The Evangelical Alliance United Kingdom is asking the government to cancel requirements from the prime minister that force religious groups to register children’s activities.
According to Christianity Today, British Prime Minister David Cameron
included the requirements in his five-year plan to fight Islamic
extremism. Under the requirements, all religious group activities— not
just Islamic— for children are subject to inspection.
“There’s a very real problem with violent extremism and radicalization
that the government is trying to address, and we support strong
safeguarding measures," said Simon McCrossan, the EAUK’s head of public
policy. "But these proposals will fail to tackle the problems and
instead stifle the work that churches and faith-based organizations do
with children and young people across the UK.”
The proposal from Prime Minister Cameron has been called confusing and
vague enough that “churches, youth groups, holiday clubs, church camps,
Christian festivals, Bible-reading groups, homeschooling events or
training courses for those under 19, lasting six hours or more per week,
would be subject to registration and inspection.”
Thousands of British Christians are complaining about the proposal,
arguing that the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services
and Skills would become the regulator of religion.
The policies stem from British government investigations that found
radical Muslims had allegedly tried to take over the Birmingham public
school system.
In a policy following that investigation, the government announced that
all education curriculums would include values of “democracy, the rule
of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those
with different faiths and beliefs.”
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