One item comes from a change in practice of the law while the other comes from a change in practice in the church. Both are of equal significance although they are very different. One comes from the Court of Appeal, the other comes from the annual assembly of the Methodist Church.
We’ll look at the legal case first. Lawyers of Christian Concern have done a brilliant job in obtaining a landmark decision from the Court of Appeal which overturns a High Court ruling in the case of a student social worker who was thrown off his university course after quoting the Bible on a Facebook page.1
Felix Ngole engaged in a vigorous Facebook discussion in 2015 on the case of Kim Davies, the Kentucky marriage registrar who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples. Felix quoted Bible verses affirming traditional Christian opposition to same-sex marriage and stating that homosexual acts were sinful. A fellow student made an anonymous complaint to Sheffield University and Felix was dismissed from the course.
A Major Victory
A High Court ruling later affirmed the decision of the University. This went to appeal and in a decision this week the judges reversed the High Court ruling on the grounds of defending the right to freedom of speech. This is a major victory that affects the right of Christians to declare the truth of the gospel regardless of whether or not it offends other people.
The University of Sheffield had ruled that Felix was unfit to be a social worker because of the views he had expressed. They said that Felix ‘lacked insight’ in not realising that what he said on social media affected his professional work as a social worker. The Court of Appeal disagreed, saying that it was actually the University who were ‘lacking insight’.
The ruling stated: “If social workers and social work students must not express such views, then what of art therapists, occupational therapists, paramedics [and other professionals] ... In practice, if such were a proper interpretation of professional regulation supported by law, no such believing Christian would be secure in such a profession….”2
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “This is a watershed case for Christians and a resounding victory for freedom of speech.”3
There have been many cases where doctors and nurses have lost their jobs for offering to pray for someone, or by some other expressions of their faith. It remains to be seen what effect this legal ruling will have on these past cases as well as on the future freedom of expression of the Christian faith. Does this halt the advance of secular humanism that has been steadily encroaching upon the legal rights of individuals to quote the Bible in public places, which includes churches if they are open to the public? It certainly would not have been long before the right to preach the gospel anywhere would have been challenged on grounds that it offends someone.
“This is a watershed case for Christians and a resounding victory for freedom of speech.” – Andrea Williams
The State of the Methodist Church
By contrast to this victory, the Methodist Church at its annual conference in Birmingham this week approved a resolution, by 247 to 48 against, to recommend that local Methodist churches should be used for the celebration of same-sex marriages.
This resolution responded to a report presented at the conference which, as Methodist Evangelicals Together say, “departs from the view that traditional marriage is the only God-given place for sexual intimacy, and believes the Church should no longer require chastity (i.e. celibacy) for the unmarried”.4
The conference President, the Rev Dr Barbara Glasson, a strong LGBTQ+ supporter, said “The debate was full of grace and prayerful thought”5. But the title of the report was 'God in Love Unites Us'. This title is surely DECEPTION! You cannot separate the love of God from his justice. When truth is sacrificed on the altar of unity it becomes error. God does not unite us in defiance of his word of truth. The teaching of the New Testament is clearly stated in Romans 1:24-25: “…God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie…”
John and Charles Wesley
This is what the Methodist Church is doing. God does not unite us in any and every kind of love relationship. They clearly do not understand the biblical definition of the love of God, because “Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor 13:6).
Bible-believing Methodists have vowed to continue fighting against the resolution, and the final decision will be taken next year. Until then – the fate of John and Charles Wesley’s church is hanging in the balance.
God does not unite us in defiance of his word of truth.
Holiness
Methodism was founded upon Wesley’s desire for ‘holiness’ – separation from the world. Methodists should reflect upon what happened to the people of Israel when they said “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone” (Ezekiel 20:32). It was at this point that ICHABOD (Glory Departed) appeared over the temple in Jerusalem. Surely the finger of God is poised ready to write ICHABOD upon the walls of Methodist churches.
God does not call his church to be like the world – neither does he expect the world to like the church! Of course, the gospel causes offence! It always has since Jesus was nailed to the Cross and Stephen was stoned to death in Jerusalem. The world hates the truth and unless the church is prepared to be crucified with Christ, we have no right to call ourselves followers of Jesus!
References
- Felix Ngole wins appeal in victory for Christian freedoms. Christian Concern, 3 July 2019.
- A victory for Christians everywhere. Christian Concern, 3 July 2019.
- See note 1.
- Methodist Evangelicals Together, 2019. Faithful Listening? A Response to ‘God in Love Unites Us’, p1.
- Thornton, E. Methodists move towards conducting same-sex marriages. Church Times, 4 July 2019.