Commemorating 200 years of Unitarian Religious Freedom

British Unitarians this weekend will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Unitarian toleration Act which became law on 21 July 1813. The Act removed penalties against those who were deniers of the Trinity who had not been given toleration under the Toleration Act of 1689 and the Blasphemy Act of 1698. It's promoter, William Smith MP, rightly said that the Act enabled every Denomination of Christian to preach their respective tenets without let or hindrance, "none, legally daring to make them afraid". Since then Unitarians have continued when they gather to toast "civil and religious liberty the world over".  

The General Assembly has published a worship pack on 1813 prepared by myself which will hopefully be used in services this weekend.

The most significant effect of the Act was that it aided the emergence of Unitarianism from the shadows. The name "Unitarian" could now be used in public without fear. Unitarianism was now a distinct and separate movement within Dissent rather than being purely an intellectual position held by individuals.

Our commitment to religious freedom stems directly from our own experience. Blasphemy legislation remains in place in many parts of the world and is used, and abused, to harass political and religious dissent and sometimes to settle personal disputes. An accusation of blasphemy is particularly pernicious and dangerous. It is difficult to refute and the public can be easily inflamed by emotive rhetoric. Justice is rarely done, even if the accused is cleared by the secular legal authorities.

In reflecting upon the Unitarian experience we should be motivated to support the demands for religious freedom of others. You can do this by joining the International Association for Religious Freedom, a worldwide multi-faith not for profit campaigning organisation.  

Unitarians Celebrate Royal Assent for Same Sex Marriage Bill

It has been a bit of a roller-coaster for the Same Sex Marriage Bill over recent months but yet today we can truly celebrate now that the legislation has received the Royal Assent. This is an historic day for the full inclusion of LGBT people in society.

Unitarians began this journey in April 2008 when our General Assembly supported the right to hold civil partnership ceremonies in places of worship. At the time it seemed so radical and unachievable. To move so quickly to same sex marriage in church as well as in civil settings is a remarkable step.

We would congratulate members of all political parties in both Houses of Parliament who have steadfastly supported equal marriage. To our opponents we say that your fears will be found groundless.

We are pleased that Parliament accepted our arguments that those faith groups who wished to host same sex marriages should be able to do so. Religious freedom meant the right to say yes as well as no.This was, of course, not in the original consultation paper yet the Government responded to our sincerely held views.

Same sex marriage has been controversial, however, with our friends in the Quakers, Liberal and Reform Judaism and in other faith groups; we have prevented this from becoming a "culture war" between faith and secular society. There is clear support for same sex marriage across people of many faiths and none.

Unitarians will be working with the Government to ensure that the regulations that will govern provision of same sex marriage are workable and that the lessons surrounding the somewhat flawed introduction of civil partnerships in religious premises will be learned. So let's celebrate today; with the hard work ahead.

 

Religious Freedom "Article 18: an orphaned right"

Great to attend the launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Freedom today at the House of Lords and to receive their first report "Article 18: an orphaned right".

The report highlights the increasing frequency of attacks and discrimination against minorities because of their religion or belief..

It was a surprisingly large audience for an 8.30am start and very diverse. Lots of opportunities to talk. Among issues raised in personal discussions were the plight of Christian and other minorities in Iran - including the prospects raised by the recent Presidential Election - and the "extremist" elements of South Asian Buddhism (as highlighted in the cover story of this week's "Time" magazine).

It was pleasing to hear that the group is committed to supporting all minorities, and not simply advocate on behalf of Christian groups, and is also concerned about people holding non-faith views who also face attacks and discrimination. Good to talk to Andrew Copson from the British Humanist Association and Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society.

I am arranging to meet the Secretariat of the Group early in July to see how we can work together and hopefully involve the International Association of Religious Freedom.

I also took the opportunity to pop out onto the terrace and enjoy the view of the Thames!

Derek on the Terrace

Further step forward for Same Sex Marriage

Unitarians will welcome the support given by an overwhelming majority to the Same Sex Marriage Bill in the House of Lords.allowing it to proceed to the next stage of the legislative process 

We have long argued for the equal validity of same sex relationships and looked forward to a time when we might recognise legally and celebrate them in our churches and chapels. It is a great joy that we are now a step closer to achieving this. I am confident that the legislation will be passed by Parliament over the next few months.

There are of course still battles ahead and there is no room for complacency. The attitudes of some of those opposing the Bill are to be regretted and there remains much work to do to ensure that the rights of gay and lesbian couples are protected.   

