Does government ‘do God?’: recommendations of the Westminster Government’s Independent Faith Engagement Adviser

Does government ‘do God?’, the report by Colin Bloom, the Government’s Independent Faith Engagement Adviser and a former Chair of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, has been published under the auspices of DLUHC. Mr Bloom’s brief was to provide the Secretary of State with recommendations on how government should engage with faith groups in England. Its original aims were to identify:

  • what the Government can do to recognise and support the contribution of faith organisations within communities;
  • how best to break down barriers and promote acceptance between faith groups, including those of no faith or belief, and creating opportunities for co-operation
  • the steps the Government can take to promote shared values and tackle cultures and practices that are harmful;
  • how the Government can promote, in parallel to freedom of religion, the values of freedom of speech, democracy, the rule of law and equality; and
  • how the Civil Service can improve its faith literacy and the steps the Government can take to ensure that it fully carries out its role in relation to faith and belief under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Continue reading