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Faith groups in Britain
are suffering from a widespread “fear of faith” which is impinging
on their ability to deliver benefits to communities.
This was the message
given by the Christian social action movement, Faithworks, at a recent
briefing, when it called for local government to recognise the commitment
of faith-based organisations to diversity and equality, and to increase
the amount of support for them in order to help them become good employers.
In a six-point plan
for areas in which it believes improvements needed to be made, Faithworks
said that the government had a tendency to be cautious about faith groups,
even when they had a solid track record of service delivery to people
from a wide range of backgrounds. As a result, they offered fewer opportunities
for funding and for development.
Faithworks founder, Rev Steve Chalke, said: “Whether it’s
faith schools or the mix of religion and politics, too many people believe
that a faith-based approach means unfair discrimination and further community
division. The reality is often the opposite. When people of faith get
stuck in, the benefits tend to be greater community cohesion.”
For further information
and full outline of the six-point plan, visit www.faithworks.info
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