What is free speech for?

We all love free speech. It’s a precious thing that aids the mission of the church because it means we can proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, largely without fear of police interference.

Free speech also means that we can teach what the Bible says on issues where we are especially counter-cultural, like human identity and sexuality, or being genuinely pro-life.

We understandably baulk at attempts to water down free speech. Whether it’s hate-crime legislation in Scotland (a law so poorly drafted it’s still not implemented), or further back when Tony Blair was proposing changes to the Public Order Act – Christians are often at the forefront of protecting free speech.