The Quality and Equality report is calling for a change in legislation to ensure that service users are not discriminated against on the grounds of religion or belief, as well as to ensure the implementation of equality-based employment policies.
Faithworks' Duncan responded to the demands of the report, stating, "There are thousands of projects and groups in the faith sector that already do what the BHA are suggesting.
"We are pursuing the way ahead - a faith standard that assures public benefit and the correct use of public funds."
He added, however, that there were still many areas on which the BHA and Faithworks could agree.
"Just as there are good and bad examples of faith projects and work, there are good and bad examples of humanist and secularist projects," he asserted. "I wholeheartedly agree with the BHA's conviction that there should be a level playing field for faith groups and non-faith groups."
He continued by saying that the BHA report was a "caricature" of the contribution of secularists as well as people of faith.
"As a Christian, I am as committed to a clearer separation of the roles of church and state as the BHA. As a human being, I am as committed as they are to the dignity of all human beings. As a social activist, I share their abhorrence of discrimination.
"However, this report suggests that the only way to create a healthy balance is by banning faith communities from the public square."
Duncan said that such a position would only cause people of faith to "fear" secularism and do little to help them understand it.
He invited the BHA to enter into a "balanced dialogue" on some of the issues raised in the report "in the hope that by listening to one another and understanding where we agree, as well as where we disagree, we might actually move forward constructively and positively together".
"Our communities deserve the best of our experience and wisdom, not the worst," he concluded.
