Jonathan Bartley argues broadly no.
Michael Scott-Joynt, Joel Edwards and Jonathan Chaplin all argue for exemptions, but in their respective articles have been notably unclear as to what examptions they want: in essence what kinds of people they want to be able to discriminate against, and what kinds of jobs that discrimination should be able to apply to. So I have a challenge to them and to anybody else to clarify this.
Let us consider the following categories of people.
1. Women
2. Celibate homosexual men
3. Celibate homosexual women
4. Homosexual men in a civil partnership or similar stable relationship
5. Homosexual women in a civil partnership or similar stable relationship.
7. Unmarried heterosexual men or women living together in a stable relationship
8. Hindus
9. Muslims
10. Atheists
11. Catholics
Now let us consider the following paid jobs within the C of E.
a. Ordained clergy
b. Teacher of religious education in a C of E secondary school
c. Teacher of science in a C of E secondary school
d. Junior or infant school teacher (all subjects) within a C of E school
e. School nurse
f. School caretaker
g. Administrative assistant
h. Press officer
i. Cleaner
j. Computer technician
So, please indicate for which combinations of person and job category should it be legally justifiable for the church to discriminate, where another employer is not so permitted?
If we can have a discussion that gets away from generalities and into describing specific categories, then there is a much better chance that in due course legislation can be written that is clearer.
