Author: Stephen Evans
Clerics shouldn’t be the gatekeepers to publicly funded schools
Posted: Fri, 25 Nov 2016 by Stephen Evans
A progressive education policy would seek to break down barriers between people of different faiths and beliefs, not erect them, writes NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans.
The schools adjudicator recently ruled against a new policy across all Catholic schools... Read More »
Why the Ashers Bakery 'gay cake' ruling was reasonable
Posted: Tue, 01 Nov 2016 by Stephen Evans
Despite the hyperbole, the decision in the Ashers Baker case is both reasonable and straightforward, opening the door neither to a denigration of religious freedom or equality laws. Had the case gone the other way it would have undermined both.
The demonisation of Louis Smith: This is how a de facto blasphemy law works
Posted: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 by Stephen Evans
The castigation of a British gymnast for 'mocking Islam' is illustrative of a troubling return of blasphemy, argues Stephen Evans.
If you've been following the hounding of British Olympic gymnast Louis Smith this week, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that... Read More »
Inclusive education: divisive faith schools are the elephant in the room
Posted: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 by Stephen Evans
NSS campaigns director on why progressives of all political and religious stripes should unite in opposing Theresa May's plan to open a new wave of divisive 'faith schools'
As an advocate for secular education, my hopes were raised momentarily this week when... Read More »
Facilitating more religious segregation in faith schools can only harm social cohesion
Posted: Mon, 12 Sep 2016 by Stephen Evans
In a move devoid of any common sense, Theresa May's government looks set to capitulate to the demands of religious groups by relaxing admissions rules for faith-based academies, allowing them to select all pupils along religious lines.
It's hard to think of... Read More »
What do pupils need to know about religion?
Posted: Tue, 02 Aug 2016 by Stephen Evans
In recent years faith communities have amplified their demands for a better understanding of religion in the private and public sector. But what do pupils need to know about religion by the time they leave school?
In recent years faith communities have amplified... Read More »
Living better together: secularism and cohesion
Posted: Fri, 29 Jul 2016 by Stephen Evans
Later this year the NSS will mark its 150th anniversary with a special conference around the theme of 'living better together'. Campaigns director Stephen Evans explains why the time has come for people of all faiths to stand together in supporting secularist... Read More »
In modern Britain, tradition is no excuse for retaining religious privilege
Posted: Fri, 27 May 2016 by Stephen Evans
News that those declaring themselves to have no religion have exceeded the number of Christians in England and Wales has again prompted questions about Christianity's privileged role in public life.
Despite the vast majority of Brits being secular in outlook... Read More »
Furore over Islamic bus adverts is nothing but disingenuous propaganda
Posted: Mon, 09 May 2016 by Stephen Evans
Christian groups are being disingenuous and divisive in claiming unfavourable treatment over the decision to allow Allah adverts on buses, argues Stephen Evans.
Christian groups have reacted with faux dismay to news that buses around England will soon be displaying... Read More »
Faith schools add to the angst of school offer day
Posted: Mon, 18 Apr 2016 by Stephen Evans
National Offer Day is when many parents fall victim to religious discrimination or discover they've been allocated a religious school against their wishes. Stephen Evans argues that a move towards a secular education system might make school offer day a little... Read More »
Religious worship shouldn’t be a requirement of public office
Posted: Fri, 18 Mar 2016 by Stephen Evans
With an atheist mayor facing criticism for opting not to attend church services, Stephen Evans argues that elected officials shouldn't have to worship or feign religiosity in order to represent the citizens they serve.
The newly elected Mayor of Totnes has... Read More »
Classrooms should be free from an overbearing religious ethos
Posted: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 by Stephen Evans
With the Church seeking to extend its influence over the management of schools, Stephen Evans argues that religious groups' demands shouldn't outweigh parental rights and children's independent interests.
In 2013 the former chair of the Church of England's... Read More »
Secularism protects us all. Let's embrace it.
