Christians should be free to speak about their faith in the workplace, says British PM
British Prime Minister Theresa May encouraged Christians to speak freely about their faith at work and in public places.
The Prime Minister made her remarks in response to a question from Conservative MP Fiona Bruce who asked her if she would endorse a book titled "Speak Up," which provides information about rights of Christians and what the law says about sharing and practicing their faith.
"My honourable friend raises an important issue which matters to both her and me, and I think that the phrase that was used by the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship was 'the jealously guarded principle' of that ability to speak freely... about one's religion," said May, as reported by Premier.
"I'm happy to welcome the publication of this report and its findings. Of course, we're now into the season of Advent and we have a very strong tradition in this country of religious tolerance and freedom of speech and our Christian heritage is something we can all be proud of," the Prime Minister added.
May, who is a daughter of a vicar and a practicing member of the Church of England, recently said that her Christian faith has helped her in making difficult decisions. She credits her father for instilling a sense of duty in her at an early age.
Bruce's question came after Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Chairman David Isaac said that employers should let their staff celebrate Christmas and not fear to offend other employees who profess other faith traditions.
Isaac argued that the current laws promoting freedom of religion had been misunderstood by British employers. He urged bosses to take a "common sense" approach with regards to Christmas and noted that there is no need to replace "Christmas" with "winter holidays."
"Speak Up," which was created by the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship and the Evangelical Alliance, warns that the many freedoms that were derived from the Bible had been taken for granted by society.
It encourages Christian employees to look for opportunities to share the gospel with others in a respectful manner. The publication also recommends the use of social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to spread the message of Christ.