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NEWSWATCH SPECIAL
The Christian Legal Centre (CLC) and the Christian Institute (CI) have been very busy during 2009 defending Christians who had been dragged through the courts for standing up and expressing their faith.
In February 2009 Caroline Petrie, the nurse from Somerset who was suspended after offering to pray for a patient, was reinstated following CLC’s intervention. Caroline has since been named in the top 10 most influential women of 2009 by the Times newspaper.
In July 2009 Kwabena Peat, a Christian teacher who was a head of year at a North London secondary school, was reinstated after legal assistance provided by CLC. Mr Peat faced the sack after expressing his Christian views on homosexuality and complaining that a staff training day had been used to promote homosexuality.
In April 2009 David Broker, a Christian employee at a homelessness charity was suspended after answering questions about his faith to a colleague at work. With CLC’s help, he was reinstated.
In November 2009, 2 boys were assaulted in Canterbury by three men while giving out Christian leaflets. One was treated for a broken arm while the other had slash wounds across his chest. Kent Police confirmed that one of their lines of inquiry is that the teenagers were attacked because they were delivering Christian flyers.
Christian pensioner Pauline Howe, 67, was verbally abused at a gay pride parade in Norwich but when she complained to her local council, the police investigated her for ‘homophobic hatred’. Two police officers knocked on her door and interviewed her in her home. They said her letter was homophobic and may be treated as a ‘hate incident’.
Dr Sheila Matthews, a Christian paediatrician, dismissed as an adoption panel medical adviser because she could not professionally recommend the placement of children with same-sex couples, was reinstated in July 2009 by Northamptonshire County Council following media and public support.
In February 2008 a police community support officer (PCSO) told two church workers in Birmingham, “you can’t preach here, this is a Muslim area”. The incident happened as Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham handed out Christian tracts. PCSO Naguthney told the Christians they were committing a hate crime by attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity and threatened to take them to the police station. The two Christians subsequently made a formal complaint to West Midlands Police about the conduct of the officers, but no formal apology was given.
According to Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone, public sector workers with faith convictions should not choose public service careers. During the Equity Bill committee debate she said it was “important that we make it clear here and now that carrying out public services cannot be a matter of conscience” and that people with strong faith convictions “might ultimately make different choices about their careers”.
But now, we are facing even more challenges as we stand at the beginning of 2010 and even greater battles to fight if we are to stand up for truth and justice. CLC currently have over 15 live legal cases they are fighting on behalf of Christians against the discrimination and prejudice of employers and of society as a whole.
Christian Legal Centre:
www.christianlegalcentre.com
Christian Concern for Our Nation:
www.ccfon.org.uk
The Christian Institute:
www.christian.org.uk