We are pleased that the support for this legislation of a number of liberal religious bodies has ensured that this has not become a polarised debate between the secular and the religious worlds. We look forward to engaging in ongoing discussions with other faith groups on our interpretation of marriage in the spirit of ongoing learning”

5 June 1013

Hope Not Hate against Extremism

I am pleased to join Eddie Izzard, and other celebrities, Labour Leader Ed Milliband and other politicians, trade unionists and faith leaders to sign a letter condemning right wing extremism published in today's Daily Mirror. Over 35,000 people have now signed. It is rightly headed "We are the many". Hope not hate will triumph in the battle against extremists who are attempting to use the death of Lee Rigby for their own ends.

Marriage is a Religious Act

Last night's vote in the House of Commons to approve the Same Sex Marriage Bill by 366 to 161, a majority of 205 votes, represented another significant step forward to marriage equality. The Bill now goes to the House of Lords where further opposition is expected. Supporters of the change must not "rest on their laurels".

I was pleased to join Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, Movement for Reform Judaism and Paul Parker of the Quakers in Britain, in sending this short letter to The Guardian which was published last evening:

"At the time of the Commons debate on equal marriage and as the bill passes to the House of Lords, we, as faith groups, wish to reiterate our commitment to same-sex marriage. For us, the Movement for Reform Judaism, Quakers in Britain and the Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, marriage is not a mere civil contract, but a religious act. While we don't seek to impose this on anyone, for us this is a matter of religious freedom. We ask that any legislation will ensure we are free to conduct same-sex marriage in our places of worship."

With all the controversy within and between political parties I hope that this conviction is not lost in the debates. Marriage is a religious act and we wish to offer the same opportunities for same sex couples as well as heterosexual couples to celebrate their relationship before and with their religious community and to have it legally recognised. We have been criticised for being small in number; but our history should teach us that size should not determine issues of justice. 

Support a "Jubilee for Justice"

A new "Jubilee for Justice" campaign has been launched by over 400 faith leaders. I was pleased to sign the letter (below) and to attend the launch at the Houses of Parliament on 5 February 2013.

In 1998 the Unitarian General Assembly gave it support to a Resolution supporting the Jubilee Debt Campaign’s urging governments in the developed world to cancel, by the year 2000, debts owed to them by the poorest nations. The call for Jubilee has led to cancellation of $120 billion of debt (£80 billion) bringing education and healthcare to many millions of people. Unitarians played a small part in the campaign involving many faith and non-faith groups.

Despite these achievements more needs to be done. This new campaign builds upon that of the 1990s. It aims to achieve the cancellation of the unjust debts of the most indebted nations, promote just and progressive taxation rather than excessive borrowing and stop harmful lending which forces countries into debt

The full text of the letter is as follows:

“Following the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, we recall the ancient custom of the Jubilee Year, in which debts would be cancelled.

The Hebrew scriptures speak of a Jubilee Year in which unpayable debts should be cancelled. The Gospel writer, Luke, records that Jesus began his public ministry with a call to restore the just economy of Jubilee where all have enough. Jesus also tells those who have assets, to lend without expecting a return. The Holy Qur’an condemns usury and requires zakah (almsgiving) as an essential duty to prevent wealth being accumulated only among the rich.

The Dharmic faiths from the Indian sub-continent also teach the same principle. In the Anguttara Nikaya, Buddhists read, ‘One holds wealth not for oneself but for all beings.’ Sikhs believe in earning ethically, being benevolent and they pray for the common good of all. Mahatma Gandhi, from his Hindu roots, famously said, ’Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.’

In recent times, the idea of Jubilee has been applied to the need to cancel the unfair debts of many ‘Third World’ countries. This does not represent charity towards the impoverished but a call for justice: to reform the basis of the global economy and renew relationships between high and low income countries. This call for Jubilee since the 1990’s has led to the cancellation of $120 billion of debt (£80 billion), bringing education and healthcare to many millions of people.

Despite these achievements, over the last thirty years there has been a series of debt crises culminating in the present one in Europe. A self-serving financial system has brought the global economy to its knees and we are now seeing the poorest people in our own society and around the world paying the price for this excess.

That is why we ask people everywhere to join in calling for a renewed Jubilee. Finance must be put back in its place as a means to human well being. We need far reaching changes in the global economy to build a society based on justice, mutual support and community. We need economic and political as well as spiritual renewal in our society. We applaud the efforts of citizens across Europe and the world to engage in democratic audits of their national debts as a first step towards reclaiming public control of national finances. We call on people in the UK to unite in support of this vision of Jubilee, and to make this cause a lasting legacy of 2012.

A Jubilee for Justice today would mean:

Cancelling the unjust debts of the most indebted nations

Promoting just and progressive taxation rather than excessive borrowing

Stopping harmful lending which forces countries into debt"

Further information