Christian Legal Centre
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| Abbreviation | CLC |
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| Formation | December 2007 |
| Type | Christian |
| Headquarters | 70 Wimpole Street, London, United Kingdom |
| Directors | Andrea Minichiello Williams David Clark |
| Website | christianlegalcentre.com |
The Christian Legal Centre (CLC) is a legal organization which was set up in December 2007[1] to provide legal support for Christians in the United Kingdom and lobby on their behalf.
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[edit] Notable cases
Since its inception, the CLC has provided legal support in a number of high-profile cases in the UK. Notable examples include:
- Emily Mapfuwa, a Christian who launched a private prosecution against the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead for exhibiting a statue by Terence Koh depicting Jesus with an erection.[2] In a BBC Essex radio interview, Michael Phillips (a solicitor working for CLC who is also a member of The Lawyers Christian Fellowship) admitted that Ms Mapfuwa had never actually visited the exhibition. In fact she lives over 250 miles away in Brentwood, Essex.[3][4] The case was eventually discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.[5]
- Eunice and Owen Johns, a Christian couple who applied to become foster parents with Derby City Council. They withdrew their application after a social worker expressed concerns when they said they could not tell a child a homosexual lifestyle was acceptable. The two parties jointly agreed to take the case to the High Court, for clarification of the law, but the court sided with the city council; stating that laws protecting people from discrimination, because of their sexual orientation, "should take precedence" over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds.[6][7]
- Hybrid embryo research: The CLC and Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE) were refused permission to apply for a judicial review to overturn the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's decision to allow laboratory testing of hybrid embryos. Mrs Justice Dobbs at the High Court in London ruled that the application was "totally without merit", and ordered the CLC to pay costs amounting to some £20,000.[8]
- Gary McFarlane, a counsellor for Relate (a relationship support charity) who was sacked for refusing to offer counselling and therapy to same-sex couples. The charity admitted to a charge of wrongful dismissal, conceding that he should have been served notice instead of being fired immediately for 'gross misconduct'. Further claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination on the grounds of religion were dismissed.[9] His appeal against this ruling was dismissed by the High Court in April 2010.[10]
- Graham Cogman, a police constable from Norfolk who was sacked for sending emails to colleagues in which he quoted bible passages condemning homosexuality and forwarded details of a group that offered to "cure" homosexuals.[11]
| “ | "It would seem the Exeter Hospital would rather use its money to deny Christians their rights than using its scarce resources to treat patients. The money the trust is spending on lawyers in this case could employ Shirley Chaplin in front line nursing for many a year or two." | ” |
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—CLC director Andrea Williams, [12] |
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| “ | "Sensible and sensitive solutions were offered to Mrs Chaplin. It is regrettable that her uncompromising stance, and the involvement of parties external to the Trust determined to play out the case in the media, may have deflected her from agreeing one of these." | ” |
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—Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. [13] |
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- Shirley Chaplin, a nurse who was supported by the CLC in an unsuccessful bid to sue the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust for discrimination because it had moved her to a desk job after she refused to remove a crucifix when asked to do so on health and safety grounds (hospital dress code prohibits front-line staff from wearing any type of necklace).[12][14]
On March 28 2010, six current and former Anglican bishops; Lord Carey of Clifton, Michael Scott-Joynt, Michael Nazir-Ali, Peter Forster, Anthony Priddis and Nicholas Reade — cited the case in an open letter to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper in which they claimed to be "deeply concerned at the apparent discrimination shown against Christians".[15] Ms Chaplin intends to appeal against the decision.[14]
- Duke Amachree, a homelessness officer who was sacked by Wandsworth Council for subjecting a client to a "30-minute barrage" of evangelism when he was simply supposed to be offering her housing advice. The CLC supported Mr Amachree in an unsuccessful legal claim for unfair dismissal, religious discrimination and breach of contract. An appeal is being considered.[16]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Case Wins and Launch of Christian Legal Centre, Lawyers Christian Fellowship
- ^ Christian sues gallery over 'blasphemous' erection, The Guardian
- ^ Jesus' penis complainer never saw the exhibit, The Freethinker
- ^ Michael Phillips on Offensive 'Jesus' Statue exhibition, BBC Radio Essex, 21 Sep 2008
- ^ 'Indecent' Jesus action stopped, BBC News
- ^ Court backs decision to bar Christian foster couple, BBC News 28 February 2011
- ^ www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk
- ^ 'Hybrid embryo' legal block lost, BBC News
- ^ U.K. Sex Counselor Refuses Gays, Loses ’Discrimination’ Suit Over Lost Job, EDGE Boston, 1 Dec 2009
- ^ "Christian sex therapist Gary McFarlane loses appeal bid", BBC News, 29 April 2010
- ^ Officer sacked for homophobic emails (Guardian)
- ^ a b Pray for Nurse Chaplin and her freedom to wear a cross, Christian Legal Centre
- ^ http://www.rdehospital.nhs.uk/trust/pr/2010/tribunal_result_Shirley_Chaplin.html
- ^ a b Devon nurse loses crucifix 'ban' claim at tribunal, BBC News
- ^ The religious rights of Christians are treated with disrespect, Telegraph
- ^ Christian Wandsworth Council worker loses sacking claim, BBC News
