Back to work defending free speech
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Dear supporter, Simon Calvert

Having recently recovered from an unpleasant bout of what I assume was COVID-19, I am now working from home like millions of others.

Next year I will celebrate 25 years of working at The Christian Institute. I’ve spent much of that time fighting for freedom of speech. Religious ‘hatred’ ([link removed]) , insults ([link removed]) , Extremism Disruption Orders ([link removed]) , the famous Ashers case ([link removed]) – to name but a few.

That fight continues today. Right now, we’re helping evangelists and churches around the country who are in difficulty for expressing their Christian beliefs.

It has been thrilling to see the influence of the Ashers judgment. It is by far the biggest free speech case we’ve ever been involved with. But smaller cases can be very significant too, like the Adrian Smith case ([link removed]) , which we also won. This High Court precedent protects people from being punished by employers for private views expressed on Facebook. It is now routinely cited in other cases.

The threats to free speech never go away, though they often change form. Over the years many university Student Unions have tried to frustrate the work of Christian Unions. Back in 2004 Hull CU was told it had to have atheists on its executive ([link removed]) . Today this kind of juvenile student politics has spread beyond the campus to local government. Witness the cancellation of Franklin Graham’s evangelistic events ([link removed]) . Churches too can face problems from councils that decline to hire them premises ([link removed]) or drag their feet over planning decisions. The Institute is actively involved in helping churches as they face these kinds of problems.

Under the shadow of COVID-19, society is willing to accept the temporary curtailment of all kinds of basic freedoms. But this will not – it cannot – last for long. Eventually, life will return to normal. And, ‘normal’ means the church having to fight for the freedom to proclaim the whole counsel of God.

We give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy. We should make full use of them. And let us pray for firm resolve to continue the fight to keep those freedoms in the years ahead.

**READ IN FULL: Back to work defending free speech
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**WATCH: “Christianity Challenged” – Simon Calvert speaking at GideonsUK National Convention 2019 (
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Yours in Christ,

Simon Calvert
Deputy Director (Public Affairs)
The Christian Institute

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