Posted: Wed, 27 Jan 2016 by Stephen Evans
Britain today is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world, with more non-believers than ever before. With society at risk of fragmenting along religious lines, secularism could be our salvation, argues Stephen Evans.
More than two thirds of... Read More »
So called Lord’s Prayer ‘Ban’: It’s Winterval all over again
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The controversy over cinemas rejecting religious advertising appears to be another attempt to reignite the Christian victimisation narrative, argues Stephen Evans
Praising the Church of England isn't something I often find myself doing, but you've got to take... Read More »
Operation Christmas Child: Christian fundamentalism, gift-wrapped
Posted: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The Operation Christmas Child 'shoebox' appeal is a front for a project to convert children in predominantly Muslim countries to literalist Christianity. Parents should give it a wide berth, argues Stephen Evans.
My heart sank this week when picking my daughter... Read More »
Publicly funded services shouldn't be a platform to proselytise
Posted: Fri, 06 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
Any attempt to give faith-based organisations more room to discuss religion when running public services risks making their services less inclusive. Besides, public money shouldn't be funding evangelism, argues Stephen Evans.
A new report from the Christian... Read More »
The unreasonableness of ‘reasonable accommodation’
Posted: Fri, 16 Oct 2015 by Stephen Evans
Calls to introduce a new workplace duty of 'reasonable accommodation' for religion and belief are a flawed solution to a problem that doesn't really exist, argues Stephen Evans.
The UK has some of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the world.... Read More »
Let Ofsted inspect religious education in faith schools
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2015 by Stephen Evans
Religious education should receive the same scrutiny as any other area of the curriculum – and be inspected by Ofsted, argues Stephen Evans.
I recently came across a local newspaper headline about a school being praised for its religious education. As... Read More »
Christians shouldn’t put self-interest above Britain’s need to better integrate
Posted: Fri, 31 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
The long history of Christian involvement in state education shouldn't stand in the way of a more integrated education system, argues Stephen Evans.
No sooner had David Cameron finished delivering his landmark speech on extremism which stressed the need for... Read More »
NHS pastoral care should be a non-discriminatory service for all
Posted: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
If NHS Trusts want to provide pastoral care for all, then there is no rationale for restricting the role of chaplain to those of faith, argues Stephen Evans.
God forbid – but if you or any your family end up in hospital, and feel the need for some emotional... Read More »
Tim Montgomerie need not worry, secularism and tolerance go hand in hand
Posted: Thu, 02 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
There's nothing "anti-Christian" about a society that sets about dismantling historic religious privilege, argues Stephen Evans.
In a Times opinion piece about the power of forgiveness – so poignantly expressed in Amazing Grace, the former slave trader... Read More »
Faith schools: education’s sacred cow
Posted: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 by Stephen Evans
Faith-based schools have been part of Britain's educational landscape for a long time. But as Britain's religious outlook changes, the time has come for some people to come to terms with their fear or unwillingness to question them, argues Stephen Evans.
Britain's... Read More »
Allowing children to languish in illegal religious 'schools' is the bigotry of low expectations
Posted: Wed, 22 Apr 2015 by Stephen Evans
NSS campaigns manager Stephen Evans warns that growing numbers of unregulated religious 'schools' are badly letting children down, and argues that the rights of children to education should be prioritised.
This week it was revealed that officials at the Department... Read More »
Let’s stop confusing education with religious inculcation
Posted: Fri, 03 Apr 2015 by Stephen Evans
The blurring of the distinction between education and religious inculcation in British schools is preventing young people from receiving good quality objective education about religion and belief, argues Stephen Evans.
The Supreme Court of Canada recently ruled... Read More »
Eric Pickles' 'evangelical charter' on its way to becoming law
Posted: Thu, 12 Mar 2015 by Stephen Evans
A small group of Christians in parliament are changing the law to give local authorities the power to summon councillors to prayers. Stephen Evans argues that the right to freedom of religion should always be balanced by the right to be free from religion.... Read More »
