Standing with the brothers (1 Peter 5:9)

Copy of letter sent to local MP - 23/11/06.
(Details of how you can support CU's are on the Greenview Noticeboard and can be found at the UCCF website)

Dear Mr Harris MP

Christian Unions and Freedom of Speech / Religious Belief

I am writing to you as my local MP on the above issue to express my concern about recent decisions made by certain university authorities to curtail and in some cases ban Christian Unions on account of their religious beliefs.

You will be aware of the decision by Edinburgh University to ban the Christian Union there from holding a course which teaches traditional Biblical views about sex. The course (entitled ‘The Pure Course’) simply reflects mainstream Christian belief that sex is something that God intended to be celebrated only within the context of heterosexual marriage. While I appreciate that others will disagree with this view, it is hardly a radical new doctrine and indeed is a belief also shared by orthodox Judaism and Islam.

The latest proposal by Edinburgh University is to allow the course but that materials outlining alternative viewpoints must be made available (i.e. materials provided by the University) and that posters must be displayed making the availability of these materials known. The Christian Union is likely (and rightly in my opinion) to reject this as an imposition upon a Christian organisation that would not be countenanced regarding other groups. For example, would it be suggested that at the next Labour Party conference there should be a requirement to make available the views of the Conservative Party with posters displayed making this known?

Orthodox Judaic/Christian views on sex may not be popular today and indeed may not be comfortable for some people (of whatever sexuality). However, this disagreement and discomfort is also felt the other way round by Christians in the face of an increasingly secular society. It seems to many Christians that the ‘Human Rights’ agenda is starting to become a power tool through which the views of certain groups are imposed on others. It seems particularly ironic that this attempt to ‘outlaw’ traditional Christian belief has arisen in a University – the very place where the exchange of ideas should be encouraged rather than suppressed.

I would be very grateful that if you are in sympathy with any of these concerns that you would use your influence to preserve the same freedoms for Christian Unions that is enjoyed by other groups on University campuses.

Thank you for your time in this matter and thank you for all the work you do on behalf of the community in Pollokshaws.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Hunter
(Full-time elder, Greenview Evangelical Church).