Tags: Public Services
‘Inclusive language’ in the army is meaningless without inclusive culture - Opinion Out Loud Ep 015
Posted: Tue, 30th Nov 2021
The Armed Forces must dismantle their institutional Christian privilege if they are truly committed to inclusivity, says Megan Manson.
Ep 60: Atheists in foxholes – religion and the army
Posted: Tue, 2nd Nov 2021
In an increasingly secular country, why does the British army retain its exclusively Christian practices?
There are many institutions in Britain whose entrenched Christian characteristics are out of step with the country's increasingly diverse and secularised population. Among these are the monarchy, the Church of England, and, closely linked to both, the armed forces.
In this episode, Emma Park speaks to Laurence Quinn, a civil servant and former lieutenant colonel in the Royal Engineers. During his career in the army, Laurence came to discover that he was not religious. He began to notice the institutionally Christian features of the army and their implicit exclusion of non-Christians like himself. Three of the most striking of these features concern chaplaincy, language and culture, and, above all, the services conducted by the army to remember fallen comrades.
Laurence talks to Emma about his own efforts to make the army's practices more secular and inclusive. He argues that its Christian characteristics no longer reflect the views of the majority of its members.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
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Podcast produced by Emma Park for the National Secular Society (2021). All rights reserved.
Beware the government’s “new normal” of faith-based public services - Opinion Out Loud Ep 014
Posted: Tue, 26th Oct 2021
A new government fund exclusively for faith groups threatens to embed religious privilege into public services, warns Megan Manson.
Helping the public shouldn’t mean pushing religion on people - Opinion Out Loud Ep 011
Posted: Tue, 27th Jul 2021
A parliamentary group has removed provisions in its 'faith covenant' that prevent faith groups from proselytising when delivering public services. This leaves vulnerable people open to exploitation, says Megan Manson.
Ep 48: Challenging the Jehovah's Witnesses
Posted: Thu, 29th Apr 2021
Lloyd Evans was an elder in the Jehovah's Witnesses, before he left the organisation in 2013. He has since been campaigning to expose its workings to the public.
In this episode, Lloyd speaks to Emma Park about the JWs' history and key beliefs, including their doctrine of refusing blood transfusions, and the practice of 'shunning' people who decide to renounce their religion. He discusses the ways in which the organisation is structured so as to facilitate the concealment of child abuse from external investigation.
Lloyd also argues that there is a pervasive deference to religion, both within the NHS and in British society more generally, that prevents the harm that can be caused by organisations like the JWs from being properly challenged.
Emma is then joined by the NSS's Megan Manson to reflect further on the JWs' influence over NHS policy through their 'hospital liaison committees'. The JWs arguably illustrate the problems with allowing 'the advancement of religion' to qualify an institution as a charity.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Notes
- NHS trusts' cosy relationships with Jehovah's Witness leaders could have tragic consequences
- Religious fundamentalists can't be trusted with child protection
- Frank Cranmer, 'Vicarious liability for rape: Barry Congregation of JWs'
- The Lloyd Evans Channel – ex-JW on YouTube
- Ian McEwan's The Children Act, reviewed by Emma Park
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Ep 18: Remembrance Day | Clerical Abuse
Posted: Mon, 11th Nov 2019
In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by the NSS's Megan Manson and Chris Sloggett to discuss the Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. Is it right that the Church should lead the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph? Does the C of E represent modern Britain? Will Britain continue to remember if the ritual of remembrance is tied up with religion?
Emma then speaks to Keith Porteous Wood, president of the NSS, about the society's campaign to expose institutional abuse in the Catholic Church. Is the Vatican making a genuine effort to tackle clerical abuse? If not, why not? And how far is similar abuse a problem in the Church of England and other religious organisations?
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
The Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday and other ceremonies – NSS view
'Remembrance Sunday should not be dominated by religion' – Dan Snow
'By the Grace of God' shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse
The NSS's submission to the UN Human Rights Council, 18th September 2019
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