Dear supporter,
Can it really be a criminal offence to speak on a topic that isn’t abortion within an abortion buffer zone?
On Thursday, the Court of Appeal in Belfast will consider this question as it hears Pastor Clive Johnston’s appeal against his conviction for preaching on John 3:16 near a hospital in Northern Ireland.
Clive’s lawyers will argue that key points of law have not been suitably addressed. In particular, that buffer zone legislation does not outlaw gospel preaching where abortion has not even been mentioned.
Left unchallenged, the District Court ruling threatens freedom of religion and freedom of speech. It risks turning an ‘abortion buffer zone’ into a ‘gospel censorship zone’.
The implications reach far beyond Clive. If the authorities can prosecute someone for reading the Bible and preaching God’s love, then fundamental freedoms are at risk. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has already warned that merely carrying a Bible within a designated area ‘may constitute an offence’.
Please continue to pray for Clive and his wife Sheila. Clive is unwell at present, yet they are both grateful for God’s strength and support. They greatly value your prayers.
Pray too for Clive’s legal team, and for us here at the Institute as we continue to support this godly couple.
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Please pray:
- That Clive would be vindicated and God would be glorified;
- That his case creates the opportunity for a legal precedent that protects gospel freedom more widely;
- For the legal team supporting Clive, including the Institute’s Sam Webster;
- For fair and widespread coverage of the case.
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“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
JOHN 3:16
