Academics have claimed that anti-Christian prejudice is hindering Christian groups from doing vital work in the community.
Research by Dr Sarah Johnson and Dr Adam Dinham has shown that the involvement of Christian groups in social and charity workis being hindered by “inaccurate and out-of-date assumptions”.
“It’s not outright hostility, but a misconception that faith-based groups want to evangelise or will restrict their services to people of the same faith”, says Dr Adam Dinham, head of the Faiths and Civil Society unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. “People and authorities which commission services from faith-based providers are often concerned they will have strings attached. If they can find other services to use, they will do,” he said.The research found that these assumptions often led to restrictions on Christian groups receiving financial support. “Charity funders are prone to assuming the same thing; that groups will only provide help to people of the same faith”, said Dr Dinham. He suggested that “subconscious secularism” caused this suspicion towards Christian groups. (Christian Concern.)
Subconscious???
Research by Dr Sarah Johnson and Dr Adam Dinham has shown that the involvement of Christian groups in social and charity workis being hindered by “inaccurate and out-of-date assumptions”.
“It’s not outright hostility, but a misconception that faith-based groups want to evangelise or will restrict their services to people of the same faith”, says Dr Adam Dinham, head of the Faiths and Civil Society unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. “People and authorities which commission services from faith-based providers are often concerned they will have strings attached. If they can find other services to use, they will do,” he said.The research found that these assumptions often led to restrictions on Christian groups receiving financial support. “Charity funders are prone to assuming the same thing; that groups will only provide help to people of the same faith”, said Dr Dinham. He suggested that “subconscious secularism” caused this suspicion towards Christian groups. (Christian Concern.)
Subconscious???
