the outcome of the cases will be binding for Britain.
These seem remarkable in a country where the Queen wears a cross on her crown.
While New Zealand has not yet had to face these issues, we have been skirting around questions of religious freedom for some time.
The most recent case was the dispute over a Sky City employee’s right to carry a Bible with her at work.
Our courts are likely to face the issue of religious freedom sooner or later.
It will be interesting to watch the outcome of the cases at the European Court.
Narelle Suisted is Media and Communications Officer at Maxim Institute based in Auckland.
