Church jobs for non-Christians

STEPHEN NAYSMITH

Bill Steele, convener of the church’s Social Care Council, whose working name is CrossReach, said: “Having consulted widely and having sought employment law advice, the council does not believe that the requirement for all care and support staff to be Christian is a ‘proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim’.”

The change of policy had been the subject of “a number of heart-searching discussions,” he added.

With social care recruitment now a massive challenge across Scotland, it is hard enough to find workers without the extra stipulation, according to Social Care Council convener Bill Steele.

Now new care employees will simply be required to pledge they will not undermine the charity’s Christian ethos, while also being warned they cannot rise to managerial or supervisory level unless they subsequently make a Christian commitment.

The organisation is one of Scotland’s largest providers of social services.

The charity operates in a number of areas, including care for older people, help with alcoholism, drug and mental health problems and assistance for homeless people and those with special learning needs.

Mr Steele said it had reaffirmed its mission to offer services in Christ’s name. However it had carried out a review of its recruitment policy to ensure that the requirement for all staff to be Christian was “proportionate”, he said.

Explaining the new approach at the Kirk’s recent General Assembly, Mr Steele was challenged by the Rev Douglas McNab, minister at New Machar Parish Church, to clarify what would happen when a non-Christian worker advanced to a position where they might apply for managerial or supervisory posts.

He said: “Is there a danger the Church would run into difficulty there?

“Can the fact that they don’t have that commitment be held against them in the future?”

Mr Steele said it could, and the “ceiling” on their possible advancement would be explained to new recruits at the time they joined the charity.

“There would be a kind of induction and it would be made clear at that time this is the limit of the distance they can travel without being able to make a Christian commitment,” he said.

Having taken employment law advice, CrossReach is working on putting together a brief introduction to Christianity, for those who declare clearly that they are not Christian, to help them understand something of the Christian faith, he added: “We’ve been advised and we’re happy to do that.”