To Veil Or Not To Veil

POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT NEEDED WHEN DEBATING VEILS AND CROSSES

(Article by the Christian Socialist Movement)

We need to involve faith in public life but avoid 'moral majority' style politics. That's how the Christian Socialist Movement today moved into the controversy about the wearing of veils and crosses by calling for the scope of the debate to broaden.
 

There needs to be a wider debate about the role of faith in the 'public square', CSM believes. Attempts to treat people equally and avoid others taking offence by limiting outward expressions of faith are in danger also of pushing faith into the background.
 
'There is considerable misunderstanding in some quarters about how people of faith relate to one anothe,' said CSM's Director, Andrew Bradstock. 'People of faith are rarely offended by expressions of identification by a different faith group.'
 
Problems should only arise when an item of clothing prevents a person doing their job effectively, CSM believes. In most cases, basic common sense will prevail.

'In a country where the vast majority of people identify with a religious faith of some sort, we need to avoid inventing offence where there is none,' said CSM Vice Chair Stephen Beer who has written on faith and politics issues.
 
'But the real issue is how we can encourage a positive engagement with faith groups around the country. Many of them are quietly getting on with community activism and we need to find a way of involving them in the political life of the country. We need to do this in a way that avoids 'moral majority' style religious politics. That means not suppressing expressions of faith but engaging with them.'
 
CSM will be putting this issue on the agenda of its bi-annual national executive committee meeting next month.

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