Equality

The general principle 'All people are equal' is widely accepted in theory, but what does it mean in practice?

For example, the winner of the first series of Big Brother donated the £70,000 prize money to a friend with Down's Syndrome. She needed a heart and lung transplant, but the NHS would not carry out this procedure because she had Down's Syndrome. The money was used to pay for the surgery abroad.

In fact, 92% of pregnancies in the UK where the foetus has Down's Syndrome are terminated.

There are many examples where people are treated differently because of their colour, race, nationality, gender, sexual preference, religious beliefs etc. Whilst we claim to believe in equality, actions speak louder than words.

Sadly, Christianity has not always demonstrated equal treatment of others. Many still accuse the Church of being sexist. Well known Christians, such as Mel Gibson who directed a film about the Passion of Jesus, have made anti-Semitic comments. The Church has also been criticised for the way it treats people of other faiths.

So, what does equality really mean in the 21st Century, how are we doing in the UK, and how does Christianity contribute to this?