Freedom of speech

We promote the freedom to speak of Jesus Christ and his pattern for life, and to express beliefs and viewpoints to which some people object.

The values of free speech and belief developed and ultimately flourished in nations that were deeply influenced by Christianity – particularly in the United Kingdom.

In abandoning our Christian heritage, our nation has only become more censorious, restricting freedom of expression and even punishing Christian speech in public.

People should be free to express their beliefs – this is necessary for honest conversations between people with different views, particularly on religion and politics. Cancel culture, internet censorship and public policy can threaten this important freedom.

Street preachers are often silenced and arrested by police when ministering in public. Rather than upholding the right to say even unpopular beliefs, authorities all too often believe misleading or false reports about what preachers have said, leading to arrests and prosecutions.

Christian Concern promotes free speech by campaigning for good governance and for policing that upholds free speech, particularly in public. The Christian Legal Centre advises Christians on these issues and has successfully supported the legal cases of many street preachers who have been wrongly arrested and sometimes prosecuted for their ministry.