The High Court will today (Tuesday 3 October) hear the case of Felix Ngole, a Christian student who was expelled from his university social work course after articulating biblical teaching about marriage and sexual ethics during a Facebook discussion.
In April, Mr Ngole, 39, of Barnsley, won the right to today’s Judicial Review. The hearing is expected to last until tomorrow (Wednesday 4 October).
In 2015, during a Facebook discussion prompted by a news story on Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis, Mr Ngole put forward his Christian beliefs on the issue and argued that “same sex marriage is a sin whether we like it or not. It is God’s words and man’s sentiments would not change His words”.
But nearly two months later, he received an email from a university official telling him that his comments were being investigated.
Then in February 2016, a ‘Fitness to Practise’ committee at Sheffield University removed Mr Ngole from his two-year MA course.
Unless the decision is reversed and he is restored to his course, Mr Ngole will effectively be barred from serving society as a social worker, he says.
He adds that the court will effectively be ruling on whether biblical beliefs about sexuality, marriage and family are a bar to public office.
Mr Ngole is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre. He will represented in court by standing counsel and leading human rights barrister, Paul Diamond.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said:
“The university’s decision is a fundamental violation of Felix’s rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. He was severely penalised for holding, manifesting and expressing views based on Christian beliefs. That interference was not ‘prescribed by law’ or ‘necessary in a democratic society’.
“Sadly, Felix is another in a long line of Christians who have been pushed out of public service because of their Christian beliefs.”
Felix Ngole added:
“Students go to university to discuss, debate and learn. We are seeing people banned from speaking at debating societies, and pressure groups banning anyone who dares to disagree with the liberal agenda being set by them. My case highlights the complicity of the liberal elite in this worrying movement.
“Instead of banning Christian students, universities should concern themselves with the increasing censorship of Christian belief and lack of religious literacy. Britain has led the world in education and is now in danger of becoming a laughing stock.”