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Theresa Davies |
Supporters of registrar put their faith in prayer power
Town Hall urged to make ‘brave decision’ on gay weddings issue
CHRISTIANS across the country said a prayer for Islington Council on Wednesday – urging the Town Hall to “make a brave decision” and reinstate a marriage registrar who refuses to “wed” gay couples.
Pentecostal Christian Theresa Davies met the council on Wednesday to lodge an official complaint about her demotion to deskbound secretary on account of her strongly-held religious belief that gay couples are “sinners”.
In a statement, she said civil partnership ceremonies – officially recognising same-sex unions since 2006 – “clearly violated mandated biblical principles”.
Like Lillian Ladele – the Christian marriage registrar who took the Town Hall to a tribunal last year in a similar case – Mrs Davies has refused to officiate at same-sex unions since they were written into her job description.
The Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which is representing Mrs Davies, and the Christian Concern for Our Nation lobby group instructed followers to pray for the council.
Caseworker Onn Kon said the council’s equal opportunities policy should not “compel employees to support the practice of sexual conduct they believe is sinful”.
Mr Kon added: “This was an internal complaint from Mrs Davies over her treatment and there is no legal action. She believes that all ideologies should be able to be integrated into society in a cohesive way. There shouldn’t be any competition between people. She is being treated in a certain way because of her faith.”
Mrs Davies, 59, has worked at Islington Town Hall since 1991. She is now filling in forms at a desk – barred from the ceremonial duties she loved. She has had to take four months off work because of stress and high blood pressure, according to the CLC.
The Town Hall was taken to an employment tribunal last year by Ms Ladele, who lives in Skinner Street, Finsbury. She won her case at a landmark legal hearing, but the ruling was later overturned in the appeal court, enraging Christian groups across the country who fear they will now be targeted in the workplace for holding strong beliefs.
When asked whether Mrs Davies’s views might themselves be discriminatory, Mr Kon said: “It is her human right not to be punished for her faith. She is not making this belief up herself, it is her faith. She does not have a choice in her faith.”
The Town Hall said yesterday (Thursday) it would not tolerate a marriage registrar who did not believe in civil partnerships.
A council spokeswoman said: “Ms Davies indicated that she is not willing to conduct civil partnerships because of her religious beliefs. As a consequence, and following detailed discussion with Ms Davies, she is already carrying out another job in the same team which does not require her to conduct civil partnerships or marriages.
“Islington Council expects all its employees to provide services to all sections of the community. A court ruling backed the council’s stance that registrars must carry out civil partnerships as well as marriages.” |
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